MIS is short for Management Information Systems and is the name of an academic discipline and major which focuses on solving business problems and creating new opportunities with technology. MIS is also often shortened to Information Systems (IS) or Information Technology (IT).

What is an MIS system?

MIS systems gather, process, and manage information. For example, MIS systems help customers order airline tickets online and withdraw cash from automated teller machines. MIS systems are also crucial in payroll processing, accounting systems, and in websites such as Amazon.com.

What are the salary ranges for MIS professionals?

Entry-level salaries for MIS graduates include:

Where do MIS graduates work?

MIS professionals are business-oriented, technically proficient individuals who are found in every type of industry from healthcare and banking to media and gaming, as well as in the tech industry such as Facebook and Google. MIS professionals work in organizations such as Pfizer, AmerisourceBergen, Lockheed Martin, NBCUniversal, and consulting firms such as Capgemini Invent.

How is MIS different from computer science?

MIS professionals apply technology to meet business needs, while Computer science focuses on creating the technology itself. MIS and computer science courses may seem similar, but there are significant differences in their content and how they are taught. Computer Science (CS) students take courses that will help them better understand how the technology is built – they take courses outside their such as math and physics. MIS students take courses that will help them develop business applications for the technology – they take courses outside their major such as accounting and marketing. One is not better than the other – they are just different.

What do MIS professionals do?

MIS professionals are leaders who initiate, design, and apply technology to transform business functions and drive innovation. Common career paths include analyst, consultant, application developer, data analyst, and project leader.

MAJOR IN MIS

• Become a leader who initiates, designs, and applies technology to transform business functions and produces innovative products and services.
• Career choices include business analyst, systems analyst, data analytics, project manager, consultant, application developer, web designer, and social media consultant.

Learn more: BBA in MIS.

MINORS IN MIS

• Find IT solutions to business problems in all functional areas as well as liaison with developers and technology vendors.
• Apply for jobs that require identifying and using software products, and providing input into their design.

Learn more: MIS Minor, Digital Marketing Minor, ITIE Minor, Business Analytics Minor

The Management Information Systems department was formed in 2000 to support the three strategic pillars of the Fox School of Business, entrepreneurship, globalization, and information technology. Martin Doyle serves as Department Chair and Amy Lavin is Deputy Chair.

The vision of MIS is to be a worldwide leader in transformative research and teaching on the design, use, and effects of information technology in a digital world.

The research mission is to produce knowledge that fundamentally transforms the design and use of information technology by integrating multi-disciplinary perspectives. The teaching mission is to prepare a diverse and changing population for a life-long pursuit of learning, leadership, and success with information technology in a connected world.  Our objectives include:

• Generate ground breaking research by drawing on diverse theories, methods, and approaches.
• Draw upon research to inform forward thinking professionals to design, implement, and lead innovative uses of information technology in organizations and markets.
• Offer theoretically informed, experiential, and collaborative education on the innovative and ethical design, development, and application of information technology.

The MIS department offers undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral programs in information systems.

The Temple Community Platform (TCP) is a cloud-hosted platform built on top of WordPress that consists of three distinct innovations:

1. New type of learning management system (LMS) that applies social and open concepts to change learning and student development.
2. A structured measurable professional development program that gets undergraduate students ready for the workplace.
3. A model and associated software for offering 100% online graduate degree programs at low cost to achieve very high retention and satisfaction.

The platform is showcased at the main WordPress.org site. Take a look and make sure you leave a rating. The key design principles include:

• Open: All activity is open (e.g., a new post in a course is automatically published on the Internet, a widget displays ‘who is online’, e-portfolios are available on the Internet).
• Enable social connections and flow: All members can connect, communicate and share with each other (e.g., view profiles, message, share links)
• Individual control: Members independently generate and control their content and manage their identity (e.g., create a site, choose how to earn professional development points, dashboard analytics help students compare their development and progress to others)
• Discovery: Tools that encourage discovery of new members, new activity, and content (e.g., community activity list, leaderboard, search, tagging, permanent URLs, PRO point calendar).
• Aggregation: Activity and content is collated (e.g., sites are automatically published through RSS, badges, graduation analysis and peer comparison analysis on the PRO dashboard).

To learn more see: Mandviwalla, M., Schuff, D., Chacko, M. and Miller, L. Is That All There Is? Taking Education to New Levels in the Social Media Era. Change: The Magazine of Higher Learning, September 2013. 

Team members

• Munir Mandviwalla
• Manoj Chacko
• Laurel Miller

If you have any questions about the platform please contact Laurel Miller at Laurel.Miller@temple.edu. 

