What you will study
Pair technical knowledge with business skills in UCM’s CIS – Cloud Computing, Networking
and Security area degree program. Most universities only give students the hard skills
you need to succeed. The University of Central Missouri also gives you the business
knowledge that prepares you for leadership jobs with a CIS degree. This ensures you
know how to do your job well — and understand how your work fits within the larger
context of an organization.
You’ll start the program with core coursework for a Computer Information Systems degree
program, including Business Statistics, Database Management Systems, Organizational
Policy and Strategy, Principles of Finance and Programming With Visual C#. Then you’ll
dive deep into classes exclusive to students in the Cloud Computing, Networking and
Security area degree concentration:
- Cloud Computing and Data Communication Technologies
- Network and System Administration
- Data Communication and Distributed Data Processing
- Cloud and Network: Planning, Design and Security
Excellence in Computer Information Systems Networking
- Accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) and the Accreditation
Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET). We’re 1 of only 13 computer networking
degree programs in the U.S. with this dual accreditation.
- Top 4%: Most Focused Colleges for Computer & Information Sciences (College Factual, 2022)
- #1: Most Popular Colleges for Computer & Information Sciences in Missouri (College Factual,
2022)
- Top 15%: Best Value College for Computer & Information Sciences (College Factual, 2021)
- Best Bachelor’s Degrees in Computer Networking (Study.com, 2021)
- A Best in Missouri Offering Cloud Computing Programs (Plexuss Global, 2021)
- A Best in Missouri Offering Network & System Administration Program (Plexuss Global, 2021)
Unique learning opportunities in the Computer Information Systems Networking degree
program
UCM gives you and your classmates in the CIS Network Engineer degree many opportunities
to put learning into practice — inside and outside the classroom:
- Internships: Take advantage of opportunities available in the Kansas City metro area by participating
in an internship. Get real-world experience in jobs with a CIS degree. Past students
have interned at, for example, T-Mobile, Cerner and Evergreen.
- Capstone project: Collaborate with students pursuing a degree in CIS in another concentration area.
Together, use your CIS specialties to develop an end-to-end system that solves a business
problem. Along the way, learn how your skills complement each other to create an integrated
system. You’ll also benefit from the guidance of local professionals who provide feedback
on your project.
- Career coaching: Work with our CIS advisory group to develop your five-year CIS degree plan. Partner
with these leading technology experts to ensure you’re taking the right classes, setting
achievable goals and moving in the right direction to meet your career ambitions.
- Student life: Complement your coursework with lectures from visiting technology experts. Leaders
from companies such as Microsoft come to speak on data mining, the education technology
field and its future and more. Join the CISAO student group for additional networking.
What can you do with a Computer Networking degree from UCM?
While earning your CIS degree in Computer Networking, you’ll have access to professionals
in UCM’s Career and Life Design Center who will work with you to prepare you for the job market. In fact, UCM alumni with
a bachelor’s degree in CIS have a 100% job or graduate school placement within six
months of graduation.
Graduates with the CIS Networking and System Administrator degree work in the Kansas
City area and beyond at companies such as Cerner, Hallmark, H&R Block and T-Mobile.
If you choose to enter graduate school before the workforce, we make it easy to stay
at UCM to earn your MS in Computer Information Systems and Information Technology.
Jobs with a CIS degree
In addition to providing information about employment trends, the tool below gives
you insight related to jobs with a CIS degree, computer networking salary information
and other career data.
Financial assistance options for your CIS degree
The University of Central Missouri makes it easy for you to afford your education.
In addition to being cost-competitive, we offer a variety of ways for you to get financial assistance to pay for your undergraduate degree in CIS Networking. Financial aid options include loans, grants and scholarships.
Some scholarships are set aside exclusively for students pursuing a Computer Networking
degree, including:
- Alexander Gladkov Memorial Scholarship
- Boeing Company Scholarship for Computer Information Systems
- Chelsoft Solutions Company – CIS & IT Scholarship
- Computer Information Systems & Analytics Scholarship Fund
- Helen Louise Campbell Richards Memorial Scholarship
- Pennzoil Student Scholarship
- Richard and Gertrude Innes Scholarship
- Trevor Shoemaker CIS Memorial Scholarship
You can learn more about program-specific scholarships with the UCM Scholarship Finder.
Meet Dr. Qingxiong Ma
Prolific publisher in industry journals
Dr. Ma frequently publishes articles in the industry’s peer-reviewed journals, and
he often speaks at conferences such as America’s Conference on Information Systems.
He brings this passion and expertise to the classroom, where he teaches courses focusing
on information security management, system analysis and design and business intelligence.
Meet the Faculty
Get Time in High-Tech Labs
Hands-on experience using industry technology
Students pursuing a CIS Network Engineer degree practice their skills in six labs
exclusively for CIS majors. With access to 120 advanced computers, you can hone your
skills in cloud computing, networking, IT security, big data, artificial intelligence,
user experience design testing and other technical skill sets.
Meet Dr. Narasimha Paravastu
10+ years teaching bachelor’s and master’s courses
Dr. Paravastu has presented his research in numerous regional and national conferences.
He brings his expert knowledge in IT strategy, information systems security, technology
trust and information technology outsourcing to his undergraduate and graduate classes.
Meet the Faculty
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CIS Program Mission
Program Mission Statement:
The primary mission of the program is to offer outcomes-based, assessment driven,
academic programs to prepare students for careers in information systems and information
technology. The program also serves the community by providing technology-related
service courses to fulfill the needs of the 21st century workforce.
Accreditation: It Means Quality
Accreditation means an external agency has found that the program meets rigorous standards
and has processes in place which will ensure its continued quality. The Harmon College
of Business and Professional Studies is accredited in Business and Accounting by AACSB
International.
In addition, the CIS program is accredited in Information Systems by the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET) Computing Accreditation Commission of ABET, http://www.ABET.org.
Only a dozen IS programs in the United States are so dually accredited.
Resources
Through your CIS classes, you will have access to many information technology resources
including:
- 120+ computers in six dedicated labs
- a user experience design testing lab
- numerous Cisco® networking components
- Wired and wireless access to the campus high-speed Internet
- Access to software through the Microsoft® Imagine, EMC® Academic Alliance and Oracle Academy programs
Program Educational Objectives
Program Educational Objectives
Within a few years of graduation, graduates from the Bachelor of Science in Business
Administration, with a major in Computer Information Systems (CIS) are expected to:
- Successfully apply their analytical and problem-solving skills to develop technical
solutions in a variety of domains.
- Demonstrate appropriate leadership using workplace professional and ethical expectations.
- Update their knowledge and skills for professional growth and to meet the needs of
industry.
Adopted 12/31/2021
CIS Program Student Outcomes
CIS Program Student Outcomes
Adopted March 2, 2018
Graduates of the program will have an ability to:
1. Analyze a complex computing problem and to apply principles of computing and other
relevant disciplines to identify solutions.
2. Design, implement, and evaluate a computing-based solution to meet a given set
of computing requirements in the context of the program’s discipline.
3. Communicate effectively in a variety of professional contexts.
4. Recognize professional responsibilities and make informed judgments in computing
practice based on legal and ethical principles.
5. Function effectively as a member or leader of a team engaged in activities appropriate
to the program’s discipline
6. Support the delivery, use, and management of information systems within an information
systems (IS) environment.
Annual Enrollment and Graduation Data
Program Acreditation
The BSBA in Computer Information Systems - Networking, System Administration and Security
option is accredited by the Computing Accreditation Commission of ABET.
