The Computer Information Systems (CIS) Department within the College of Business at Colorado State University specializes in providing state-of-the-art and marketable systems education. With a strong emphasis on business applications, the program offers a pedagogical balance between technical and managerial issues. The CIS program at CSU benefits from close industry relationships, offers excellent facilities and has a strong tradition of being one of the oldest CIS/MIS programs in the country.

Most courses fit a logical progression toward comprehension and success in the higher level courses. The CIS course curriculum can be complemented with electives from production, quantitative analysis, computer science and other business courses. All CIS undergraduates take all of the required courses in the program and then choose one course from a list of three. Courses required for a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration include 38 credits in the all University core, 60 credits in the Business Core Curriculum and the required courses in a selected concentration. Students seeking a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration must choose a concentration such as Computer Information Systems.

Curriculum

The curriculum provides students with a broad understanding of business, a basic competence in business computer programming, knowledge of information technology infrastructure and a sound foundation in systems analysis and design. The course work requires extensive use of state-of-the-art computer hardware and software tools.

CIS Course Descriptions
Undergraduate CIS Course Requirements

Career Opportunities
The CIS program has been rated one of the top ten programs in the nation by five multinational corporations. Placement rates have historically been near 100%. Degree programs are offered for both undergraduate and graduate levels. A Masters of Science in Business Administration degree for a more specialized focus is available at the graduate level. Computer information systems provides a strong set of technical skills placed on a foundation of broad business knowledge. This combination of problem area knowledge, along with the technical skills to develop and implement solutions, make the CIS major unique.

All computing related careers are characterized by a very high rate of change driven by technological developments. CIS, in particular, is undergoing dramatic and exciting changes. This offers both challenge and opportunity to those who are associated with this field. CIS prepares its graduates for a number of career opportunities. Such opportunities include:

• Applications Programmer
• Microcomputer Specialist
• Network Manager
• Systems Consultant
• Programmer or System Analyst

However, career paths often lead to positions in management such as Database Administrator, MIS Manager, or Chief Information Officer.