The Master of Information Systems program at Cleveland State University is a specialized STEM degree program designed to prepare students for careers as information professionals. Housed within the Monte Ahuja College of Business, the coursework combines a blend of technology and management-oriented courses designed to prepare the next generation of technology managers to lead enterprises in innovative ways. Specializations within the program allow students to build specific skill sets in areas such as: information security, information technology management and business analytics.

Admission Requirements

In addition to meeting the Admission Requirements for the Graduate College, applicants to the Master of Information Systems program must meet the following requirements:

• A cumulative grade-point average of 3.00 or better.
• Test scores from either the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) or the Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT) are required if at least one of the following conditions is true:
  • The applicant's undergraduate degree if from a college or university outside of the United States.
  • The applicant's undergraduate degree is from a college or university without at least a regional level accreditation.
  • The applicant's undergraduate cumulative grade-point average is below 3.0.
• If an applicant received a master's degree or higher from a college or university with at least a regional level accreditation in the United States and had at least a grade-point average of 3.0, the GMAT/GRE requirement can be waived.
• For those applicants who need to complete GRE or GMAT, the following minimums will be required:
  • A minimum total score of 500 if GMAT is taken; or
  • A minimum of 50th perentile in the Quantitative Reasoning portion of the GRE(or a 158 in the current scale).
  • A minimum score of 5th percentile for the verbal portion of the GRE(137 according to old GRE scoring system) or GMAT.
• An official transcript from each college and university attended.
• For applicants whose native language is not English, proof of having met at least one of the English language proficiency requirements is required. This proof will be per the standards used by the University.
  • If the TOEFL is taken, the minimum requirements are at least 550 for the paper-based test, or 213 for the computer-based test, or 78 for the Internet-based test. (If the Internet-based test is taken, minimum distribution requirements are: Reading - 20, Listening - 21, Speaking - 20, and Writing - 17).
  • Equivalent scores will be used if any other form of English proficiency test is chosen.

Preparatory Program

Students who do not have an undergraduate degree in Information Systems or a related discipline will be required to complete the following preparatory courses with a grade of "B" or better. Courses in the preparatory program should be completed prior to entering the program.

Application Deadline

Applications are accepted and process throughout the year. Domestic applicants, to be eligible for that semester, must submit complete application materials at least six weeks before the start of a semester.

For international students, complete application packages, including a completed application form, transcripts for all college-level work, and appropriate GRE/GMAT and TOEFL scores, must be received by the application deadline:

• March 15 for Summer admission.
• May 15 for Fall admission.
• November 1 for Spring admission.

Although the Information Systems Department makes every effort to honor students’ requested dates of admission, this is not always possible. In some cases, it may be necessary to delay the admission date because of the schedule of required courses.

Degree Requirements

Students are required to complete a total of either 31 or 33 credits to earn the Master of Information Systems. The degree consists of 18 credits of core courses for all students. There are three different sub-tracks that a student may take

Core Courses (18 hours)

Core courses are to be completed by all students.

Master of Information Systems Electives

Students are equired to complete 15 or 13 hours from the list of approved electives.

Master of Information Systems Electives Offered by the Monte Ahuja College of Business

Elective Concentrations

Students are encouraged to take electives in the following prescribed concentrations. These will allow students to build upon the core curriculum by focusing on an area of specialization.

IT Management Concentration

In addition to the above courses, one additional elective is required.

Business Analytics Concentration

For the Business Analytics Concentration, you will also earn the Certificate in Business Analytics. Additional electives IST 615, IST 660 and IST 664 are also recommended.

Security Concentration

An additional two electives are required for the Security Concentration.

Approved Electives Offered in Other Departments

*These courses are offered through the Washkewicz College of Engineering.

How to Apply

Students applying to the Master of Information Systems program apply to the College of Graduate Studies, will be required to take either the GRE or GMAT exam and submit results before being considered for admission. Most College of Business graduate applicants are not required to submit letters of recommendation.

Applicants should adhere to the detailed application procedure and recommended application schedule as outlined on the Graduate College web site.

Applicants should note that GRE/GMAT test registration forms and fees must be received by the Educational Testing Service (ETS) at least three weeks before the selected testing day. The GRE/GMAT test is given continuously throughout the year. Information and applications may be obtained from the CSU Testing Center, room RT 1237, (216) 687-2272. Alternatively, you may contact GRE/GMAT at 1-800-717-GMAT or visit their web site athttp://www.mba.com/mba/TaketheGMAT.

Faculty

The faculty in the department have a wide range of research interests and offer students the opportunity to work closely with them on research projects. Faculty publications over the past few years have been in the areas of multimedia computing, database analysis and design, numerical analysis, optimization, performance measurement and evaluation, operating system design, data communications and network design, artificial intelligence, new computing paradigms, simulation, object-oriented systems analysis and design, object-oriented programming, and decision-support systems evaluation and selection. Many Information Systems faculty members are also active in professional organizations.

Financial Assistance

The College of Business has a limited number of tuition grants and graduate assistantships available each year. These grants and assistantships are competitive and are based on students' undergraduate performance as well as GRE/GMAT scores. Tuition grants require 10 hours of service per week to the College. Graduate assistantships require a nine- to 12-credit-hour course load, and 20 hours of service per week. Application forms may be obtained in the Graduate Academic Advising Office, BU 219.