Βι¶ΉΣ³»­

Master of Science in Information Systems (MSIS) handbook

Updated August 2022

 

1. Program description

Change or enhance your career trajectory through the Master of Science in Information Systems (MSIS) degree program! The STEM-designated MSIS can help you learn new skills and knowledge expanding your career opportunities.

Information technology is the enabling and driving force helping transform every industry and governmental organization. Organizations offer a premium to those people who can apply advanced technologies to solving real-world business problems and opportunities. The MSIS program helps you develop the technical, systems and organizational skills and knowledge to create and implement solutions for organizations. Rather than focusing exclusively on technology, this degree program helps you navigate the implementation and use of technology to support people in organizations. As part of the AACSB-accredited College of Business at the Βι¶ΉΣ³»­, you will learn from faculty who understand management, organizations and computer technology.

There are two distinct emphases within the MSIS degree program: An emphasis in data analytics focusing on using technology to support data-informed decision making in organizations (data analytics emphasis) and an emphasis in the management of information systems helping you increase your knowledge of management and your technical skills (IS management track). While both emphases highlight the intersection of organizational decision-making, technology and communication, the learning goals and potential career directions differ for the two and are described below.

Data Analytics Emphasis

Organizations collect huge amounts of data every day sometimes without knowing what to do with it all. Students graduating with an emphasis in data analytics understand how large data sets are stored, accessed, analyzed and presented to help answer significant questions of interest to society. This emphasis combines knowledge and skills of data management, data analysis, security and information visualization so that you can use data effectively to inform decision-making. Graduates are prepared to integrate this knowledge and use their personal curiosity, new skills and interests to help organizations make effective use of data. Possible career directions include data analyst, business analyst, data scientist or systems analyst.

This emphasis is suitable for students with a business, computer science, engineering or science undergraduate degree who want to pursue a career in data analytics. This emphasis is especially suitable for students who have just completed an undergraduate degree and are seeking a degree that will help them obtain employment. This emphasis is also appropriate if you want to change your existing career into the area of data science and data-informed decision-making.

The learning outcomes for the Data Analytics emphasis are:

  1. Students will be able to use quantitative evaluation techniques with large datasets to analyze organizational questions.
  2. Students will be able to formulate research questions that are capable of being addressed with analytical methods.
  3. Students will be able to communicate effectively in written and oral formats.
  4. Students will be able to identify and analyze the security risks involved with collecting, storing and using data for analytical decision making.
  5. Students will be able to work with people from diverse backgrounds to implement data supported decision-making in organizations.

IS Management Emphasis

Students pursuing the IS Management emphasis will graduate with technology, management and communication skills in order to understand, explain, implement and manage information technologies in organizational settings. IS Management emphasizes the effective and efficient use of information technology to support an organization’s strategic goals. This emphasis is suitable for students with a business, computer science, engineering or science undergraduate degree who want to learn about the applications and management of information technology. Students with undergraduate degrees in other areas who have professional experience in information technology are also excellent candidates for this emphasis.

This emphasis is best suited for those students who have professional work experience in information technology and want to broaden their understanding of the field and the applications of technology. The IS Management emphasis differs from an MBA in that it focuses on providing additional technical training for you. Technical courses such as database design and implementation are part of the requirements for the emphasis in IS Management.

The learning outcomes for the IS Management emphasis are:

  1. Students will be able to manage the full development life cycle for information systems (IS) projects.
  2. Students will be able to manage the strategic alignment of the IS organization with corporate strategy and objectives.
  3. Students will be able to manage the resources required to sustain the technical infrastructure of an organization including data, personnel, security, and the technical environment.
  4. Students will be able to communicate effectively in written and oral formats.
  5. Students will be able to work with people from diverse backgrounds to transform organizations using digital technology.
  6. Students will be able to describe and analyze the security risks for the digital platform of an organization.

The remaining sections of this handout discuss additional aspects of the MSIS. If you have more questions after reading those sections, contact either the Graduate Program Director or the Department Chair of Information Systems.

