Graduate Certificate Programs in Information Systems Management Overview
Majors Overview May 4, 2015Get information about graduate certificate programs in information systems management and their education requirements, coursework, career choices, job and wage outlook, and continuing education choices.
Overview of Information Systems Management Graduate Certificate Programs
The focus of information systems managers is on the design, implementation, and maintenance of the computer systems, databases, and networks of an organization or business. Schools devise graduate certificate programs in this field to provide individuals with prior postsecondary education with the managerial expertise and technical experience they would need in order to advance their careers in the computer systems and technology field.
This program may benefit managerial candidates in all business fields provided they have prior work experience in information systems-related areas. Students take about a year to complete a graduate certificate program in information systems management; the program is offered online by some schools.
Education Requirements
Admission criteria typically require incoming students to hold a bachelor’s degree from an accredited school, in addition to having a minimum GPA of 2.8.
Coursework
Coursework may often cover topic areas from the computer science, computer information, and information technology fields. Specialized coursework may also include telecommunications, management, database networking, and computer system design and analysis. Core coursework may cover topic areas such as:
•Organizational behavior
•Project management
•Database design
•Expert systems
•Information security
•Networking applications
•Emerging technology
Job and Wage Outlook
Over the 2012 – 2022 decade, a job growth rate of 15% has been predicted for computer and information systems managers. The growth rate comes from the need for networking support for new technology applications and updated security systems (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics). In May 2012, computer and information systems managers brought in an average annual wage of $120,950.
Career Choices
Common employers of information systems managers typically include computer systems design firms, but may also include manufacturers, government agencies, and insurance firms.
Continuing Education Choices
Certificate holders may seek continuing education by earning a master’s degree, whereby they may gain in-depth technical experience and acumen in the information systems field. They may apply information systems management credits from a graduate certificate program in order to enroll into a master’s degree program. Additionally, professional certification related to information management is offered by various international and national organizations.