As internationally and nationally recognized experts in their fields of study, MIS faculty connect teaching and research, industry and academia, real-world experience, and theoretical constructs. The research is applied, reflects our integrative focus, and is published in premier outlets such as Management Information Systems Quarterly and Information Systems Research.

The vision of MIS is to be a worldwide leader in transformative research and teaching on the design, use, and effects of information technology in a digital world. The research mission is to produce knowledge that fundamentally transforms the design and use of information technology by integrating multi-disciplinary perspectives.

Areas of expertise

IT and strategy

• Impact of IT Investments on Firm Performance
• Dynamic and Improvisational Capabilities
• IT Design and IT Innovation
• ERP Implementation in Large Firms
• Ideal CIO Reporting Structure
• Open Product Sourcing
• Business Intelligence/Analytics
• IT Human Capital
• Cybersecurity

E-Commerce and Internet technologies

• Broadband policy
• Online Reviews 
• Recommendation Systems
• Crowdsourcing
• Virtual teams

Social media

• Social Media in Organizations
• Social Media and Politics
• Social Media Strategy
• Social Analytics
• Peer influence on technology/product adoption
• Large network analysis

Digital innovation and design

• Design Science
• Digital Transformation
• Digital platform strategy
• Complex systems
• Digital start-ups

The objective of an independent study is to provide students an opportunity to pursue a topic of their interest with in depth supervision of a faculty member.

GUIDELINES

• An independent study is designed to accommodate exceptional cases and advanced students.
• Each credit of independent study should be roughly equivalent to 56 hours of work (based on the model of one hour per week of contact time and three hours of additional work in a 14 week semester). The ratio of contact time to independent work is decided by the instructor.
• An independent study can be one credit or more, however the typical independent study is three credit hours. A student should have completed at least 40% of their program before taking an independent study and have a GPA of 3.0 or better.  All current MIS faculty – full time or part time – are eligible to work with students on an independent study.
• All approved MIS independent studies count as an MIS elective. 

PROCEDURE

1. Fill in the form below and submit to the MIS department or relevant program director. After initial review, the form is then submitted to the MIS department chair for final approval. 
2. Upon completion, the MIS department will register the student.

Note: Each semester, all independent study students may be required to do a public department-wide presentation on their work. This requirement is over and above the specific requirements of the specific independent study.

DOCUMENTS AND FORMS

• Independent Study Request Form_8.17.17

The PhD Business Administration in MIS produces high-caliber faculty who are ready to assume responsibilities at top-tier research universities and generate high-impact research. A hallmark of our program is the close collaboration between faculty and Ph.D. students. The program includes highly acclaimed faculty with an excellent research record and extensive experience in mentoring doctoral students.

• MIS faculty are on the editorial board of leading academic journals such as MIS Quarterly, Information Systems Research, and the Journal of the Associaton for Information Systems.
• MIS faculty and doctoral students work on exciting and innovative research projects funded by the National Science Foundation, NASA, IBM, Samsung, Lockheed Martin, Merck, and Campbell Soup.
• The MIS research portfolio covers a range of topics including e-commerce, innovation, competitive strategy, social media, virtual teams, and mobile computing.

The program requires about two years of course work and added time for the dissertation. The average expected time to completion is five years.

ADMISSION

Admission to the Fox School of Business and Management Ph.D. MIS specialization is highly competitive. All applicants must take the GMAT and have obtained a master’s or undergraduate degree from an accredited university. Successful applicants typically possess an aptitude for critical thinking and have good knowledge about the state of art of applied information technology. 

Application Deadlines: While applications are rolling, we will start processing applications on January 5. You are strongly encouraged to apply early as additional University-wide scholarships may be available for outstanding, early applicants. The program only admits students in the fall of each year. For additional information please contact Joseph Allegra, Senior Associate Director.

FUNDING

All admitted students receive full financial support including tuition and stipend. We also provide generous travel support to present your work at leading academic conferences and there are fellowship opportunities for top-quality Ph.D. students. For truly outstanding candidates, we also provide incentives through additional summer funding. In addition, there may be additional funding available for students through grants and projects that are currently in progress inside the department. For additional information please contact Joseph Allegra, Senior Associate Director.

The MIS faculty at Fox are at the top of their field, and it seems like there is a constant stream of scholars visiting from institutions all over the world, delivering seminars about whatever cutting edge research they happen to be working on. With access to great minds like these, I always have the opportunity to bounce my ideas off others, to obtain great feedback, regardless of the topic.
Gord Burtch, MIS PhD Graduate, Associate Professor at Boston University

 

CURRICULUM

The MIS doctoral program consists of sixteen doctoral-level courses, which include four core courses (Math Preparation, Business Statistics I & II, Theory of Choice), at least three theory electives and at least three research method electives (the choices are dependent on the students’ research interests and qualification and are decided upon consulting with the concentration advisor and faculty mentor of the student), four MIS concentration seminars (one proseminar + three research seminars) and two electives of students’ choice. 

