MSIS 2006 Curriculum Preview

The MSIS 2000 curriculum is now over 5 years old. That curriculum (the first revisions for the MS program since 1982) was widely adopted by IS departments throughout the world. A committee established jointly by AIS and ACM started working in summer 2003 on revising and updating the MS curriculum based on the experience of the adopting schools. The work is nearing completion. This paper describes the state of the revisions as of April 2005

Design of an Integrated Information Systems Master’s Core Curriculum: A Case Study

IS master’s program curricula around the US vary, but are loosely based on the work that resulted in the MSIS2006 curriculum (Gorgone Gray, Stohr, Valacich, & Wigand, 2005). The recommendations, while well constructed, did not completely meet the needs of the Master of Science in Information Systems (MSIS) program at the Kelley School of Business, Indiana University. In this paper, we present a case study describing how IS faculty, considering local requirements and guiding principles, designed a unique and innovative integrated core curriculum for our MSIS program similar to those used in MBA programs. The design, described in detail, included innovations in faculty collaboration, integrated pedagogy across topic modules, and scheduling. Positive feedback from students and faculty confirmed the expected outcome of students’ connecting the dots between concepts and enhanced learning around the soft skill dimensions, such as teamwork. Our contribution to the IS academic community is in the design and execution of such a curriculum block, one that focuses on providing a balance between the technical and managerial aspects of information systems while also integrating soft skill development into the curriculum

MSIS 2006: Model Curriculum and Guidelines for Graduate Degree Programs in Information Systems

This article presents the MSIS 2006 Model Curriculum and Guidelines for Graduate Degree Programs in Information Systems. As with MSIS 2000 and its predecessors, the objective is to create a model for schools designing or revising an MS curriculum in Information Systems. The curriculum was designed by a joint committee of the Association for Information Systems and the Association for Computing Machinery. MSIS2006 is a major update of MSIS 2000. Features include increasing the number of required courses from 10 to 12 while revising prerequisites, introducing new courses and revising existing courses to modernize the curriculum, and alternatives for phased upgrading from MSIS2000 to MSIS 2006. As with the previous curriculum, it is the product of detailed consultation with the IS community. The curriculum received the endorsement of 8 major IS professional groups

Examining IS Curriculum Profiles and the IS 2010 Model Curriculum Guidelines in AACSB-Accredited Schools

The IS 2010 Model Curriculum Guidelines were developed to provide recommendations for standardized information systems curricula while simultaneously allowing for customization within individual programs. While some studies have examined program adherence to the IS 2010 Model Curriculum Guidelines, a more detailed analysis of IS curriculum profiles has not yet been conducted. The purpose of this study is to identify and describe IS curriculum profiles that exist among 127 AACSB IS programs using the IS 2010 guidelines as a framework for analysis. A cluster analysis reveals four distinct profiles of IS program structure: Independent, Focused, Adoptive, and Flexible. Prototypes of each profile are described along with significant differences between each profile as revealed by a discriminant analysis. Identifying and describing these curriculum profiles offers a snapshot of the state of the IS curriculum as a whole and provides a resource for programs seeking to examine and modify their respective curriculum models

Business Analysis in Information Systems Curriculum: Implications of Business Analysis Professionalization

Within the Information Systems Discipline, business analysis has traditionally been considered a part of system development, and is usually taught as a part of systems analysis and design courses. Recent years however, have seen professionalization of business analysis which has culminated in the establishment of the International Institute of Business Analysis (IIBA). Since its incorporation in 2006, IIBA released a Guide to the Business Analysis Body of Knowledge (BA BOK) and now offers a Certified Business Analysis Professional (CBAP) certification. This paper examines the implications of such professionalization of the field of business analysis for IS education, identifies the gaps between the BA BOK and the traditional core IS curriculum and suggests directions for closing such gaps. Broader implications of BA professionalization for the IS discipline identity are also discussed

University Reporter - Volume 12, Number 01 - September 2007

This issue of the University Reporter includes articles about the strategic planning of chancellor J. Keith Motley, studies out of the Psychology Department on treating anxiety disorders, the 10th annual Boston Folk Festival, an African-American mathematicians conference held at the University, and other news from UMass Boston

The IS Core: An Integration of the Core IS Courses

This paper describes an innovative, integrated implementation of the core Information Systems courses. While the published IS curriculum provides standards on course content, it gives little direction on the implementation of the courses. At Brigham Young University, we have reengineered the traditional topics of analysis, database, design, development, networking, etc. into an integrated, 24-hour course block called the “IS Core”. Instead of students moving from class to class, professors now rotate through integrated subjects in a common classroom environment. The IS Core has allowed the department to increase the rigor and integration between subjects so students see the entire systems process and has provided opportunities for cross-topic assignments and integrated exercises. Finally, it has resulted in unintended, additional benefits like increased student culture and student ownership of the major