Choose an Exciting Career

Information is a central resource in many enterprises. Business, industry, government, education, and community organizations recognize the need to manage and use information as a strategic resource. Consequently, there is a growing market for professionals who can create, organize, and manage information that people want to use and in ways that facilitate their work. According to government projections, five of the twenty fastest-growing professions are information-intensive and depend heavily upon information technologies. The MIS program educates information professionals who understand information life cycles, the information technologies that support them, and the ways that people use information systems. The education you receive will prepare you to compete for jobs in the information professions.

Focus on the People Who Use Information

"The focus on social practices and usability in the MIS program was really appealing to me... I see relevancy in the course work."

Technology and People

It is easy to build information systems or web sites. It is hard to design them so that people can find important information fast. That type of design requires a deep understanding of how to manage information technologies so that they work well for people.

Our MIS program prepares our graduates for a different kind of career, one that has become critical, and one that is much less in the public eye. Many people think of information technologies as hardware and software, and the relevant skills as a form of computer programming. However, the design of information systems that really help people with their work rests on knowledge of both information technologies and how different people work under various conditions. SLIS focuses on this "socio-technical" connection.

The value of SLIS's MIS program is that it emphasizes the human element. Technology does not function on its own; people create it, and people interact with it. An MIS from SLIS will give you an understanding of that human element, which tends to be the variable that causes a system or application to fail. The technology industry has experienced many changes in the last few years. Understanding how humans interface with technology and the implications that are involved will set you apart from the people with just a technology background; and the technological side of SLIS will set you apart from other social science degrees. Your MIS courses will also teach you management principles. This degree prepares you to be more than an employee, it prepares you to be a leader.

Job Prospects and Projections in Information Technology

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), "Computer occupations account for 5 out of the 20 fastest growing occupations in the economy." With that growth, new careers, niches, and titles are constantly being created. The S510 course will introduce you to information architecture, human-computer interaction, information retrieval, and strategic information management and leadership, and even more of the career opportunities available.

Professional Organizations

Another way to learn more about the information science field is to join a professional organization. SLIS sponsors several student chapters. Two of particular interest to MIS students are: the Association for Computing Machinery (ACM), and the American Society for Information Science and Technology (ASIST). Our SLIS Associate Dean was a past national president of ASIST; and our Dean is the editor of the Annual Review of Information Science and Technology which is produced for ASIST. The ACM student chapter is based in SLIS, but it includes students from a variety of technology-related programs on campus. These organizations provide a good opportunity to meet others with similar interests; and you can even gain leadership experience as a local officer. Both ASIST and ACM are highly respected organizations, with numerous special interest groups (SIGs), such as Information Architecture, Computer-Human Interaction, Knowledge Management, and many more, so be sure to get involved.

We have a list of professional organizations you might be interested in. Membership in these groups can help enhance your résumé, provide conference opportunities, and offer networking and job leads.

Helpful Links

• SLIS News Story: "Planning an IS/LS Career as a SLIS Graduate Student" - notes from a SLIS orientation talk by professor Alice Robbin and four SLIS students.
• The Information Technology Association of America
• MIS Career Definitions
• MIS Career Links (search job ads)
• MIS Career Opportunities (FAQ)

Find out more

Request an Information Science packet (including an application for admission) over the web. Fill out this form as your next step toward a rewarding career in information science.