The Master of Science in Information Systems and Technology
Today’s business environment is heavily reliant on professionals who are both business professionals and technically astute. California Lutheran University’s Master of Science in Information Systems and Technology (MS-IST), offered by the School of Business, combines the technical foundation of information systems with key business concepts. The integrated coursework enables students to obtain the business, technical and leadership skills necessary to meet the challenges of today’s global marketplace.
If you want to expand and deepen your technical skills, add to your business knowledge, prepare for systems analysis and project management roles, this degree is for you. As an MS-IST graduate, you will be prepared for a number of positions in the IT field including senior systems analyst, applications development manager, data center manager, technical services director, software engineer, database administrator, database engineer, and computer scientist. Other management-oriented roles include project manager, program manager, and line management roles in technical organizations.
Goals of the Program
MS-IST students will be involved with the common body of knowledge characteristic of all elements of technology leadership including the following:
- The ability to solve problems, based on a knowledge of tools, concepts, and theories of information systems and other business disciplines;
- The ability to transcend functional boundaries, particularly between technical and non-technical organizational functions, synthesizing and integrating information to make complex, short-term decisions with limited information, as well as conduct the research, competitive analysis, and environmental scanning necessary for long-term strategic decisions;
- The ability to apply specialized skills to business and technical problems inherent in a rapidly changing global environment;
- The ability to effectively harness and use information technology;
- Effective written, oral and presentation skills;
- The interpersonal and team leadership skills needed to build an organizational environment that is effective and conducive to collaboration;
- A sense of professional and social responsibility in the conduct of technology management.
Academic Calendar
Master of Science in Information Systems and Technology courses are offered year round in four 11-week terms: Fall, Winter, Spring and Summer. Classes are scheduled in the evening once a week to accommodate adult learners who are employed full time and pursuing course work on a part-time basis. Occasionally, a class will be offered in a compressed weekend format or as an International travel course. Based on admission requirements, time to complete the program can take between one and seven years. Students must complete the program within seven years after their first registration.
Admission Requirements
International applicants are subject to separate admission procedures. For current admission procedures, international applicants should consult the following: www.callutheran.edu/business
Candidates for admission to the MS-IST program should submit a complete application portfolio at least 45 days prior to the start of the term. Admission decisions for regular graduate standing are based on a review of the following materials in the candidate’s file:
- A completed application form and non-refundable application fee;
- Evidence of an interview with an admission counselor;
- Official transcripts showing a bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited U.S. institution. Normally, a grade point average of 3.0 or higher in upper division undergraduate work is expected;
- Two letters of recommendation;
- A personal statement;
- Test scores. Applicants whose undergraduate records do not satisfy the criteria set forth in paragraphs A-D below must include Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT) or Graduate Record Examination (GRE) scores in their admission portfolio. The GMAT may be waived for candidates who present an official transcript of previous college work from a regionally accredited college or university reflecting any one of the following criteria:
- An undergraduate, upper division grade point average of 3.0 or higher on a 4.0 scale; or
- A combined grade point average of 3.0 or higher for the most recent 60 credits of study consisting of any of the following: graduate course work, upper division postbaccalaureate course work (exclusive of extension or continuing education work), and upper division undergraduate course work; or
- A minimum of nine credits of graduate course work completed and a 3.50 grade point average; or
- A previously earned master’s degree.
Admission to the MS-IST program requires at least one year of work experience and one of the following:
- A prior technical bachelor’s degree and one year of hands-on programming coursework or work experience; OR
- A prior non-technical bachelor’s degree and three years of technical work experience, including one year of hands-on programming coursework or experience.
Note: All applicants who have completed their undergraduate work at other than a regionally accredited U.S. institution must submit GMAT scores.
Admission Counseling
Prior to enrollment in graduate classes, the applicant must make an appointment for an advisement interview with an admission counselor. This exploratory interview will clarify individual program requirements and provide the opportunity to answer students’ questions. Counselors are available by appointment.
Provisional Admission
Under some conditions, after meeting with an admission counselor and with the approval of the Program Director, a student may register for classes before completing the entire admission process. However, the Application for Admission, the $50 application fee, and a copy of a transcript showing a bachelor’s degree with an acceptable GPA and/or acceptable standardized test score must be on file in the Graduate and Adult Programs Office before the class registration can be accepted. Students are expected to complete all admission requirements in the first term of their program or they will not be permitted to enroll in subsequent terms. Provisionally admitted students are not eligible for financial aid.
International Students
International applicants are subject to separate admission procedures. For current admission procedures, international applicants should consult the following: www.callutheran.edu/business
Requirements for the Master of Science in Information Systems and Technology
The curriculum includes a total of 12 graduate courses (36 credits), based on the Association for Information Systems’ Model Curriculum. All courses are offered in 11-week terms. Three foundation courses are required, along with six core courses.