Dr. Dana Edberg
MSIS Graduate Program Director
AB 314D
(775) 784-6179
dte@unr.edu

Dr. Amir Talaei-Khoei
Department Chair, Information Systems
AB 314F
(775) 682-7145
atalaeikhoei@unr.edu

Note: This handbook lists graduate program academic policies and procedures. It includes information on graduate school policies, degree requirements, timeline for degree completion, committee selection guidelines and comprehensive exam/thesis requirements. Every effort has been made to make this handbook accurate as of the date of publication; however, this handbook does not constitute a contractual commitment. Graduate programs may not offer all of the courses as described, and policies are subject to yearly review and changes with program director and Graduate Council approval.

 

2. Degree, prerequisites and admission requirements

The MSIS degree is intended to be a professional program helping students launch or enhance a career in information systems. Neither emphasis in the degree requires a comprehensive examination, professional project, examining committee or master’s thesis.
Students can be admitted to the MSIS with a variety of different undergraduate degrees. The emphases in Data Analytics and IS Management can both be completed in a minimum of 30 credits, or 10 semester courses, depending on your level of preparation before starting the degree program.

Both emphases require as preparation a basic background in the vocabulary and use of technology-based information systems. This background includes identifying hardware, software and networking options for individuals and organizations, as well as the use of computer applications such as Microsoft Office. This background could be satisfied through classes such as IS 101, IS 201, and IS 301.

For the emphasis in Data Analytics, additional preparation in the course catalog is referred to as the “Common Body of Knowledge.” For the emphasis in IS Management, this knowledge is referred to in the course catalog as “Undergraduate Prerequisites.” The same three areas of preparation are required by both emphases. These areas are:

  1. Basic knowledge of statistics. This includes descriptive statistics, probability distributions, sampling, hypothesis testing and an introduction to correlation and regression.
  2. Knowledge of information technology in organizations. This includes understanding the fundamental hardware/software of a computer, identifying and describing the different types of information systems in organizations (examples: ERP, CRM, DSS, BI), defining the strategic use of technology to support an organization, and using desktop software such as word processing, spreadsheets, presentation and familiarity with social media and group support tools.
  3. Knowledge of project management. This includes identifying and describing the different types of systems development life cycles, describing the process of managing a project, differentiating between traditional and agile project management processes and using tools such as Gantt charts, Kanban boards and use cases.

You can be admitted to the MSIS without having completed all three areas of preparation. It is possible to gain the preparation while in the MSIS program, but it will require additional credits beyond the minimum of 30 credits required to complete the degree. For example, let’s say that you majored in math or psychology for your undergraduate degree and have taken classes in statistics. You would be prepared to take some of the required classes in the MSIS right away (i.e. IS 682, BUS 706). But you may not have knowledge of information technology in organizations or project management. While you are taking non-waivable, required MSIS classes (i.e. IS 682 and BUS 706), you would also have to take classes in information technology in organizations and project management.

Data Analytics Emphasis degree requirements

The Data Analytics emphasis consists of four major components:

  1. Data Analytics Common Body of Knowledge (depends on student preparation as discussed in the prior section)
  2. Information systems core (4 courses, 12 credits)
  3. Analytics core (3 courses, 9 credits)
  4. Electives (3 courses, 9 credits)

The Data Analytics Common Body of Knowledge is discussed in the previous section. Below, three courses are listed that could fulfill those requirements. Any of the three areas of knowledge/skills in the Common Body of Knowledge can be waived depending on your preparation prior to joining the degree program.

A course waiver means that a student is excused from taking a specific class due to prior education/coursework. Course waivers do not reduce the number of credits that a student must take to complete the MSIS degree, which remains at a minimum of 30 credits. Classes in the Common Body of Knowledge may be waived with the permission of the Graduate Director of the MSIS program or his/her designees. Applications for a Common Body of Knowledge course waiver must be completed during a student’s first-year in the program. Please contact the Graduate Director for the process of waiving Common Body of Knowledge courses.

The IS Core, Analytics Core and Electives courses are described in more detail in the next section below. Students must complete a total of at least 12 credits (4 classes) at the 700-level. The classes in the IS Core, Analytics Core and Electives are non-waivable courses in the curriculum.

