Information Systems MSIS

Major: Information Systems
Degree Awarded: Master of Science in Information Systems (MSIS)
Calendar Type: Quarter
Minimum Required Credits: 45.0
Co-op Option: Available for full-time, on-campus master's-level students
Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP) code: 11.0401
Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) code: 11-3021

About the Program

The College of Computing & Informatics' Master of Science in Information Systems (MSIS) prepares students for both the technical and real-world aspects of developing and managing information systems. The program is offered both online and on campus, part-time and full-time.

The program is designed for students with no prior background in information systems who would like an education in the latest innovative methods in data analysis and information systems, or those with a background in IS development who wish to refresh and update their technical design and analysis skills. Courses integrate the business, organizational, and technical aspects of computer-based information systems, while offering the chance to develop and expand expertise in three specialist areas:

1.  Information systems development and management, such as organizational information system design, business systems requirements analysis, software project management, web-based application development and systems implementation

2.  Big data management, covering the creation and management of databases, interfaces and information systems that connect users with the information they seek, including areas such as database systems design and management, data mining, natural language processing, intelligent systems, and data analytics

3.  Human-centered computing, such as human-computer interaction, user-experience design, social computing, collaboration systems, and online community support

A graduate co-op is available for this program. For more information, visit the Steinbright Career Development Center's website.

Admission Requirements

The Master of Science in Information Systems accepts applicants who hold a Bachelor's degree from an accredited university. Please visit the College of Computing & Informatics website for more information on admission requirements.

Additional Information

For more information about this program, visit the College of Computing & Informatics MS in Information Systems webpage.

Admission Requirements

The Master of Science in Information Systems accepts applicants who hold a bachelor's degree from an accredited university. Please visit the College of Computing & Informatics website for more information on admission requirements.

Degree Requirements

*

Additional elective choices include

• Another approved CCI certificate
• Appropriate graduate-level courses in CCI (CS, CT, SE, DSCI, INFO) with advisor approval
• Up to 2 appropriate graduate-level computing-related courses outside of CCI approved by the College.

**

Co-op is an option for this degree for full-time on-campus students. To prepare for the 6-month co-op experience, students will complete: COOP 500. The total credits required for this degree with the co-op experience is 46.0.

Students not participating in the co-op experience will need 45.0 credits to graduate.

Sample Plan of Study

Part-time, No co-op

Note: Third Year Winter is less than the 4.5-credit minimum required (considered half-time status) of graduate programs to be considered financial aid eligible. As a result, aid will not be disbursed to students this term.

Full-time with co-op

Note: Third Year Winter is less than the 4.5-credit minimum required (considered half-time status) of graduate programs to be considered financial aid eligible. As a result, aid will not be disbursed to students this term.

Dual Degree Opportunities

Graduate students already enrolled in a master's degree program at Drexel have the opportunity, through the dual master's program to work simultaneously on two master's degrees and to receive both upon graduation. To be eligible, graduate students must be currently working on their first degree when requesting admission to the second. They must obtain approval from the graduate advisors of both programs and work out a plan of study encompassing coursework and/or research (thesis) credits for both degrees. Please contact your advisor for more information on program requirements as some CCI master's degree combinations may require additional pre-requisites.

The dual master's student must complete the Change of Curriculum and Status form and obtain approvals from both graduate advisors. Final approval is granted by the Graduate College. The student is then registered in both majors simultaneously. Upon graduation, the student must file two Application for Degree forms.

 Facilities

3675 Market Street

The College of Computing & Informatics is located at 3675 Market. Occupying three floors in the modern uCity Square building, CCI's home offers state-of-the-art technology in our classrooms, research labs, offices, meeting areas and collaboration spaces. 3675 Market offers Class A laboratory, office, coworking, and convening spaces. Located at the intersection of Market Street and 37th Street, 3675 Market acts as a physical nexus, bridging academic campuses and medical centers to the east and south, the commercial corridors along Market Street and Chestnut Street, and the residential communities to the north and west.

