Earning My Master of Information Systems (MIS) Degree
Majors Overview May 26, 2015Get information about Master of Information Systems (M.I.S.) degree programs and their education requirements, coursework, career choices, job and wage outlook, and continuing education choices.
Master of Information Systems (M.I.S.) Programs
Students enrolled in a Master of Science (M.S.) in Information Systems or Master of Information Systems Management (M.I.S.M.) program become adept at evaluating and building information technology systems in accordance with organizational needs. Students learn about system upgrade installations, database analysis, and network configurations through computer lab training sessions and lecture-based courses. Students take 2-3 years to complete most programs, and may access some courses online.
Education Requirements
Admission criteria typically require incoming students to hold a bachelor’s degree from an accredited school, in addition to submission of GRE or GMAT test scores along with TOEFL scores where applicable. Applicants may also be expected to have basic programming skills and work experience.
Coursework
Coursework may include courses in topic areas such as business, computer science, and information systems. A capstone project, elective classes and core coursework are included. Internship opportunities may be included to allow students to employ their skills in real-world environments. Core coursework may cover topic areas such as:
•Data mining
•Information policy
•Data analysis
•Organization management
•Electronic commerce
Career Choices
Program graduates may seek work in numerous settings such as universities, government agencies, nonprofit organizations, and global corporations. They may opt for popular career choices such as:
•Information officer
•IT project manager
•Chief technology officer
•Information technology director
Job and Wage Outlook
Over the 2012 – 2022 decade, a job growth rate of 15% has been predicted for computer and information systems managers, including IT project managers. Over the same period, top executives, which could include chief technology officers and information technology directors, are expected to see the growth of 11% (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics). In May 2012, computer and information systems managers (including IT project managers) brought in average annual wages of $120,950. Top executives (including chief technology officers and information technology directors) brought in average annual wages of $101,650.
Continuing Education Choices
Program graduates may opt for continued education by earning doctoral degrees to help advance their careers and enhance their potential earnings. Coursework in a doctoral degree program is more intensive and covers information systems related subjects, augmented by studies in a specialty field, such as social networks or information privacy. Many professionals use work experience to advance their careers to become chief information officers, or senior or lead system analysts. Doctoral degree programs may lead to careers in research or academia.