College Majors
What is a Management Information Systems Major?
Everyone who works in business, from someone who pays the bills to the person who hires and fires, uses information systems. For example, a supermarket could use a computer database to keep track of which products sell best. And a music store could use a database to sell CDs over the Internet. If you major in management information systems (MIS), you’ll learn how to put technology to work.
MIS majors study information systems and their use in business and other organizations. They learn about computer databases, networks, computer security, and more.
Did You Know?
Computers and technology are not the only focus of MIS. You will also learn how to help people use technology.
Are You Ready To...?
- Take courses in sociology and psychology in order to better understand human behavior
- Study ethical and social issues related to the Internet
- Develop and debug computer programs
- Build a database for a real business
- Learn how to manage projects
- Map the flow of work and data
It Helps To Be...
Someone who enjoys explaining things to others. You may be the essential link between technology and people who don’t understand it as well as you do.
College Checklist
- Is the business school accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business?
- Are computer labs equipped with the latest technology?
- Do professors keep up with new technology? Do they have connections to local industries?
- What internships and other hands-on learning opportunities will you be able to choose from?
- Will the program help you find work after graduation?
“An exciting thing about MIS is that you deal with practical problems that are usually of immediate interest to businesses and organizations."
Gedas Adomavicius, Professor, Carlson School of Management, University of Minnesota
Course Spotlight
Information isn’t worth much if it doesn’t serve a purpose. In a class on managing information systems, you’ll learn how businesses use information systems to improve their operations. You will also learn how to manage various information systems so that they best serve the needs of particular industries. And you will even study how information systems can improve the way a business is organized.