The faculty’s expertise here covers almost all aspects of IS research, and that gives us an edge in knowing different research streams and research traditions in IS.
Yili Hong, MIS PhD Graduate, Professor at University of Houston

 

Paper Requirement

PhD students in MIS are required to complete two research papers: first-year summer paper and second-year summer paper. Students will be asked to present a proposal of their research papers in May of the first and second year and the final presentation in the beginning of the second and third year. After each presentation, the MIS faculty will evaluate whether the student has satisfactorily completed the research paper and presentation requirement.

Comprehensive Exam Requirement

PhD students in MIS are required to pass a Comprehensive (Preliminary) Exam in the end of the second year. The Comprehensive exam is designed to test whether the student has a comprehensive and integrated understanding of the theories, methodologies, and empirical findings in MIS. The exam primarily focuses on the knowledge gained in the concentration seminars and theory courses, albeit other pertinent materials may also be included in the comprehensive exam.

RELEVANT LINKS

• Fox Ph.D. in Business Administration

The Information Technology Innovation and Entrepreneurship (ITIE) minor integrates the enabling role of IT with the drive of entrepreneurial thinking. The minor includes courses in Entrepreneurship, Management Information Systems (MIS), and other related areas. The minor is appropriate for all majors and particularly relevant for students in Marketing, Finance, Human Resources, Management, and MIS. ITIE minors can drive new IT enabled innovative projects in existing firms and create technology enabled start-ups.

The minor is a joint venture between the MIS department and the Strategic Management department.

In today’s environment, employers and employees must come up with innovative ideas to benefit the business. The ability to think creatively adds value to any company. I chose the ITIE minor to learn how to analyze situations in non-traditional ways, and it has allowed me to come up with solutions I would have never thought of before.
Kae Robben, ITIE Minor

I selected ITIE as a minor because I feel IT skills are essential for aspiring entrepreneurs. Knowing how to leverage technology today can help you improve efficiency throughout every aspect of your business and separate you from competitors.
John Carsia, BBA MIS, ITIE Minor

CURRICULUM

More information, including course numbers, full course descriptions, and prerequisites, is available through the Temple Bulletin.

Required

• Entrepreneurial and Innovative Thinking
• Information Systems Innovation

Electives (select two)

• User Experience Design
• Data and Analytics
• Co-operative Experience in Management Information Systems
• Managing New and Small Enterprises
• Entrepreneurial Marketing
• Creating a Media Business

Notes:

• Fox school majors cannot double count courses they have already completed for their major.
• Entrepreneurship majors can take the ITIE minor but they cannot double count courses already taken for their major. They will need to substitute the required SGM 3501 for a different course. Students are encouraged to find a relevant course appropriate to their interest. This course will need to be approved in advance.
• MIS majors can take the ITIE minor but they cannot double count courses already taken for their major. They are encouraged to take the non-MIS courses for the electives.

Complete the ITIE minor declaration form to declare the ITIE minor.

For more information, please contact Joseph Allegra | joe.allegra@temple.edu

The nationally recognized Bachelors of Business Administration in Management Information Systems (MIS) produces digital leaders who design, architect, and manage API-driven products. These products apply APIs, cloud, cyber-security, agile, user experience, and analytics to achieve business outcomes.

The BBA in MIS is a STEM program that provides access to STEM and MIS scholarships.

In today’s digital ecosystem of software-based services, MIS students imagine, create, and deploy API-driven digital products and services to create value for consumers and businesses.

MIS students are poised to take on product management roles applying their skills to take innovative digital ideas from inception to successful use and profitability.

Learn to design, build, deploy, secure, and evaluate API-driven, cloud-based software applications that achieve business goals, meet requirements, deliver a positive user experience, and execute reliably at scale. MIS will prepare you to:

• Design software applications that meet requirements and are enjoyable to use employing state-of-the-art UX techniques
• Build web-based, API-driven business applications using HTML, CSS, JavaScript, and Node.js as well as frameworks such as Express
• Deploy APIs on a robust cloud infrastructure using Amazon Web Services
• Secure applications and businesses against cyber-threats applying cryptography and vulnerability discovery techniques
• Analyze critical business data using data mining techniques and navigate relational and NoSQL data stores using MySQL and MongoDB 

CURRICULUM

More information, including course numbers, full course descriptions, and prerequisites, is available through the Temple Bulletin.