Students cannot receive credit by examination for any of the non-waivable courses in the curriculum, nor can they replace any of the non-waivable courses with work experience. Work experience or internship cannot be used as a substitute for any non-waivable courses. A non-waivable course can be substituted with another course if a student has prior experience or knowledge in that course and wishes to expand that knowledge by taking a more advanced course.

Sometimes a non-waivable course must be substituted with another course. If you graduated from the University of Βι¶ΉΣ³»­ with a course at the 400-level, then you cannot take that same course at the 600-level. For example, if you took IS 475 (Database Design and Implementation) then you cannot take IS 675 and receive credit for the course. In that situation, the Graduate Director will help you find a substitute course for that non-waivable course.

Data Analytics Emphasis sample courses

IS Management Emphasis degree requirements

The Undergraduate Prerequisites for the emphasis in IS Management includes: Basic knowledge of statistics (example classes: ECON 261/262 or BADM 700); a background in information systems and computing applications (example classes: IS101, IS201, and IS 301 or BADM 750); and knowledge of project management (example class: IS445/645). Please refer to the beginning of section 2 for an explanation of the content of these prerequisites.

The IS Management emphasis consists of three components:

  1. The information systems core (5 courses, 15 credits)
  2. Electives (4 courses, 12 credits)
  3. Policy and Strategy Course (1 course, 3 credits)

Below is an overview of the courses required for the emphasis in IS Management.

IS Management emphasis sample courses

MSIS admissions requirements

Students wishing to apply to the MSIS program must meet the admissions criteria for both the Βι¶ΉΣ³»­ Graduate School and the Information Systems Department MSIS program. All applications are reviewed by the MSIS admissions committee, and only complete applications are considered. Applications approved by the committee are forwarded to the Graduate School for final disposition. The requirements described below are considered the minimum requirements.

Graduate School and Information Systems Department requirements:

  1. Grade Point Average of 2.75 on a scale of 4.0, or an average of 3.0 or higher for the courses taken during the last half of the undergraduate program.
  2. A baccalaureate (or an advanced) degree from an accredited four-year institution; any major is acceptable. Please refer to the section on the Common Body of Knowledge to understand whether your undergraduate degree includes the skills and knowledge considered as prerequisites to the program.
  3. All students are expected to be proficient using a computer for word processing, spreadsheets, introductory-level database processing and presentations.
  4. International student applicants must submit satisfactory scores on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) indicating an ability to speak, write and understand the English language. The minimum TOEFL score is 550 or 6.5 on the International English Language Test System (IELTS). For further information regarding international student admissions requirements, please visit the Graduate School’s Website. International students may be required to complete additional Intensive English courses during their first semester in the program.

Application materials

To apply, the following documents must be submitted via the online application system to the Graduate School at the Βι¶ΉΣ³»­:

  • A completed application for Admission.
  • A non-refundable application fee.
  • An official transcript(s) from each college or university where work has been completed or is in progress.
  • A current, detailed resume, including all undergraduate education and work experience.
  • Personal statement expressing your career interest and indicating why you wish to obtain an MSIS. Please address the following questions in your personal statement:
    • What is your undergraduate degree and why did you pursue that degree/major?
    • Why do you want to earn a graduate degree?
    • What do you want to learn while completing the MSIS degree?
    • What do you plan to do after you finish the MSIS degree?
  • At least two letters of reference.

Please see the Graduate School admissions website for more information and to apply for the program.

Application deadlines

Students may apply for admission into the MSIS program for either the fall or spring semesters. Applications are approved on a continuing basis, but students should file complete applications at least 3 months prior to the semester in which they wish to matriculate.

 

3. Transfer credits

Students may transfer graduate credits from accredited institutions to meet the degree requirements. Transfer credit can be requested on the Graduate Credit Transfer Evaluation Request form available on the Graduate School website, and must be signed by the student, major advisor, and graduate director. Transfer credits applied to a master’s program must comply with the time limitation on master’s work (6 years). Thus, if a student took a course five years prior to admission, they would have to complete the degree within one year for the course to apply to the degree.

