Doctor of Philosophy in Information Systems

Admission Requirements | Program Requirements | Course Requirements | Our Doctoral Students | Frequently Asked Questions
Course Requirements
  1.  The student’s mentor can add more course requirements to the ones below depending on the student’s level of competence, research productivity, and progress.
  2. All doctoral students are required to complete the following:

    • Two Methodology Courses (during their first year of study)

    • Five Area Courses

    • Two Independent Studies

    • IS 899, minimum 18 credits in 2 semesters (9 credits each)
Methodology Courses (2 required)
  • IS 804 – Advanced Quantitative Methods for IS Research: Statistical Learning
  • IS 805 – Advanced Field Research Methods
  • IS 809 – Computational Methods for Information Systems Research
  1. This is not an exhaustive list. The student’s mentor or graduate program director can designate any IS graduate level course as a methodology course.
  2. Any relevant graduate non-IS 600/700/800 level courses may be taken with the approval of the student’s mentor or the Graduate Program Director.
Area Courses (5 required)
Doctoral students must take five (5) courses, called “area courses” from the research areas of the IS department according to the following rules:
  1. At least two courses must be taken from the student-selected primary research area (mentor suggests the remaining ones).
  2. IS 600, 610, 613, 650, 651 and 652 are not to be taken for credit in the Ph.D. Program.
  3. At least two courses taken must be at the 700 or 800 level.
  4. The student’s mentor or graduate program director can designate any IS graduate level course as an area course.
  5. Any relevant graduate non-IS 600/700/800 level courses may be taken with the approval of the student’s mentor or the Graduate Program Director.

 

Artificial Intelligence and Knowledge Management

  • IS 707 – Applications of Intelligent Technologies
  • IS 708 – Knowledge Management and Knowledge Organizations
  • IS 755 – Advanced Artificial Intelligence

Database and Datamining Courses

  • IS 620 – Advanced Database Project
  • IS 720 – Mobile Database Management
  • IS 721 – Semi-structured Data Management
  • IS 722 – Systems and Information Integration
  • IS 733 – Data Mining

Health Informatics Courses

  • IS 660 – Health Care Informatics I
  • IS 661 – Health Care Informatics II
  • IS 777 – Data Analytics for Statistical Learning

Human-Centered Computing Courses

  • HCC 629 – Human Factors in Information Systems
  • IS/HCC 706 – Interfaces For Information Visualization & Retrieval
  • HCC 710 – Graphic Design for Interactive Systems
  • IS/HCC 727 – Computer-Supported Cooperative Work
  • IS/HCC 728 – Online Communities
  • HCC 729 – Human-Centered Design
  • HCC 760 – Human-Computer Interaction
  • HCC 761 – Information Systems in Human Behavior

Systems and Software Courses

  • IS 636 – Structured Systems Analysis and Design
  • IS 740 – Fundamentals of Software Testing
  • IS 764 – Advanced Systems Design
  • IS 765 – Project Management

Miscellaneous Courses

  • IS 651x – LAN Management Using Microsoft Windows
  • IS 654 – Survey of Telecommunications

Independent Studies (2 required)

The first independent study with the mentor and the second either with the mentor or with another faculty member based on the mentor’s approval.

Notes

  1. Doctoral students must maintain a B average, (i.e., 3.0 GPA).
  2. Graduate students may be recommended for dismissal after earning three Cs (this includes C+,  C, or C-), one D or one F in any graduate level course.
  3. Doctoral students may not count courses that are audited as part of the Ph.D. program and may not take courses under the Pass/Fail option.
  4. All graduate students should also consult the University Graduate School Catalog which contains the University’s regulations and procedures for earning degrees.
  5. Doctoral students should especially note the Graduate School’s regulations on University residency requirements.
  6. IS 600, 610, 613, 650, 651 and 652 are not to be taken for credit in the Ph.D. Program.

MS degree: Ph.D. students who have successfully completed 30 credits are awarded a MS degree.

Students with earned MS degrees: Doctoral students with previously earned Masters degrees may be excused from a maximum of six (6) courses, but must complete at least two courses at the 700/800 level at the Information Systems department. The student’s mentor must approve the course waivers.