Welcome to the Department of Information Systems at Washington State University. We believe our program has a great deal to offer prospective and current students, both at the undergraduate and graduate level. The opportunities that a career in information systems affords are numerous, exciting, and lucrative.
Our highly regarded undergraduate MIS program offers one of the nation's most comprehensive curricula. Coursework focuses on creating IS professionals who can analyze business problems and come up with innovative technology-driven solutions. Given that our field is centered on the interaction between people, organizations, and technology, the coursework for our undergraduate degree covers a variety of topics that can help facilitate technology-driven business change.
Thomas L. Friedman's recent book, The World Is Flat, captures the spirit of our program. In his book, Friedman describes the cascade of technological and social changes that have effectively leveled the economic world and made places like Bangalore and Beijing our next-door neighbors. Our coursework prepares students to compete in our globally connected world, with courses that prepare students to analyze business information needs, manage technology-focused projects, understand how technology can create global electronic commerce, apply technological solutions for business intelligence, and explore how technology can influence corporate security, risk, and the management of information resources.
Our nationally recognized Ph.D. program exemplifies the concept of "World-Class Face-To-Face." Our program prepares graduates to take a seat at the table of the nation's leading research universities while also helping faculty stay current on new technological developments. The focus on cutting-edge research pays dividends by enhancing our undergraduate programs.
The IS Department has long emphasized forging solid business and community relationships. This includes building strong bridges with our active advisory board, which has included such companies as Boeing, Safeco, AT&T Wireless, ChevronTexaco, Microsoft, Accenture, Ernst & Young, and Deloitte Consulting. We have also fostered ongoing relationships with such notable organizations as the Seattle Seahawks.
Echoing recent labor and career projections, a recent article in Business 2.0 highlighted research on the ten careers most likely to sustain a high growth rate over the next decade. Eight of those ten careers were focused on information systems and technology, in many cases emphasizing the connection between technology and people. This is precisely the skill set we stress in our MIS program. We believe that the quality and quantity of applicants for both our undergraduate and graduate programs will continue to rise.
If you enjoy technology, and are ready for a fast-paced, challenging, and energizing career with extraordinary opportunities, please come visit us. More details on all aspects of our program are provided in the links below.
Sincerely,
Mark A. Fuller
Chair, Department of Information Systems
Philip L. Kays Distinguished Professor in MIS
