School of Business and Management

Department of Management Information Systems

Reza Barkhi, Head

Faculty

• Frank Campa
  
• Kim Heng Chen
  
• Ananth Chiravuri
  
• Abdelkader Daghfous 
  
• Narasimhaiah Gorla
  
• Mehmet Gumus
  
• Zeinab Karake-Shalhoub
  
• Ali Khawaja
  
• Munir Majdalawieh
  
• Richard Morey
  
• Sofiane Sahraoui
  
• Toufic Saifi
  
• Xiaobo Xu

Bachelor of Science in Management Information Systems (BSMIS)

The management information systems (MIS) program is dedicated to preparing successful graduates for professional business careers, emphasizing the application of information technology to business processes, and to engaging in service and research that serve the information technology needs of society in general and the Gulf region in particular.
MIS is the study of computer technologies, human cognition and scientific principles directed to the design, implementation and management of information systems. The discipline includes technical components such as computer programming, system design, telecommunications, database management systems and computer graphics as well as human factors in system design and human-computer interaction. A variety of rewarding professional opportunities is available to MIS graduates, including analyzing and modeling work systems; analyzing and designing business processes; managing information services; evaluating and selecting business solutions; developing and maintaining advanced systems for information storage, retrieval and distribution; planning and developing the corporate data and system architecture; and more.

The problems solved by information systems graduates come from many disciplines such as mathematics, economics, business, engineering, linguistics and psychology, to name a few. As an information systems professional working on a problem in one of those areas, one must be knowledgeable in that discipline as well as in the capabilities and uses of computers. The successful information systems professional must possess considerable communication skills and must be able to learn new ideas quickly and adapt to ever-changing conditions to satisfy the needs of the users.

The rapid expansion of computer technology and the increasing complexity of information systems generate a need for more sophisticated and effective methods of structuring information for purposes of storage, analysis and retrieval. This requires information systems professionals to be aware of the opportunities and problems resulting from the application of computer technology and capable of understanding both the information needs of managers, administrators and other end-users and the information needs of designing the appropriate computer-based systems. Accordingly, the information analyst and system designer can no longer be regarded as technical experts only; in addition to having professional knowledge and a command of information technology, they must understand the basic needs of the organization in which they operate and of the users of the information systems that they develop. The BSMIS program endeavors to educate students so that they can:

• • understand and plan for the use of current and emerging information technologies
  • develop a broad perspective of the integration of information technology in all functional areas of business
  • understand how to exploit information technology as a strategic resource
  • develop technical and managerial skills in management information systems
  • integrate quality and continuous improvement concepts into information systems management
  • understand ethical issues related to the use of information technology

Program Objectives

The MIS program objectives are to:

• provide MIS graduates with a curriculum that prepares them with the technical skills and conceptual knowledge necessary to succeed in an information systems career, primarily as business analysts
  
• continuously improve students’ skills and knowledge of emerging information systems approaches and technologies that have been identified and targeted for future development
  
• provide service courses to students in the school and the university that are appropriate for the business core and for students seeking general knowledge of the applications of information systems in business
  
• allow students to prepare and take the examinations for professional certifications such as OCP (Oracle Certified Professional), MSCP (Microsoft Certified Professional) and CISA (Certified Information Systems Auditor)
  
• involve the faculty with the placement of students through contacts with potential employers, serving as references for students and advising students on job-search skills
  
• enhance faculty interaction with information systems professionals to identify conceptual knowledge, technical skills and instructional methods appropriate for information systems careers
  
• encourage faculty to engage in applied research in emerging technologies and approaches and publications of instructional development applied to the MIS curriculum

Program Outcomes

A successful graduate of the MIS program should be able to:

• create an application in a structured development environment to manipulate business data files using structured programming techniques
  
• create graphical user interface (GUI)-based applications in an object-oriented programming language, including the development of user interfaces, use of controls, writing/debugging code and the creation of interactive menus
  
• apply data modeling techniques such as normalization and entity relationship (ER) diagramming to create a database model
  
• implement a database model in a relational database management system (RDBMS) such as Oracle, including the creation of tables, establishing referential integrity constraints, loading data, creating views and producing forms and reports using the RDBMS
  
• plan and manage a local area network, including creating users, installing software, establishing security constraints, configuring print services and configuring clients
  
• configure a web server and design a website
  
• select and apply appropriate systems analysis and design methodologies and techniques to develop an information system for a business process
  
• use modern application development products as prototyping tools in the systems development process
  
• develop information system applications for solving business problems by completing a development project from initial requirements gathering to implementation
  
• research emerging information systems technologies and present recommendations to managers about the impact of those technologies on a business
  
• design and implement web-based, interactive groupware applications to support collaborative work and to support access, tracking, sharing and organizing of information across time and space
  
• apply telecommunication concepts to plan and manage wide-area networks and communicate plans to managers in both written and oral form

Distinctive Features of the MIS Program

The Bachelor of Science in Management Information Systems degree program at AUS incorporates a number of distinctive features that set it apart from many other programs:

• Active learning methods that enhance the development of critical thinking abilities. The program curriculum places great emphasis on methods and skills of inquiry, analysis, judgment and decision making.
  Courses that better integrate and reinforce general education requirements. The curriculum integrates, by extension and reinforcement in the MIS field, the content and skills learned in basic courses such as English, accounting, marketing and economics.
• A conceptual framework that cuts across functional areas. Courses in the MIS curriculum are organized with an integrated conceptual structure common to all aspects of the discipline. This conceptual structure emphasizes the utility of information, together with information production and dissemination given various uses.
• Better development and improvement of students’ interpersonal and communication skills. These skills are reflected in the fabric of the curriculum through the use of team projects and written and oral reports.
  
• Greater integration of research findings into the curriculum. MIS courses include knowledge gained through current research and related implications for practice in the information technology field.
  
• A working partnership between academe and practice is encouraged. The goal is to enable a continuous focus on the practical relevance of the educational process as well as a richer and more contemporary flavor to the content of course materials.

Admission

Students interested in the BSMIS program are admitted as MIS-intended (MISI) and should apply to the head of the Department of Management Information Systems for full admission into the BSMIS program no later than the first week of May of their sophomore year in SBM. They must complete the Change of Major form obtained from the Office of the Registrar. Upon completion of at least 60 credits of study (excluding intensive English and preparatory 00X courses), applicants with a cumulative grade point average of 2.5 or higher (including all courses taken at AUS for credit) may be admitted to the BSMIS program.

Degree Requirements

In addition to university and bachelor of science business core requirements, the following major courses are required for BSMIS students:

Major Requirements (24 credits)

• MIS 200 Principles of Business Programming
• MIS 300 Data Communications and Networking
• MIS 301 Fundamentals of Database Management 
• MIS 303 Introduction to Systems Analysis
• MIS 304 Applied Systems Design
• MIS 402 Technology and Knowledge Management
• MIS 404 Internet Business Applications
• MIS 405 Information Systems Strategy

Major Electives (minimum of 6 credits)

The MIS elective can be any two courses in management information systems at the 300 level or above with the approval of the advisor. Additional MIS elective options include the following:

• MGT 380 Project Management
• MIS 203 Software Development for Business Applications

Free Electives (minimum of 9 credits)
Students must complete a minimum of nine credits at the 100 level or above, excluding MTH 100.

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