Required Courses
| Foundation Courses (9 Credits) | ||
| BUS 567 | Behavioral Sciences for Management | 3 |
| BUS 581 | Management Concepts for Information Technology | 3 |
| IST 586 | Information Systems and Business Strategy | 3 |
| Core Requirements (12 Credits) | ||
| Select four of the following IST core courses: | 12 | |
| Project and Change Management | ||
| Distributed Systems and Applications | ||
| Relational Technology | ||
| Information Security Management | ||
| Emerging Technologies and Issues | ||
| Business Systems Development | ||
| Data Communication and Networking | ||
| Business Core (6 Credits) | ||
| Select two additional business courses from across the MBA program offerings | 6 | |
| Electives (9 Credits) | ||
| Select three of the following: | 9 | |
| Healthcare Informatics | ||
| Information Technology Infrastructure | ||
| Global Information Technology | ||
| Management Concepts for E-Business | ||
| Integrated Project | ||
Other IST course offerings | ||
Graduate IT courses 1 | ||
| Total Hours | 36 | |
| 1 | Graduate IT courses from the School of Business or graduate courses in Computer Science. |
Courses
IST 501. Healthcare Informatics. (3).
This course provides an overview of the business
questions Chief Information Officers (CIOs) and
Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) of Healthcare
companies must address in a concise manner.
Topics will include Electronic Health Records,
Interoperability, Patient Informatics Mobile
Technology, Patient Safety, HIPAA, ePrescribing,
Telemedicine. Bioinformatics and Emerging
Trends. The course will take a practical
approach to Healthcare Informatics and will be
conducted with a mix of lectures/discussions,
student presentations, case studies,
demonstrations, in-class exercises, and exams.
Interactive discussion during all class sessions
is strongly encouraged. (cross-listed with
BUS 504).
IST 502. Information Technology Infrastructure. (3).
This hands-on course will explore the
configuration and management of the various
components involved in information technology
infrastructure. Such infrastructure elements as
routers, firewalls, mail servers, content
management servers, and other such components
will be used to develop skills required to manage
IT infrastructure. Other components may include
storage networks, grid computing, virtual private
networks, and wide area networks. The course will
use a combination of dedicated devices and
virtual machine technologies to gain experience
with those techniques at the same time.
Prerequisite: BUS 581. (cross-listed with BUS
509).
IST 503. Project and Change Management. (3).
Project management is an increasingly prominent
and requested discipline within organizations
today. More and more companies are looking to
experienced project managers to deliver company
strategic objectives while applying proven
project management principles to execute their
projects. This course is an introduction to the
basic fundamentals of project management.
Specifically, the class will focus on building
core competencies required to pass the Project
Management Professional (PMP) certification
examination. This course will provide students
with a general baseline of project management
knowledge based on the nine knowledge areas
defined by the Project Management Institute
(PMI). (cross-listed with BUS 503).
IST 530. Information Systems and Ethics. (3).
Existing and emerging technologies pose important
ethical questions for individuals, organizations
and society. These questions will be examined
from multiple perspectives through in class
exercises, debate, dialogue, and discussion as
well as readings and media that draw upon broad
ethical frameworks, everyday dilemmas, and
current trends in information systems. The
importance of ethics will be emphasized and
applied to thought provoking topics including,
but not limited to, ownership of digital works,
online identity and expression, and the global
nature of information systems. (cross-listed with
BUS 530).
IST 532. Distributed Systems and Applications. (3).
We use distributed systems every day. Every Web
interaction, every email, every bank transaction
uses a series of at least two computers to
accomplish the task it's been asked to do.
Distributed systems require an added level of
understanding of how systems work together, as
the distribution of applications can have both
positive and negative impacts on system behavior.
This course provides an overview of distributed
computing architectures in terms of hardware and
software. Topics will include client/server
software and N-tier architectures, middleware,
Internet technologies, application development,
networking, security, and system management.
Prerequisite: BUS 581. (cross-listed with BUS 532).
IST 534. Relational Technology. (3).
Relational database management systems (RDBMS),
together with information data models, are the
cornerstone of today's information technology
architecture. They are key components of
distributed computing environments and client
server applications. This course will examine the
following: 1) the definition and role of RDBMS in
today's information technology; 2) the basic
aspects of data: structure, integrity and
manipulation; 3) information modeling concepts
and disciplines; and 4) database modeling tools.
Utilizing the Erwin information modeling software
and applying the IDEFIX modeling method, the
student will participate in the development of an
information data model. Prerequisite: BUS 581.