The uCity Square building offers:

• Speculative lab/office space
• World-class facilities operated by CIC
• Café/restaurant on-site
• Quorum, a two-story, 15K SF convening space and conference center
• Adjacent to future public square
• Access to Science Center’s nationally renowned business acceleration and technology commercialization programs

Drexel University Libraries

Drexel University Libraries is a learning enterprise, advancing the University’s academic mission through serving as educators, supporting education and research, collaborating with researchers, and fostering intentional learning outside of the classroom. Drexel University Libraries engages with Drexel communities through three physical locations, including W. W. Hagerty Library, Queen Lane Library, and the Library Learning Terrace, as well as a vibrant online presence which sees, on average, over 8,000 visits per day. In the W.W. Hagerty Library location, College of Computing & Informatics students have access to private study rooms and nearly half a million books, periodicals, DVDs, videos and University Archives. All fields of inquiry are covered, including: library and information science, computer science, software engineering, health informatics, information systems, and computing technology. Resources are available online at library.drexel.edu or in-person at W. W. Hagerty Library.

The Libraries also make available laptop and desktop PC and Mac computers, printers and scanners, spaces for quiet work or group projects and designated 24/7 spaces. Librarians and library staff—including a liaison librarian for computing and informatics—are available for individual research consultations and to answer questions about materials or services.

CCI Commons

Located on the 10th floor of 3675 Market Street, the CCI Commons is an open lab and collaborative work environment for students. It features desktop computers, a wireless/laptop area, free black and white printing, and more collaborative space for its students. Students have access to 3675 Market's fully equipped conference room with 42” displays and videoconferencing capabilities. The CCI Commons provides technical support to students, faculty, and professional staff. In addition, the staff provides audio-visual support for all presentation classrooms within 3675 Market. Use of the CCI Commons is reserved for all students taking CCI courses.

The computers for general use are Microsoft Windows and Macintosh OSX machines with appropriate applications which include the Microsoft Office suite, various database management systems, modeling tools, and statistical analysis software. Library-related resources may be accessed at the CCI Commons and through the W.W. Hagerty Library. The College is a member of the "Azure Dev Tools for Teaching” platform that allows students free access to a wide array of Microsoft software titles and operating systems.

The CCI Commons, student labs, and classrooms have access to networked databases, print and file resources within the College, and the Internet via the University’s network. Email accounts, Internet and BannerWeb access are available through the Office of Information Resources and Technology.

CCI Learning Center

The CCI Learning Center (CLC), located in 3675 Market Street's CCI Commons student computer lab, provides consulting and other learning resources for students taking courses offered by the Computer Science Department. The CLC is staffed by graduate and undergraduate computer science students from the College of Computing & Informatics.

The CLC and CCI Commons serve as a central hub for small group work, student meetings, and TA assistance. 

Research Laboratories

The College houses multiple research labs, led by CCI faculty, in 3675 Market Street including: the Metadata Research Center (MRC), Interactive Systems for Healthcare (IS4H) Research, Economics and Computation (EconCS), The TeX-Base Lab, SPiking And Recurrent SoftwarE (SPARSE) Coding, Human-System Evaluation and Analysis Lab (H-SEAL), Applied Symbolic Computation Laboratory (ASYM), Software Engineering Research Group (SERG), Social Computing Research Group, Vision and Cognition Laboratory (VisCog) and the Vision and Graphics Laboratory. For more information on these laboratories, please visit the College’s research web page.

Evaluations

The College of Computing & Informatics works continually to improve its degree programs. As part of this effort, the Information Systems degree is evaluated relative to the following Learning Objectives:

Graduates of the MS in Information Systems program are prepared to assume leadership and management positions designing, developing, and delivering innovative technological solutions to information problems in a variety of contexts. Their preparation encompasses the knowledge and abilities required to:

• Use a human-centered approach to analyze information needs and design solutions to meet those needs
• Lead or contribute substantially to a team in developing information technology products and services
• Evaluate, compare, and select from alternative and emerging information technologies
• Communicate with technical and non-technical audiences about information technology concepts and stakeholder needs
• Contribute substantially to an information technology plan for an organization
• Explain information technology uses, benefits, and ethical and global issues for individuals and organizations