McQuaid, Ms. Jana P.
Graduate Program Director
jpmcquaid@vcu.edu
(804) 828-4622
Web:
www.business.vcu.edu/graduate
Admission requirements summary
Information Systems, Master of Science (M.S.)
| |||
| Degree: M.S. |
Semester(s) of entry: Fall Spring Summer Summer (information risk, security and assurance concentration) |
Deadline dates: Jul 1 Nov 1 Apr 1 Jan 1 |
Test requirements: GMAT |
The Master of Science in Information Systems program is designed to prepare students for specialized roles in information systems. The program is intended to provide a graduate-level, technically oriented curriculum that focuses on the design and development of information systems to solve real-world problems. The department’s curriculum is focused on the rapidly emerging area known as Enterprise Information Systems. Students may choose a curriculum with no concentration or a concentration in information risk, security and assurance. Graduates of the program are expected to be able to take significant roles in planning, organizing, managing, designing, configuring and implementing EIS systems using state-of-the-art technologies within organizations.
The information risk, security and assurance concentration within the degree is designed primarily for students interested in professional roles in business, industry or government. Program graduates will serve as leaders within the risk, security and assurance community and as strategic partners with the enterprise in which they work. They will stay attuned to and anticipate changes in the risk, security and assurance environment and ensure that security solutions create a sound, competitive and cost-effective advantage for the enterprise.
Students applying to the master’s program must show evidence of competence in selected prerequisite areas of information systems including: application programming, systems analysis and design, database, telecommunications, and hardware/software. Evidence of this competence may include formal course work, comparable training within a work environment, or significant, relevant and recent work experience in the field. Students enrolled as majors in the program who do not have formal background or equivalent training must take the appropriate undergraduate courses to satisfy the prerequisites prior to taking master’s program courses. The required undergraduate courses are: INFO 300, INFO 350, INFO 360, INFO 361, INFO 370, INFO 364 and a course in calculus.
Students who do not have a business degree must complete a minimum of four 500-level foundation courses (12 credit hours). Foundation courses may be waived for students who present satisfactory, equivalent preparation at either the undergraduate or graduate level. Students who are required to take foundation courses may do so after admission. The foundation courses required will vary depending upon the student’s background, career interests and the chosen area of specialization. Students applying to the Master of Science in Information Systems program should consult with their master’s program adviser to determine the foundation courses required for a particular area.
Curriculum for the M.S. with no concentration
The program consists of 30 graduate credit hours, including four core courses (12 credit hours) and six elective courses (18 credit hours).
| Core courses | Credits | |
| INFO 610 Analysis and Design of Database Systems | 3 | |
| INFO 620 Data Communications | 3 | |
| INFO 630 Systems Development | 3 | |
| INFO 640 Information Systems Management | 3 | |
| Electives (Select six from the following list) | 18 | |
| INFO 611 Data Re-engineering | ||
| INFO 614 Data Mining | ||
| INFO 616/CISS 616 Data Warehousing | ||
| INFO 622/CISS 622 Network Security and Administration | ||
| INFO 632 Business Process Engineering | ||
| INFO 641 Strategic Information Systems Planning | ||
| INFO 642 Decision Support and Intelligent Systems | ||
| INFO 643 Information Technology Project Management | ||
| INFO 644/CISS 644 Principles of Computer and Information Systems Security | ||
| INFO 646 Security Policy Formulation and Implementation | ||
| INFO 654 Systems Interface Design | ||
| INFO 658 Electronic Commerce | ||
| INFO 691 Topics in Information Systems | ||
| INFO 693 Field Project in Information Systems | ||
| INFO 697 Guided Study in Information Systems | ||
| Total | 30 | |
Curriculum for the M.S. with a concentration in information risk, security and assurance
The program consists of 30 graduate credit hours, including four core courses (12 credit hours) and six advanced courses (18 credit hours).
| Core courses | Credits |
| INFO 610 Analysis and Design of Database Systems | 3 |
| INFO 620 Data Communications | 3 |
| INFO 630 Systems Development | 3 |
| INFO 640 Information Systems Management | 3 |
| Advanced courses | |
| CISS 634 Ethical, Social and Legal Issues in Computer and Information Systems Security | 3 |
| INFO 614 Data Mining | 3 |
| INFO 622/CISS 622 Network Security and Administration | 3 |
| INFO 634 Ethical, Social and Legal Issues in Information Security | 3 |
| INFO 644/CISS 644 Principles of Computer and Information Systems Security | 3 |
| INFO 646 Security Policy Formulation and Implementation | 3 |
| INFO 691 Topics in Information Systems | 3 |
| Total | 30 |