Business Information

 

Business Information Systems

The Business Information Systems (BIS) curriculum provides a foundation for students to develop deeper expertise in business information systems activities. The BIS program is intended for those students who wish to move from entry-level jobs to top-level positions where the student would use a combination of business and technical knowledge to lead the design and development of leading-edge enterprise solutions, and to maintain business solutions at the enterprise level.

Careers

The BIS major has a skill set for entry-level positions such as: business analyst, programmer/analyst, or software developer/implementer positions. The BIS graduate's understanding of the business enterprise and its functional areas opens employment opportunities not only in an organization's information systems department, but also in functional areas of business.

Organizations that hire BIS students vary in size and type, from very large, well-known manufacturing and service companies to tiny start-up-firms. The choices span the spectrum of business and nonprofit organizations. The job outlook for information systems personnel is strong, and the number of information systems positions is expected to increase faster than the average for all occupations for years to come.

Curriculum

Business information systems major is administered through the Accounting Department. BIS students are required to take eight courses in the programming and system analysis/ design areas. They are encouraged to take additional information systems courses to better prepare for the exciting and challenging world of business.

Faculty

BIS faculty hold professional certifications in the information systems area and are housed in the Accounting Department. Most courses are taught by full-time professors, and classes are small so that professors can give each student personal attention.

Internships

Internship opportunities for BIS students are recommended and are available to most students who have completed three or more BIS courses. Part-time internships involve 12 to 15 hours of work per week in area organizations, and summer internships can be arranged that involve full-time employment that is often paid.

BIS-Lab

Our Business Information Systems faculty focus on collaborative use of programming software to solve business problems. To facilitate this goal, a special lab was created to provide both advanced computer support for each student combined with table configurations that assist in systems development by small groups. Students work to develop a combination of programming expertise and critical thinking to match software solutions with business needs.

This computer lab has a full instructor audio/visual system and 32 student workstations. Although this room is used for advanced BIS classes, the software in this room is the same as in the main computer lab, allowing students to work on their projects outside of class when the BIS lab is not available.

BIS-Club

The Business Information Systems Club is a student organization that provides opportunities for BIS students to grow professionally and socially. The club hosts industry speakers on campus, visits businesses, and sponsors social gatherings, including an annual picnic, golf outing, banquet, and trips to area sporting events.

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