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Majors, Minors, and Certificates

In a world of growing dependence on technological and analytic needs, exposure to these fields is becoming increasingly beneficial to young professionals. Our students receive extensive skill sets and experience in the information systems, cybersecurity management, and business analytics fields, making them more competitive in the job market.

In the Department of Information Systems and Analytics, we offer a major in Business Analytics and another major in Information Systems and Cybersecurity Management (ISCM). ISCM majors choose a concentration in either Information Systems or Cybersecurity Management. Courses in these majors offer students hands-on technical and managerial IT/data skills, combined with exposure to emerging topics like cyber risk management, big data, data mining, and artificial intelligence.

ISA Courses

Information Systems and Cybersecurity Management Major

The Information Systems and Cybersecurity Management Major provides managerial perspective and technical skills to create, control, protect, and leverage information and data resources of an organization. The major contains two concentrations. One is an Information Systems concentration focusing on the systems, processes, and technologies organizations use to manage the information assets of the organizations. The Cybersecurity Management concentration is a managerial focus on cybersecurity and risk management that organizations seek in all of their business units. Both concentrations are a solid foundation of technical understanding delivered from a managerial perspective to enable students to contribute quickly to problem-solving in Information Systems and Cybersecurity Management in organizational settings.

Information Systems Concentration

The Information Systems concentration prepares students to structure and solve problems with a focus on business processes. Students evaluate and design technology-based solutions to enhance business processes and the systems that support them. Students learn about process management through hands-on exposure to enterprise systems, robotic process automation, and other current applications of AI. Students manage IT-based projects with a focus on agile methods.

Cybersecurity Management Concentration

The Cybersecurity Management concentration applies a unique managerial focus to cybersecurity and risk management. The program instills foundational knowledge for strategic problem-solving regarding security-focused business problems. Students learn to evaluate security threats, assess their risk, and manage resolutions that rely on advanced technologies such as blockchain, encryption, large data repositories, AI, and other emerging tools.

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Business Analytics Major

Businesses and organizations in any industry increasingly need data specialists who are equipped to analyze, visualize, and draw strategic insights from large amounts of data from a variety of sources. The Business Analytics Major develops forward-thinking professionals who excel in data analysis and become skilled at effectively communicating with data. This major provides a robust foundation in descriptive, predictive, and prescriptive analytical methodologies. Students develop skills for handling structured and unstructured data to develop models that predict behavior in data-rich business environments. Coursework immerses students in unique projects that prepare them to effectively communicate data insights and solutions through the use of powerful tools such as dashboards, data visualizations, and more. The skills learned in this major give students the foundation needed to enter analytical roles in any industry.

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ISA Program Skill Development

Information Systems

The information systems concentration prepares students to structure and solve problems with a focus on business processes. Students evaluate and design technology-based solutions to enhance business processes and the systems that support them.

Data and Information Management: Database design, development and management, data and integrity, information systems management, cloud computing, and big data architecture

Business Processes and Systems: Structuring and solving business process problems, analyzing and designing business processes and systems, determination and specification of business requirements for software development, agile and traditional IT project management, programming skills for business applications, business process simulations with ERP, and robotic process automation and AI applications

Programming: Python, SQL, Tableau, PowerBI, Cloud

Cybersecurity Management


The cybersecurity management concentration applies a unique managerial focus to cybersecurity and risk management. The program instills foundational knowledge for strategic problem-solving regarding security-focused business problems.

Cybersecurity Technology: Internet architecture and protocols, wireless and emerging technologies

Risk Management: cryptography and blockchain applications, data integrity and authentication, data privacy and security policies, business continuity, disaster recovery, IT security and risk management, IT governance and audit

Programming: Python, SQL, Blockchain

Business Analytics

The Business Analytics Major develops forward-thinking professionals who leverage data to generate new knowledge and inform business decision-making and innovation. We are committed to equipping students with the tools and skills to transform data into actionable insights in a rapidly evolving technological landscape.