Students can also apply credits from another graduate program at the Βι¶ΉΣ³»­ towards the MSIS program. Credits completed at the University in another program or as a graduate special do not need to be transferred.

Per graduate school policy, the combined number of semester credits from another institution and from another graduate program cannot be more than 12 semester credits. The decision whether a course taken in a different program and/or at a different institution meets the MSIS program requirements is made on a case-by-case basis.

 

4. Timeline for degree completion

There are many deadlines that a graduate student must consider in order to complete the MSIS degree program. Please note the deadlines below for the following forms that must be submitted to the graduate school. There are no reminders about these deadlines that will be sent to you, so please be sure to note each.

  • Program of Study form
    • For master’s students, the completed form must be submitted to Graduate School by the end of the student’s third semester. The program of study must be accepted before a student can file a Notice of Completion
  • Graduation Application deadlines
    • Must be submitted to the graduate school several weeks in advance. Check website for exact dates
  • Notice of completion – completed form should be submitted after all requirements have been met.

You can find an updated list of forms and requirements at the Graduate School forms webpage.

Sample timelines for completion of the degree program

The timeline for completion of the program depends on:

  1. the relative completion of the Common Body of Knowledge required for the degree,
  2. the emphasis chosen by the student, and
  3. whether the student is going to school part-time or full-time. Sample timelines below are divided by emphasis.

Sample Data Analytics Emphasis timelines

Both of the sample timelines below assume that a student is attending school full-time.

Sample Data Analytics Emphasis timeline for full-time students that do not need to complete the Common Body of Knowledge for the program.
Semester Courses

Fall (1)
12 credits

IS 675 Database Design and Implementation (3 credits)
IS 682 Applied Data Science (3 credits)
IS 788 Digital Transformation (3 credits)
BUS 706 Data Analysis in Management I (3 credits)

Spring (1)
12 credits

IS 615 Data Transformation and Integration with Python (3 credits)
IS 670 Security, Controls & Information Assurance (3 credits)
BUS 707 Data Analysis in Management II (3 credits)
Elective 1 (3 credits)

Fall (2)
6 credits

Elective 2 (3 credits)
Elective 3 (3 credits)

Sample Data Analytics Emphasis timeline for full-time students that need to complete the Common Body of Knowledge for the program.
Semester Courses

Fall (1)
12 credits

BADM 700 Statistics and Research Design (3 credits)
IS 201 Computer Applications (3 credits) – this is an undergraduate course
BADM 750 Information and Communications Technology in Organizations (3 credits)
IS 645 Project Management (3 credits)

Spring (1)
12 credits

IS 615 Data Transformation and Integration with Python (3 credits)
IS 670 Security, Controls & Information Assurance (3 credits)
IS 675 Database Design and Implementation (3 credits)
Elective 1 (3 credits)

Fall (2)
12 credits

IS 682 Applied Data Science (3 credits)
IS788 Digital Transformation (3 credits)
BUS 706 Data Analysis in Management I (3 credits)
Elective 2 (3 credits)

Spring (2)
6 credits

BUS 707 Data Analysis in Management II (3 credits)
Elective 3 (3 credits)

The sample timeline below is for a student who does not need to complete the Common Body of Knowledge, and is completing the program on a part-time basis.

Sample Data Analytics Emphasis timeline for part-time students that do not need to complete the Common Body of Knowledge for the program.
Semester Courses

Fall (1)
6 credits

IS 682 Applied Data Science (3 credits)
IS 675 Database Design and Implementation (3 credits)

Spring (1)
6 credits

IS 615 Data Transformation and Integration with Python (3 credits)
Elective 1 (3 credits)

Fall (2)
6 credits

IS 788 Digital Transformation (3 credits)
BUS 706 Data Analysis in Management I (3 credits)

Spring (2)
6 credits

BUS 707 Data Analysis in Management II (3 credits)
IS 670 Security, Controls & Information Assurance (3 credits)

Fall (3)
6 credits

Elective 2 (3 credits)
Elective 3 (3 credits)

Sample IS Management Emphasis timelines

The next two sample timelines below assume that a student has completed all Common Body of Knowledge required for the program and is starting class in the fall semester.

