As an instructor for IS, I am often asked what is computer information systems? Is it the same as Computer Science? The simple answer is no. However, the answer becomes trickier when you ask whether CIS, MIS, or IS are the same. The short answer is that they are very similar and used interchangeably. If you are interested in a deeper dive, please read more.
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What is Computer Information Systems?
Computer Information Systems is the application of computers in business processes. Computing technology and business processes are two components of CIS. In order to bring them together, we have to use the third critical element of CIS, the people. Therefore, we can define Computer Information Systems as the application of computing and communication technology to record, process, store, analyze and interpret information to facilitate business processes.
Computer Information Systems is the application of computers in business processes
What does CIS consist of?
We can understand what computer information systems is, in terms of the six facets. These six facets of CIS are summarized below:
| Facet | Importance | New Opportunities |
|---|---|---|
| Information & Communication Technology | The backbone of any Information Systems. It consists of recording, storage andcomputing devices. It also consists of networking and communication devices. | 5G, IoT, Mobile Work |
| Business | Business processes that drive the firm | New business models, Gig economy |
| Management | Human resources like employees, managers and executives. | Upskilling, development of softskills |
| Customers | Customers are the fulcrum of all business activities. CIS aims to increase number and value of customers. Also the loyalty and satisfaction. | Customer Experience Management |
| Data | The new oil of businesses. Everything from the operations to decision run on data. | IoT data, Livestream Data, Social Media Patterns |
| Analytics | What you do with data is more important than the data itself. | Realtime analytics, Robotic Process Automation |
What computer information systems do?
The computer information systems help the firm in business processes. Firstly, they help in collection, storage, analysis and interpretation of data. Secondly, CIS helps improve the processes. Thirdly, it integrates discrete business areas through enterprise resource management. Fourthly, it helps us in managing customers through customer relationship management systems. Fifthly, it also helps us in managing human resources through the human resource management systems.
Career options in CIS
CIS offers career options at various different levels. If you are a relatively less experienced engineer or plan to graduate soon, you may look at profiles like development, testing, analysis. Mid-level technical profiles include positions such as enterprise architects and team leaders. If you are from managerial background then there are other options at the mid-level such as consultants, and project managers. However, the best paying jobs are those at the top level such as Chief Information Officer, VP of Technology, Chief Technology Officer, and Change Managers.
CIS jobs
| Job Title | Education | Profile | Level | Payscale |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Developer | Bachelor of Science/ Technology | Technical | Low | $85,000 |
| Senior Developer | Bachelor of Science/ Technology | Technical | Low | $123,632 |
| Team Lead | Bachelor of Science/ Technology | Technical | Medium | $145,000 |
| Enterprise Architect | Bachelor of Science/ Technology | Technical | Medium | $167,000 |
| MIS manager | Master of Science or Master of Business Administration | Managerial | Medium | $95,839 |
| Consultant | Master of Business Administration | Managerial | Medium | $128,312 |
| Project Manager | Master of Business Administration | Managerial | Medium | $155,883 |
| CIO/CTO | Master of Business Administration | Managerial | High | $183,342 |
How much do Computer Information Systems make?
The salary of a CIS professional varies wildly. It depends on job profile, education level, years of experience and organization. Even within the same organization, there could be different salaries. However, at the entry level, you may expect a starting salary of anywhere between $55k to $70k. Mid-level profiles may have salaries ranging from $110k to $170k. Nevertheless, you may expect a starting salary of around $150 onwards at the top-level job profiles. However, these jobs require around 15 to 25 years of experience.
Is CIS worth it?
It is difficult to answer that question as it would vary from individual to individual. Firstly, any job is worth when it satisfies at least two of the following criteria:
- Job satisfaction
- Wellbeing
- Compensation
- Career progression
Job satisfaction, wellbeing and compensation are dependent on a lot of factors. However, some aspects that you can control are: educational degree, education level, efforts at the job, personal development and soft skills.
Typically, CIS or MIS degree offer a higher upward mobility to the individual. In plain English, you have a higher chance of climbing the corporate ladder with a specialization in CIS compared to simple software engineering degree.
Does CIS require math?
Yes, CIS is primarily a technology-oriented work. Most job profiles require a specialization in CIS or MIS or an MBA. These programs may either directly have math courses of application of mathematical knowledge in some courses.
Is CIS Degree hard?
Not any harder than regular computer science. It is more focused towards application of computing and communication technology from business perspective. CIS degree would be more suited towards individuals who see themselves as team players and managers. It is not suited for those who see themselves as individual workers or those who are interested only in coding. CIS degree can be hard for these individuals. Also working as CIS professionals may be hard for them.
IS CIS stem
CIS is considered to be techno-managerial role. It is indeed a STEM field. However, specific to your degree, it may or may not be classified as STEM in your country. For instance, if you do MBA then it may not be considered STEM as MBA is sometimes classified as social science degree not a science degree.
Education in CIS
Most of the top engineering schools offer specialization in CIS. Some may only offer elective courses. Your best bet is to complete a bachelors degree, gain some relevant work experience then go for MBA.
Where to study CIS?
You may check out some of the CIS or MIS programs from the list below. We have used the ranking of CIS programs as per the USNews website.
| Rank | Institute | Tution (in '000 USD) | Website |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Carnegie Mellon University (Heinz) | 42 | Master of Information Systems Management |
| 2 | Massachusetts Institute of Technology | 77 | Information Systems and Tech |
| 3 | University of Arizona (Eller) | 12 | Masters in MIS |
| 4 | University of Texas--Austin (McCombs) | 51 | MIS catalog |
| 5 | Georgia Institute of Technology (Scheller) | 30 | IT and Management |
| 6 | University of Minnesota--Twin Cities (Carlson) | 40 | MIS degree |
| 7 | New York University (Stern) | 77 | MS in Information Systems |
| 8 | University of Maryland--College Park (Smith) | 92 | CDIS majors |
| 9 | University of Pennsylvania (Wharton) | 80 | IS track |
| 10 | University of California--Berkeley (Haas) | 64 | MIMS program |
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Thank you for your kind words. I am glad this article on CIS was helpful to the readers.