Data Processing and Modeling: data pre-processing, descriptive analytics, predictive analytics, prescriptive analytics, data mining, statistical modeling, machine learning

Data Communication: data visualizations, dashboard design, business intelligence, storytelling with data

Programming: R, Python, Tableau, PowerBI, and SQL

Information Systems - Students Entering Fall 2020

Information Systems focuses on foundational theory and practice in content areas such as business process management, database, data communications, security, systems analysis, and project management. The track also addresses contemporary topics including cloud computing, mobile commerce, enterprise systems, business intelligence, data mining, and big data management. It emphasizes the application of technology and information management skills to solving business problems.

Information Systems Major Prerequisites and Courses (PDF)

Bulletin/Courses.

Information Systems and Analytics - Students Entering Prior to Fall 2020

The fields of Business Analytics (BA) and Information Systems (IS) have become increasingly intertwined, with intersections in the domains of data skills, programming to manipulate and massage data, and systems development for both collection of data and dissemination of information. In light of this trend, we now offer a major that is a combination of our previous information systems major and Analytics Co-major. The Information Systems and Analytics Major provides managerial and technical skills to create, control, and leverage information and data resources of an organization. The major offers two tracks.

The Information Systems Track focuses on foundational theory and practice in content areas such as business process management, database, data communications, security, systems analysis & development, and project management. The track also addresses contemporary topics including cloud computing, mobile commerce, enterprise systems, business intelligence, data mining, and big data management. It emphasizes the application of technology and information management skills to solving business problems.

The Business Analytics Track focuses on the use of data to guide evidence-based decision-making. Analytics combines numerous traditional disciplines including information systems and statistics. This track provides a framework for thinking about the collection and use of "big data" and develops skills for handling structured and unstructured data and for developing models to predict behavior in data-rich environments.

Information Systems and Analytics Major Prerequisites and Courses (PDF)

Bulletin/Courses

ISA Minors

In the Department of Information Systems and Analytics, we offer three minors: Information Systems, Business Analytics, and Cybersecurity Management. Technology and data are now vital to the success of all organizations. These minors are a great addition to all other business majors and benefit students from many majors outside of business. Students gain a foundational understanding of leveraging and protecting organizations’ digital assets.

Information Systems Minor

As technology continues to play a crucial role in the business world, possessing knowledge about corporate data assets and information systems is becoming increasingly valuable. The Information Systems Minor instills strong data skills and enables students to understand emerging technologies to evaluate and propose technology-based solutions that enhance organizational processes and systems.

 



Cybersecurity Management Minor

As the threat landscape and cyber attacks continue to grow, the demand for cybersecurity professionals will reach unprecedented levels. This minor equips students with the skills they need to enter this growing field. Students develop a unique managerial perspective on cybersecurity and risk management. The minor instills foundational knowledge for strategic problem-solving regarding security-focused problems.

 

Business Analytics Minor

Business Analytics is the latest battleground for corporations seeking to gain a competitive advantage and survive in a fiercely competitive business environment. This minor prepares students to take a data-centric approach to problem-solving, as they develop skills in descriptive and predictive analytics. Students will be equipped with the business knowledge and technical expertise to drive strategic decisions across organizations.

 

Certificates

Foundations of Business Analytics Certificate

The foundation of the Business Analytics certificate supplements any major to provide students with a fundamental skill set to use data to drive decision-making in their undergraduate discipline. It also provides the base skills and knowledge for entry into Miami’s Graduate Certificate in Analytics and Masters of Science in Analytics programs.

Cybersecurity Management for Accountancy

The Cybersecurity Management for Accountancy Certificate addresses the growing need for Cybersecurity knowledge in the accounting discipline. Students will be introduced to Cybersecurity Management fundamentals across several domains including Accounting Information Systems, Networking and Security Threats, IT Governance, Cyber Risk Management, and Audits. Students will also be introduced to important technologies in the security space, such as Blockchain, and the growing business use cases of these technologies.

FSB - Department of Information Systems and Analytics

3095 Farmer School of Business
800 East High Street
Oxford, OH 45056
513-529-4826 513-529-9689(fax)
Meet the Chair - Allison Jones-Farmer Support FSB