Sample IS Management Emphasis timeline for full-time students who have completed all Common Body of Knowledge required.
Semester Courses

Fall (1)
12 credits

IS 675 Database Design and Implementation (3 credits)
IS 682 Applied Data Science (3 credits)
IS 788 Digital Transformation (3 credits)
Elective 1 (3 credits)

Spring (1)
12 credits

IS 670 Security, Controls & Information Assurance (3 credits)
IS 695 IS Development and Management (3 credits)
Elective 2 (3 credits)
Elective 3 (3 credits)

Fall (2)
6 credits

IS 789 Technology Strategy and Policy (3 credits)
Elective 4 (3 credits)
Sample IS Management Emphasis timeline for part-time students who have completed all Common Body of Knowledge required.
Semester Courses

Fall (1)
6 credits

IS 682 Applied Data Science (3 credits)
IS 675 Database Design and Implementation (3 credits)

Spring (1)
6 credits

IS 670 Security, Controls & Information Assurance (3 credits)
IS 695 IS Development and Management (3 credits)

Fall (2)
6 credits

IS 788 Digital Transformation (3 credits)
Elective 1 (3 credits)

Spring (2)
6 credits

Elective 2 (3 credits)
Elective 3 (3 credits)

Fall (3)
6 credits

IS 789 Technology Strategy and Policy (3 credits)
Elective 4 (3 credits)

The following two sample timelines below assume that a student has not completed the statistics or project management Common Body of Knowledge required for the program and is starting classes in the fall semester. It would be very unusual for a student pursuing the IS Management Emphasis to not have the information technology Common Body of Knowledge.

Sample IS Management Emphasis timeline for full-time students without the statistics or the project management Common Body of Knowledge requirement.
Semester Courses

Fall (1)
12 credits

IS 675 Database Design and Implementation (3 credits)
IS 788 Digital Transformation (3 credits)
BADM 700 Statistics and Research Design (3 credits)
IS 645 Project Management (3 credits)

Spring (1)
12 credits

IS 670 Security, Controls & Information Assurance (3 credits)
IS 695 IS Development and Management (3 credits)
Elective 1 (3 credits)
Elective 2 (3 credits)

Fall (2)
12 credits

IS 682 Applied Data Science (3 credits)
IS 789 Technology Strategy and Policy (3 credits)
Elective 3 (3 credits)
Elective 4 (3 credits)
Sample IS Management Emphasis timeline for part-time students without the statistics or the project management Common Body of Knowledge requirement.
Semester Courses

Fall (1)
6 credits

IS 645 Project Management (3 credits)
IS 675 Database Design and Implementation (3 credits)

Spring (1)
6 credits

BADM 700 Statistics and Research Design (3 credits)
IS 695 IS Development and Management (3 credits)

Fall (2)
6 credits

IS 682 Applied Data Science (3 credits)
IS 788 Digital Transformation (3 credits)

Spring (2)
6 credits

IS 670 Security, Controls & Information Assurance (3 credits)
Elective 1 (3 credits)

Fall (3)
6 credits

IS 789 Technology Strategy and Policy (3 credits)
Elective 2 (3 credits)

Spring (3)
6 credits

Elective 3 (3 credits)
Elective 4 (3 credits)
 

5. Committee selection guidelines

Students do not need a committee for completion of the MSIS degree.

 

6. Comprehensive exams

No comprehensive exam is required for the MSIS program.

 

7. Thesis requirements

A thesis is not required for the MSIS program.

 

8. Graduate assistantships

The Information Systems department employs a few graduate assistants to support faculty and staff with teaching and research tasks. The positions are highly competitive and we are seeking graduate assistants with technical skills in information technology and good communication (speaking and writing) skills. The IS department does not differentiate between teaching assistants and research assistants – all assistantships are graduate assistantships (GA’s).

