Master of Science in Computer and Information Systems

Description

The Master of Science in Computer and Information Systems (MSCIS) is a graduate degree program offered by the Department of Computer Science at the University of Wisconsin-Parkside. A Steering Committee consisting of computer science (CS) and management information systems (MIS) faculty manages the MSCIS program.

The university offers MSCIS courses in the evenings starting at 6pm, making it possible for those who work during the day to complete degree requirements with part-time study. Assuming a normal course load of two classes during each of Fall and Spring Semesters and one class during Summer Session, you can finish the program in two to three years, depending on preparation.

The current UW-Parkside catalog contains detailed information about the CIS program.

Audience

• you have little or no background in CS or MIS and you wish to gain credentials as a computer and information systems professional, or
• you have a degree in CIS or MIS and you wish to advance yourself technically and professionally

Admissions

Print a hard copy of the Graduate Student Application Form, fill it out, and send it -- along with supporting documentation -- to the address given on the form. The application form is in PDF format; if you are unable to print this form, please call or email the Department of Computer Science to request that a form be sent to you. The department address and telephone number are located at the bottom of this page.

Note: The University of Wisconsin System already has an online application process available to undergraudate students. We expect that online applications will be available for graduate students sometime in Fall 2001. In the meantime, you will need to fill out a paper application for admission into the CIS graduate program.

FAQ

You can consult a list of Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) online. International students should consult the FAQ carefully for specific information pertaining to documentation required for admission into the CIS program.

Prerequisites

If you have little or no background in CS or MIS, you will complete a set of prerequisite courses appropriate to your preparation. These courses cover calculus, programming and data structures. The number of courses required -- up to three -- will depend on your previous coursework and experience.

For example, if you have no background in CS or MIS, you will normally take MATH 142 or 221 and CSCI 241 and 242 in a one-year sequence. After successfully completing this sequence, you will complete the remaining courses required for the degree.

As another example, if you have a science background and you have taken calculus and a recent undergraduate programming course, you may need only CSCI 242 prior to taking the remaining courses required for the degree.

The MSCIS curriculum

Detailed course descriptions are available for the courses given in this section.

The MSCIS curriculum consists of three Foundations Courses, six MSCIS Core Courses, and one MSCIS Elective. You must maintain a B average in this coursework to satisfy MSCIS degree requirements.

Foundations Courses

Foundations courses cover three subject areas:

• databases,
• software engineering/systems analysis and design, and
• networks

The courses required in the Foundations area are listed in the Curriculum document.

You can complete Foundations requirements with courses having a CS emphasis (CIS 580, 675, and 677) or an MIS emphasis (CIS 528, 624, and 625).

If you do not have an undergraduate CS or MIS degree, you are required to take at least one Foundations course with a CS emphasis and one with an MIS emphasis.

If you have an undergraduate CS degree, you are required to take all the MIS emphasis Foundations courses; and if you have an undergraduate MIS degree, you are required to take all the CS emphasis Foundations courses. In these cases, you can optionally use a technical elective to substitute for one of the Foundations courses at the discretion of the Steering Committee.

MSCIS Core Courses

Core course work includes the following subject areas:

• enterprise computing
• information systems policy and strategy
• software engineering/project management
• web programming
• advanced databases
• current topics

The courses required in the Core area are listed in the Curriculum document.

Technical Elective

You are required to take one technical elective from a list of approved electives. The choices of electives are listed in the Curriculum document.

Schedule of Offerings

To plan your coursework, see the schedule of offerings for CIS courses.

Entrance Requirements

To be considered for admission into the MSCIS program, you must:

• have a Bachelor's degree from an accredited institution with an undergraduate GPA (UGPA) of 3.0 or better on a 4.0 scale.
• submit your GMAT (Graduate Management Admission Test) or GRE (Graduate Record Examination) exam scores. Your GMAT score + 200 times your UGPA must exceed 1000, or the sum of your GRE General Aptitude Quantitative and Analytical scores must exceed 1100.
• complete the prerequisite courses (or their equivalents): MATH 142 or 221, CIS 547, CIS 548. If you have an undergraduate degree in CS or MIS, you are waived from this requirement. If you need to take prerequisite courses, you may be admitted into the CIS degree program provisionally; in this case, you must complete the prerequisite courses before taking Foundations and Core courses.
• submit an application form along with a letter of application outlining your professional goals.
• have three people submit letters of recommendation in your behalf indicating promise for your success in graduate studies.

Contact Information

For more information about the MSCIS program, including admission into the program, contact

MSCIS Program
Department of Computer Science
University of Wisconsin-Parkside
900 Wood Road
Kenosha WI 53144

Phone: 262-595-2314
Email address: cis@cs.uwp.edu