Management Information
Systems (B.S.B.A.)
Students with an interest in emerging technologies and corporate management find Bloomsburg's Management Information Systems major helpful in preparing for high-salary careers in business. And they study in an academic setting recognized as one of the best in the world.
The BSBA in MIS features two tracks---Managerial Applications, and Systems Design and Development---and a thoroughly updated curriculum to reflect a migration of emphasis from coding and programming to managerial applications and systems design and development. The Managerial Applications track focuses on solving strategic and operational business problems, whereas the Systems Design and Development track addresses the design and development information systems.
The managerial applications track embodies a systems approach to the formulation, implementation, and solution of real-world managerial problems using a combination of concepts and techniques from different functional areas of business, information systems, and information technology. It centers on the application of organizational information systems to solve managerial problems. The Systems Design and Development is similar in terms of systems thinking and business orientation, but is different in terms of its focus----which is primarily on requirements analysis, applications development, and deployment and secondarily on managerial problem-solving. As fields of inquiry and as career choices, both tracks are concerned broadly with an organization’s use of information systems to attain strategic business objectives, take optimal decisions, and achieve or maintain competitive advantage.
The program is a key element of BU's College of Business, a recipient of the coveted accreditation by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business, ranking Bloomsburg among the best business colleges in the world.
I-S at BU
Specialization in the growing field of information technology has led to an array of specialized degree programs available to students. What you select largely depends on the nature of your career goals. Here's a quick summary:
- Business Information Systems deals with support of information systems and applications for the end-user and strives to improve individual and group efficiency.
- Computer Information Systems deals with evaluation and possible development of software, networking, and databases for organizational information systems; includes software engineering.
- Management Information Systems deals with the use of technology for business applications and the design and development of information systems for broad-system applications in different functional areas of business.
MIS at BU offers a blend of theory and practice, business and technical skills, and prepares students to effectively use information systems and technology as key enablers of success in critical managerial positions. Managerial decision-making, problem solving, systems analysis, design and development get particular emphasis.
Today's business world is being shaped by two main paradigms viz., globalization and Internet communication technologies. The Management Information System program is strategically placed at the confluence of these two major and emerging centers of projected demand growth.
Study begins with the core business courses. You'll study financial and managerial accounting, information technology, principles of management, business policies and strategies, corporate finance, marketing principles and practice and business law. This basic set is rounded out with general education courses in composition, public speaking, economics, statistics, matrix algebra and business mathematics or calculus.
The MIS specialization includes organizational information systems, their functional context, e-commerce, use of technology for business applications and development of technological solutions to managerial problems at the strategic and operational levels.
Like all business majors, you'll enjoy a close relationship with faculty, all of whom have doctoral degrees and teach the classes you'll take. Class sizes are small and allow the sort of personal attention that helps make a difference in fine-tuning your education to meet your career objectives.
The College of Business offers two student computer labs and an independent server large enough to run a medium-sized corporation that is also accessible from residence halls. Software is typical of what might be found in most business environments and students are expected to gain proficiency in using database management, spreadsheets and word processing.
The department also offers a career concentration in information assurance, which uses electives opportunities to provide courses related to the security of systems and data. Students can also choose from a wide array of minors and concentrations university-wide, including minors and concentrations in:
- Business
- Computer Information Science
- Economics
- Entrepreneurship
- Human Resources Management
- Information Assurance
- Information and Technology Management
- International Business
- Legal Studies
- Management
- Marketing
- Political Science
- Statistics
The program has a very high job placement rate and students are well prepared to continue studies in MBA programs - including one at BU.