(cross-listed with BUS 534).
IST 535. Information Security Management. (3).
This course is designed to expose managers to the
major concepts and theory of Information
Security. Students will understand and apply the
principles upon which any information security
program is built. Course will cover the basics of
the "10 domains" including data classification,
cryptography, network and application security,
risk management, threat and vulnerability
analysis, computer forensics, and policies and
architecture designs. (cross-listed with BUS 535).
IST 536. Fundamentals of Web Development. (3).
The course provides a foundation in skills and
concepts that web developers need to be able to
develop highly effective web sites. The primary
focus is on learning and using XHTML and CSS.
After learning the basics of web page development
using XHTML and CSS, a Web Authoring tool is
introduced. Microsoft Expression Web makes
creating compliant standards-based Web sites
faster and easier. A tutorial on Microsoft
Expression Web (EW) is offered and EW is used for
a course project. The students will learn the
skills to build a multipage standards-based web
site. (cross-listed with BUS 536).
IST 539. Global Information Technology. (3).
Provides the student with necessary insights into
challenges and opportunities of the international
use of information technology, as well as the
criticality and approach to alignment of I.T.
with global enterprise. (cross-listed with BUS
539).
IST 548. SAP for Managers. (3).
IT present many new opportunities at the
enterprise level for the design and
implementation of integrated organizational
structures and business processes that better
align the business to meeting its market demands
and allow it to pursue new strategic
relationships with other organizations.
Enterprise IT primarily involves enterprise
resource planning (ERP), supply chain management
(SCM), knowledge management (KM), and customer
relationship management (CRM) to support and
coordinate business activities. This course will
explore these opportunities in depth and breadth,
including reengineering of business processes,
planning enterprise IT, and planning ERP
implementation strategies. (cross-listed with BUS
548).
IST 570. Emerging Technologies and Issues. (3).
This course will explore current emerging
technologies as they relate to information
systems in organizations. Topics will change as
technology and organizations continue to evolve.
Current topics include social computing, "Web
2.0," blogs, wikis, user-generated content, the
role of geographic information systems, the role
of ethics in information systems and other
cutting-edge topics.(cross-listed with BUS 518).
IST 582. Selected Topic. (3).
IST 583. Business Systems Development. (3).
This course provides the student with concepts,
tools, and techniques required to analyze
business information systems. The course
emphasizes structured development approaches
using various tools and techniques. The entire
Systems Development Life Cycle (SDLC) is
introduced. However, the major emphasis will be
placed on the problem definition and analysis
phases of the SDLC. Topics covered include the
role of systems analyst, the systems development
life cycle, popular methodologies, systems
planning, project management, and systems
analysis. A comprehensive case study will be used
to apply many of the techniques. Prerequisite:
BUS 581. (cross-listed with BUS 583).
IST 584. Data Communication and Networking. (3).
Organizations are finding that an effective and
efficient means of communicating among
distributed entities is a business imperative.
This management course addresses current and
emerging data communication and networking
technologies from a business perspective. The
application of these technologies to solve
business problems and create competitive
advantage is of particular emphasis. Students
taking this course will learn to make
knowledgeable decisions pertaining to strategies
and architects for the deployment of
telecommunication technologies. Prerequisite: BUS
581. (cross-listed with BUS 584).
IST 586. Information Systems and Business Strategy. (3).
This course provides an overview of contemporary
issues in information systems as a strategic and
competitive resource for business. The course
examines how information technology is aligned to
support the goals and strategy of the
organization. Topics include strategic planning
of information technology, using information
technology for competitive advantage, information
infrastructure architecture and applications,
global information technology issues, information
technology as an enabler of business process
innovation and information technology-based
strategic applications. Prerequisite: BUS 581.
(cross-listed with BUS 586).
IST 587. Management Concepts for E-Business. (3).
In today's world, the Internet touches part of
every business. It has changed the way business
is conducted in the world - and has become a
requirement for any business to be a competitive
player in today's marketplace. Electronic
commerce affects professionals across all
disciplines of the business world, from finance
to government to education, etc. This course
provides an overview of electronic commerce, how
it is conducted and managed, and its
opportunities, along with its risks and
limitations. Case studies spanning applications
including business-to-consumer,
business-to-business, intra-business, electronic
funds transfers and underlying technologies will
be used for analysis and understanding of both
real-world and theoretical electronic commerce
business models. Prerequisite: BUS 581.
(cross-listed with BUS 587).
IST 590. Independent Study. (1-4).
IST 599. Integrated Project. (3).
Integrating information systems concepts, along
with organizational and business concepts, this
course will document, design, develop and
implement an integrated software and database
project that supports business needs in a
fast-changing competitive and technical
environment.