Master of Science in Information Systems
This program is designed to prepare the student to be a highly skilled member of a professional team in an information systems environment. The goal: enhance the graduate’s performance in managerial positions by helping him or her develop skills in both professional information systems and leadership.
Information technology is here to stay and is a key enabler in the widespread re-engineering of organizations taking place today throughout the world. The Master of Science in Information Systems (MSIS) program is designed to provide three essential skills sets. First, students without an IT background take two programming and one business course as pre-core preparation. Then students acquire further business skills in three courses: Business Strategies for E-Commerce, Fundamentals of Management and Management Information Systems. Third, in a set of four courses, students acquire a core set of technical skills in the major areas of information technology: database, telecommunications and networks, systems analysis and project management. Fourth, students take three courses to specialize in one of four tracks - E-Commerce, Database Technology, Technical or IT Management. Each of these tracks has a “capstone” course in which students integrate their learning from prior coursework. The MSIS Program is an evening program requiring 30 hours (beyond the pre-core) for graduation and advancement in, or into, the information systems field.
Master of Science in Information Systems
The MSIS program is designed to prepare graduates to participate as highly skilled members of a professional team in an information systems environment. The program presents in-depth knowledge in core areas and a concentration area (either IT management or technical). The MSIS program enhances the graduate’s performance in present and future managerial positions by developing both professional information systems and leadership skills.
Pre-core: Candidates will be graduates from a regionally accredited undergraduate program. Students without programming and statistics backgrounds will be required to complete prerequisite courses.
Business Core: Students take three courses. The first two, Foundations of Business and Foundations of Management, introduce the non-business major to modern management practice. Students with an undergraduate business degree, earned in the past five years or significant profit and loss management experience may waive Foundations of Business. Management Information Systems introduces students to the use of computer systems to solve business problems. Students with suitable academic or professional experience may be waived from this course. Courses that are waived are replaced with open electives.
Concentration: Students elect a concentration in IT Management or Technical track by taking three courses. The final course is a capstone that summarizes and extends prior learning. Last, the student completes the program by taking zero to three electives (depending on courses waived) from any of the University’s graduate programs including management, information systems, engineering or computer science.
Outcome Assessment: All students enrolled are required to sit for two examinations given by the Institute for the Certification of Computer Professionals (ICCP). These include: Organizational Concentration (Core and Management), and Technical Concentration (Core and either Systems Development or Software Engineering). Students must sit for these exams and submit their scores to the College of Management. They need not pass the exams to graduate, however. Lawrence Tech uses this information for continuous improvement of the MSIS program.
M.S.I.S. Graduation Requirements
Successful completion of the MSIS program requires:
- 30 semester credits consisting of 15-21 hours of corecourses, 9 hours in a concentration (IT management or technical), and 0-6 hours of general electives with at least 21 credits taken at Lawrence Tech;
- Completion or waiver of all pre-core courses;
- An overall grade point average (GPA) of at least 3.00 in core/elective program areas;
- Sitting for two parts of the ICCP exams; and
- Completion of the above requirements within seven years of program entry
Admission
Applicants to the Graduate College of Management degree programs at LTU are expected to be either working or work experienced. Applicants must meet one of the following criteria:
- Have earned master degrees from regionally accredited institutions;
- Have earned baccalaureate degrees with GPAs of 3.0 or higher from regionally accredited institutions;
- Have earned baccalaureate degrees and be satisfactorily endorsed by their employers because of their significant work experience;*
- Have earned baccalaureate degrees from regionally accredited undergraduate programs and an acceptable GMAT score.
Accepted applicants may be required to satisfactorily complete courses fundamental to the graduate degree program they have selected. An employer’s endorsement letter must consist of more than a letter of reference. The employer will be asked to address the following factors in order for Admissions and the Graduate Screening Committee to assess the qualifications for an applicant under item C:
- Communication skills;
- Motivation, commitment and demonstration of work attitude;
- Indication of leadership ability and effective interpersonal skills.
Classifications of graduate students are:
- Regular admission status
- Conditional admission status
- Special Student status, and
- Special student status and conditionally admitted students are allowed to take a total of 6 semester hours. They are required to meet a certain performance level to remain in the program. Special status students must reapply after completion of the 6 semester hours.
Application Procedure
MSIS classes begin each September, January, and May. Completed application packages should be received by the College no later than two weeks before start of classes. The application package includes:
- Completed and signed application form
- Letters of recommendation
- Letter of endorsement from the employer where applicable (See admissions requirement C)
- Official transcript from every college or university attended
- Application fee
- Results from the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) exam for applicants whose native language is other than English. This requirement is waived for international students holding degrees from colleges and universities in countries where English is the native language.
To request an MSIS application, contact:
The Graduate College of Management
Lawrence Technological University
21000 West Ten Mile Road
Southfield, MI 48075
Phone (248) 204-3050
Fax (248) 204-3099