2011-2012 Undergraduate & Graduate Catalog

Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science in Information Systems

Requirements for a Major in Information Systems
Suggested Order of Coursework for a Major in Information Systems

Students who wish to major in Information Systems must complete the following:

Requirements for a Major in Information Systems

1. University Degree Requirements

As identified in the General Academic Policies section of the catalog.

2. Information Systems Majors

All information systems majors must complete the following 4952 semester credit hours of computer science courses with a minimum 2.0 GPA:

CIS 150 - Introduction to Computing Credits: 3
CIS 162 - Computer Science I Credits: 4
CIS 163 - Computer Science II Credits: 4
CIS 230 - Hardware and Software Credits: 3
CIS 238 - Internet Media and Programming Credits: 3
CIS 253 - COBOL Credits: 4 OR CIS 260 - Application Development in Visual Basic (4 credits)
CIS 290 - CIS Internship Preparation Credits: 1
CIS 330 - Systems Analysis and Design Credits: 3
CIS 333 - Database Management and Implementation Credits: 3
CIS 337 - Network Systems Management Credits: 3
CIS 450 - IS Project Management Credits: 3
CIS 460 - Management of Information Systems Credits: 3
CIS 463 - Information Systems Project (Capstone) Credits: 3
CIS 490 - Internship Credits: 2 to 5

Select one:

Information Systems majors must select one of the following tracks:

Software Development

Select: (whichever course was not previously chosen in the core requirements: CS 253 or CS 260) and CS 443

Networking

3. Cognate Courses

Completion of either MTH 225 or 227, and either STA 215 or 312, and either STA 216 or 318 satisfy the B.S. degree cognate requirement for information systems majors. Students completing a B.A. degree must complete a third-semester proficiency in a foreign language.

All information systems majors must complete the following 39 credits of cognate courses:

ACC 212 - Principles of Financial Accounting Credits: 3
ACC 213 - Principles of Managerial Accounting Credits: 3
BUS 201 - Legal Environment for Business Credits: 3
COM 201 - Speech Credits: 3
FIN 320 - Managerial Finance Credits: 3
MGT 268 - Introduction to Management Information Systems Credits: 3
MGT 331 - Concepts of Management Credits: 3
MKT 350 - Marketing Management Credits: 3
WRT 350 - Business Communication Credits: 3

Select one from each of the following 4 groupings:

Secondary Admission

Admission to major standing in computer science or information systems is competitive and requires a secondary application. Applicants must meet the following criteria:

Overall GPA of 2.5 or above in all Grand Valley State University coursework.
Completion of each course in the technical core with a grade of C or above (C- is not sufficient).
GPA of 2.5 or above in the technical core.

Technical core GPA is calculated on no more than one repeat per course. Achievement of the minimum requirements does not guarantee admission to the major. The school will also consider internship availability and the applicant's suitability for internships before granting admission. Transfer students must complete at least six hours of CIS coursework before applying, but should consult with a CIS advisor before scheduling their first semester.

The technical core includes CIS 162 and 163; MTH 225; STA 215, 312 or 318; COM 201 or WRT 350. Completing the core courses requires programming, analytical reasoning, and communication skills. These skills are important to excel in the computing field.

Suggested Order of Coursework for a Major in Information Systems

These options assume students will complete the technical core and general education courses with the help of their advisor and apply for secondary admission during the winter semester of their first year. The following course sequence also assumes a strong mathematics background for the entering student. If mathematics deficiencies exist, they should be the students top priority.

First Year: