Information Systems

Information delivered quickly and accurately is the key to any successful enterprise. The IT/IS specialist provides the infrastructure for firms to compete strategically by planning, designing, installing and managing the systems used by a firm's functional areas 鈥� finance, marketing, human resources management and supply chain management.

Cross train your brain.

With our deeply integrated business core, information technology majors learn all the fundamental aspects of business functions: accounting, economics, marketing, finance and management. When your understanding of business operations goes beyond the realm of IS to the rest of an enterprise's functions, you broaden your opportunities for advancement.

Internships.

As an information technology major, you'll have the opportunity to practice your skills with companies such as GE Healthcare, Harley-Davidson, Johnson Controls Inc., MillerCoors, Accenture, Direct Supply, Northwestern Mutual Financial Network, PWC, West Bend Mutual and Fiserv.

Explain yourself.

Our liberal arts-based core curriculum will make you a strong communicator, so you'll be an articulate problem-solver who's equally adept with people and information technology. As an information technology major, those communication skills will come in handy as you listen to users' needs and design effective systems to meet those needs.

Going global.

Our Project Management class works virtually with student development teams in other countries. A winterim course takes information technology majors to visit offshore IT firms.

  • Minor
  • Learning Outcomes

NOTE:

  • A grade of C or better must be earned in each course.
  • Only one transfer course can apply toward the INSY minor. The assistant dean in the College of Business Administration must approve any transfer of credits.

As one of many methods of assuring that the goals of our educational mission are successfully met, the college regularly and systematically engages in the assessment of a variety of competencies. As part of this assurance of learning, each program defines and collects data on learning goals; statements of the knowledge, skills and attitudes that we want our graduates to possess. We use them for continuous improvement and they are the criteria on which organizations such as AACSB evaluate our accreditation. The following are the current Learning Goals for the Information Technology Major along with the goals for the Undergraduate Business Core.

  • Define the business problem
  • Analyze business processes and data
  • Model the business process
  • Develop software programs
  • Evaluate software packages

Below are the specific learning outcomes assessed to help determine if students meet the above outcome.

Learning Outcomes

For the goal - - Define the Business Problem: 

  • Identify differences between technical and business problems
  • Articulate differences between symptoms and problems

For the goal - - Analyze Business Processes and Data:

  • Analyze the requirements for a proposed system
  • Interpret data and process models for current and new systems
  • Analyze the requirements for a proposed system
  • Assign resources and costs for a project plan
  • Determine risks inherent to a project plan
  • Define object models
  • Determine private versus non-private variables and methods

For the goal - - Model the Business Processes

  • Develop a dataflow diagram
  • Create a detailed system design document from proposed system requirements
  • Improve data and process models for current and new systems
  • Develop data and process models for current and new systems
  • Create a detailed database design document using the Unified Modeling Language (UML) Class Diagram as the design document
  • Create a detailed database design document using the Entity Relationship Diagram (ERD) as the design document
  • Create a project schedule

For the goal - - Develop Software Programs

  • Create and run a program code from a previously specified design specification
  • Test and debug the above system
  • Demonstrate understanding of the fundamentals of coding (sequence, selection and iteration)

For the goal - - Evaluate Software Packages

  • Choose the most feasible of solution choices according to client needs based on criteria, criteria weighting, and rating

Undergraduate Business Core Learning Goals

  1. Apply effective written and oral communication skills to business situations.
  2. Analyze the global business environment.
  3. Analyze the local business environment.
  4. Use critical thinking skills in business situations.
  5. Apply an ethical understanding and perspective to business situations.