Master of Science in Information Systems

Program Details

Overview

Specializations

Admission Requirements

FAQ

Program Structure

Our program is designed to build your knowledge step-by-step until you have mastered the curriculum. It starts with fundamentals courses to make sure you have a good foundation in programming concepts, databases, and networks. Building on the principles, you move to the core courses where you learn and practice various information systems and ways to implement them. Finally, you are able to hone your skills with an optional thesis and electives, including specialized tracks.

  • 39 credits (13 courses) required
  • Foundational courses to set you up for success
    • One or more of these courses can be waived based on prior academic experience
  • Specialize in artificial intelligence, data science, or user experience design
  • Students must maintain a B average (3.0 GPA)
Degree Requirements

Fundamentals (9 credits)

Core (12 credits)

Electives (18 credits)

  • Elective 1 – Elective
  • Elective 2 – Elective
  • Elective 3 – Elective
  • Elective 4 – Elective
  • Elective 5 – Elective
  • Elective 6 – Elective
Tuition

The Master’s in Information Systems program follows UMBC’s standard tuition and fee rates for graduate students. You can find full information on the Student Business Services website.

You can calculate your estimated out-of-pocket expenses with the Tuition Calculator.

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Additional Details
  1. This program is considered a STEM program.
  2. No more than 2 core courses can be taken prior to fundamentals without permission of an advisor.
  3. No more than 2 electives prior to completion of 4 core courses can be taken without prior permission of an advisor.
  4. Graduate students may take no more than three classes per semester without prior permission from their advisor and the Graduate Program Director.

  5. No more than two elective courses may be taken outside of the courses offered by your program. Courses taken from the online MS program’s curriculum fall into this category. Courses offered in the on-campus IS program and in the HCC program are not considered external and can be taken by students enrolled in either program.

    If the external course you are seeking is already on the ‘approved’ sheet in the external courses spreadsheet, you need to contact your advisor and obtain their approval prior to registering for the course. Formal approval from your advisor is required before external courses can be taken.

    If the external course you are seeking is not on the ‘approved’ list and not on the ‘not approved’ list in the external courses spreadsheet, then you need to send the GPD a course description and syllabus, if available, to ask that it be considered as an external elective. The GPD will evaluate the course and get back to you.

    The courses listed in the ‘not approved’ sheet on the spreadsheet cannot be taken as electives.

  6. Students will be allowed to complete up to two, pre-approved courses from the Online MS program’s curriculum to satisfy their degree requirements. Courses are approved by the Graduate Program Director and are dependent upon space availability considering enrollments in both on campus and online courses. Students will be charged the standard on campus tuition and fees and will be responsible for purchasing all books and supplies associated with the online courses.
  7. Students choosing to do a masters thesis route must complete IS 799 over the course of two semesters (3 credits each semester). Students must also choose a thesis advisor from the department and form a three member committee that oversees and accepts the thesis. An MS Thesis defense must be scheduled with your advisor and committee. The thesis must to be pre-approved by the advisor and submitted to the thesis committee at least four weeks prior to the proposal or final defense.
  8. 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.
  9. MS students may not count courses that are audited as part of the MS program and may not take courses under the Pass/Fail option.
  10. MS students may take ONE independent study which counts as an elective, usually taken toward the end of the degree. In order for a MS student to take an independent study course, the student must submit the Proposed Independent Study Form.
  11. All graduate students should consult the University Graduate School Catalog, which contains the University’s regulations and procedures for earning degrees.
  12. MS students who graduated from the IS BS program must substitute additional electives for IS 603 and 636. BS IS students also cannot take IS 600, 610 and 650 as electives towards the degree.
  13. If you took any cross listed courses, you cannot take the course at the graduate level for credit towards your degree.
  14. Any fundamentals courses (IS 600, IS 610, IS 650) which are waived upon admission cannot be counted as electives in the MS program. These courses cannot count toward the 30 credit hour minimum required to earn the MS degree. BS IS students cannot take these courses towards the degree.
  15. Students can only count one 651 lab for credit towards their degree requirements. This includes IS 651M, 651U or 651W.
  16. Visit our webpage for information on the CPT Approval Process in IS department.

If you need any further information, please contact Shannon Carey (Keegan) shannoncarey@umbc.edu.