Required courses

• Web Application Development 
  Develop web-based applications that integrate web services
• Data and Analytics 
  Analyze and present insights from business data
• Cloud Architecture 
  Design and build cloud-based infrastructures for scalable application deployment
• User Experience Design 
  Describe, scope, and build a complete user experience
• Web Service Programming 
  Create and deploy a complete, end-to-end, cloud-based application
• Managing Enterprise Cybersecurity 
  Secure applications and the enterprise

Selected electives

• Lead Global Digital Projects 
  Lead technology-enabled transformation
• Internet Enabled Supply Chains 
  Reimagine supply chains using digital technology
• Applied Predictive Analytics 
  Derive patterns and insight from large data sets
• Strategic Management of Information Technology 
  Manage IT resources to advance an organization’s strategy
• Social Media Innovation 
  Create digital business models using next-generation interfaces and social media.
• Special Topics 
  Explore new and emerging technology topics
• Information Systems Innovation
  Create new digital products and services
• Co-operative Experience in MIS
  Gain course credit for internships. 

PROFESSIONAL ACHIEVEMENT PROGRAM

MIS majors benefit from the innovative patent-pending PRO – professional achievement program:

1. Earn required points for professional development activities and for applying learning to practice (e.g., internships, student leadership)
2. Receive recognition for professional achievement on leaderboards, badges, professional achievement wire, and e-portfolios. ‘Cash-in’ reward points at the MIS Points Store.
3. Showcase your educational and professional achievements at the MIS Career Fair.

CAREERS AND PLACEMENT

MIS BBA majors get placed in the top firms in the region and nationally. Learn about careers in IS and participate in the MIS Career Fair which provides exclusive one-stop placement and internship opportunities for MIS students. The Temple University led ISJobIndex.com project provides national level data on jobs in the IS field:

• Bachelor MIS students’ average salary is $75,517 nationally. Salaries for IS graduates are higher than typical business majors.
• 81% of IS graduates are satisfied with their job offer.

The top IS jobs are:

Source: IS Job Index, http://isjobindex.com

THE MIS EDGE

1. What is MIS and why should you consider MIS?
2. What is unique about the nationally recognized MIS program?
3. Exclusive scholarships and awards. BBA in MIS students are eligible for STEM designated scholarships.
4. Win prizes and gain recognition in national, and local analytics and entrepreneurial competitions.
5. Temple’s Association for Information Systems (AIS) student organization provides extensive professional, social, and community activities.
6. The BBA in MIS is designed in partnership with the Industry. 
7. Access top firms through the affiliated Institute of Business and Information Technology, which each year hosts the acclaimed IT awards.
8. Learn the latest technologies.
9. Fox is one of the largest business schools in the world with a vast array of programs, research centers, and superb resources.
10. Accelerated 3 Year BBA – Motivated students can finish in 3 years.

MORE INFORMATION

• Download BBA MIS Course Structure
• Temple University Undergraduate Bulletin FSBM/MIS
• College Graduation Requirements for Freshmen and Transfer Students

NEXT STEPS

1. Take a look at our internationally renowned faculty
2. Read Why Temple MIS?
3. Connect with Temple AIS on Facebook

If you are a high performing motivated student – we want to recruit you – please contact Joseph Allegra at jallegra@temple.edu

Bachelor of MIS

The Bachelor of Business Administration Major in Management Information Systems (MIS) produces digital leaders who design, architect, and manage API-driven products. 

Minor in MIS

A minor in MIS provides undergraduate students the ability to specify, select, utilize, and apply information technology (IT) to their major field of study. The minor provides the skills, and terminology needed to become an expert user of IT in the business world.

Master of Science in IT Auditing & Cyber-security

The nationally recognized MS in Information Technology Auditing and Cyber-Security (MS ITACS) prepares students for careers in protecting and evaluating organizational information systems. The MS ITACS will produce entry-level IT auditors who have the skills and knowledge needed to pass the Information Systems Audit and Control Association’s (ISACA) Certified Information System Auditor exam. The program also offers a Cyber-security track that prepares students for the Systems Security Certified Practitioner (SSCP) exam.

Doctor of Philosophy in MIS

The MIS specialization in the Fox School’s PhD in Business Administration program is a full-time program that prepares individuals for academic research careers in Information Systems (IS). The MIS PhD is the only independent program in the region.

MIS affiliated programs

Digital Marketing Minor

The Digital Marketing minor prepares students for careers related to customer relationship management, social media, information architecture, ecommerce, search engine optimization, e-detailing, site design, Internet research, demographic and sales analytics, blogging, and media design.

Business Analytics Minor

The Business Analytics minor will prepare students to unlock the value buried in corporate data and create new business opportunities.