Information Systems

This course covers foundational concepts of information technology (IT) infrastructure. The course describes the major components of an organization’s IT infrastructure and examines essential considerations of enterprise architecture security, data management, networking, and operations. Further, the course explores key processes involved in managing an IT infrastructure, including best practices of service delivery, IT service support, and continuing maintenance.

This course considers real-world issues pertaining to the development, operations, management and maintenance of an organization’s information systems (IS) with an emphasis on effective business decision making within an enterprise system. The course also explores key considerations of security risk mitigation inherent in the operation of IS.

This course will teach students how organizations can evaluate new emerging technology trends in areas related to information systems and technology, including data and knowledge management, information networks, applications, and hardware. Knowledge from this course should enable students to help their organizations build competitive advantage by identifying, evaluating the adoption, and managing emerging technologies, as they evolve their enterprise systems.

This course covers topics on system development and software engineering methodologies, with emphasis on object-oriented analysis, design and implementation of information systems. The students will apply formal systems analysis and design methods and tools in developing functional requirements and software architecture specifications for realistic information systems applications.

The course uses case studies to provide an overview of contemporary information systems management in a digital enterprise. It focuses on the relevant issues of effective management of information services activities and highlights the areas of greatest potential application of information technology. The course emphasizes best practices aiming to identify and communicate business system needs, select the right information systems in alignment with an enterprise’s critical mission and goals, and integrate these systems into the enterprise’s technology infrastructure targeting successful business performance outcomes. 

This course introduces decision support systems (DSS) for engineering and business applications within an enterprise. Students will explore how DSS enhance organizational decision-making and improve efficiency. The course covers knowledge generation, management processes, and methodologies for developing effective tools that aid in data-driven decision-making.

This course explores the principles and best practices for modeling, designing, developing, and managing data assets in large enterprises. Students will examine database architectures used in large-scale commercial systems and learn how data management systems support data collection, organization, and distribution. The course also provides a comprehensive overview of data governance, covering the full business data life cycle—from system requirements and data preparation to warehousing—ensuring alignment with an organization’s mission and goals.

This course examines Information Systems Audit, Control (governance), and Compliance concepts and management practices in the context of Information Systems Management. The course introduces the fundamentals of information technology (IT) auditing and assurance methodologies, major rules of regulatory compliance, as well as IT governance frameworks. The course covers areas needed to prepare for the CISA (Certified Information Systems Auditor) certification exam from the Information Systems Audit and Control Association (ISACA).

This course explores information security within an enterprise setting. Students will examine security challenges from technical, formal, and informal perspectives to better understand modern threats. By analyzing security needs for both small businesses and large enterprises, they will learn to design tailored solutions that address unique organizational requirements.

This course focuses on planning and designing a network infrastructure for an enterprise, including designing the domain architecture, while accounting for the evolution of inputs and outputs, to suitably satisfy customer needs. The course addresses the criteria and methods to be applied in evaluating and selecting optimum networking technologies and management tools for an enterprise, as well as planning and strategizing resources for a given network infrastructure (servers, network elements, storage). Some key networking technologies are based on the notion of virtualization. Virtualization relies on a technology platform for the creation of logical instances of IT resources. A transparency layer allows physical IT resources to map to multiple virtual images of themselves so that their underlying capabilities can be shared by multiple users. The course covers the different types of IT network resources that can be virtualized, including servers, storage, network and power. At the end of the course, the students will tackle the development of a business continuity plan, with emphasis on planning and delivering network services to support the business objectives of the organization, including monitoring, reporting, troubleshooting, and automating response capabilities.

This course allows students to showcase their professional skills from the MSIS curriculum. They will build a comprehensive portfolio, explore an advanced IT or IS topic, or develop a real-world application through analysis, design, and implementation. The course also prepares MSIS graduates to plan their careers and navigate the job market with confidence.