A graduate assistant (GA) helps faculty with their teaching, research and service responsibilities. Helping with teaching includes tasks such as tutoring undergraduate students in topics (examples: programming, web development, database design and MS Office software), grading papers, answering emails and helping prepare assignments. Helping with research means tasks such as conducting literature reviews, analyzing data using statistical methods, programming, helping write emails to research participants or summarizing literature. Helping with service means tasks such as researching other programs, writing administrative emails or editing reports. You will most likely be assigned to more than one faculty member as a graduate assistant.

You must have applied to and been accepted in the MSIS program before applying for a graduate assistantship. Being accepted into the MSIS program does not guarantee the availability of a graduate assistantship. To apply for a graduate assistantship, send an email to the IS Department Chair and cc the Graduate Director with a current resume as an attachment. In the email, describe your preparation for the tasks of a graduate assistant (described above). Hiring decisions will be made by the IS Department Chair after discussions with faculty in the IS Department. All questions regarding hiring as a GA should be directed to the IS Department Chair.

All graduate students holding an assistantship are considered Βι¶ΉΣ³»­ residents for tuition purposes. Non-resident tuition is only waived for the duration of the assistantship. To be eligible for an assistantship, students must be admitted to a degree-granting program and be in good academic standing. The student must have an overall GPA of at least 3.0 and must be continuously enrolled in at least 6 graduate level credits (600-700) throughout the duration of the assistantship.

State-funded assistantships (GTA/GRA) may be held for a maximum of: three (3) years for master’s degree students and five (5) years for doctoral degree students.

The most updated general information on graduate assistantships is available from the Graduate School: and the Graduate Assistantship handbook.

 

9. Health insurance

All domestic degree seeking graduate students, who are enrolled in six or more credits (regardless of the course level) in a semester, will be automatically enrolled and billed for the University sponsored health insurance for each term they are eligible (fall & spring/summer). If a student has other comparable coverage and would like to waive out of the student health insurance, it is the student’s responsibility to complete the prior to the deadline. If approved, a health insurance waiver is good for the current academic year only. A new waiver must be submitted each academic year. All international graduate students are required to carry student health insurance, and the cost will be automatically added to your student account. Any international graduate students with insurance questions must contact the directly.

Information on Graduate health insurance

 

10. Leave of absence

Continuous Enrollment: To maintain “good standing” all graduate students are required to enroll in a minimum of three (3) graduate credits each fall and spring semester until they graduate. International students may be required to enroll in nine graduate credits each fall and spring semester depending on the requirements of their visa. All students holding assistantships (whether teaching or research assistantships) are required to enroll in a minimum of six (6) graduate credits each semester they hold the assistantship.

Leave of Absence: Students in good standing may request a leave of absence by completing a Leave of Absence form during which time they are not required to maintain continuous registration. Usually, a leave of absence is approved for one or two semesters. The leave of absence request may be extended by the student filing an additional leave of absence form. Students applying for a leave of absence should not have any “incomplete” grades which could be changed to “F” and have a detrimental impact on their cumulative GPA. Requests for leave of absences must be received by the Graduate School no later than the last day of enrollment for the semester the leave is to begin.

Reinstatement: When a student has been absent for one semester or more without an approved leave of absence, he or she may request reinstatement via the Reinstatement form . This form allows the program the option to recommend the student be re-admitted to their graduate program based on their previous admission OR require the student to re-apply for admission which would require students to submit a new application for admission and pay the application fee. The Notice of Reinstatement to Gradate Standing must be received by the Graduate School no later than the last day of enrollment for the semester the reinstatement is to begin.

 

11. Graduate Student Association

The Graduate Student Association (GSA) represents all graduate students and promotes the welfare and interests of the graduate students at the Βι¶ΉΣ³»­. The GSA works closely with appropriate university administrative offices, including the Graduate School and Student Services and reports to the President of the University. The GSA government functions through the Council of Representatives, Executive Council and established committees.

 

12. Graduate School forms

Please visit the Graduate School forms webpage for all forms available at The Graduate School.

 

13. Graduate School academic policies

Please refer to the Graduate School academic standing information to learn more about maintaining good academic standing as a graduate student and also academic dismissal policies.