Concentration in Management Information Systems Offered

Pennsylvania College of Technology's Business Administration major will have a new concentration this fall − one that blends management and computer-science instruction to prepare students for success in a rewarding career field.

The new Management Information Systems concentration is the fifth to be offered in the bachelor-degree Business Administration program in the School of Business and Computer Technologies at Penn College. It will give students an understanding of information systems as a management tool in the planning, control and decision-making activities of organizations.

Graduates can expect to find jobs in systems analysis, information systems management, quality assurance, financial and market research and production planning.

According to Dennis R. Williams, associate professor of business administration, qualified graduates of the program can expect starting salaries of $40,000, $50,000, $60,000 and higher.

The MIS program requires 137 credits to graduate, more than most bachelor-degree majors, Williams acknowledged, but he said those who complete the program will have an excellent educational foundation in a career field that continues to grow.

There will be a strong writing/speaking component to the program, because the industry demands it, Williams said. Other aspects of the concentration will also be tailored to address industry needs, and student internships will be emphasized.

The faculty members in the School of Business and Computer Technologies who developed the program all have industry experience in the areas being taught, Williams noted, and at least one of them will be available during the day in the MIS lab to advise and assist students.

"We want to develop an MIS culture," Williams said of the mentoring environment the faculty members hope to create. "It's been a group project."

Companies already have contacted the College to ask when the first crop of graduates will be ready to enter the workforce, Williams said. Some students are expected to transfer into the MIS concentration from other degree programs, he added.

Besides Williams, the faculty members who worked to develop the new MIS concentration curriculum are: Robert B. Gudgel, assistant professor of business administration/human resources management; Allen K. Henry, associate professor of computer science; Anthony L. Nieli, assistant professor of computer science; Charles J. Russo, associate professor of business administration/accounting; and Nicholas A. Vonada, assistant professor of computer science.

For more information about the new MIS concentration, call the Office of Admissions at 1-800-367-9222 or the School of Business and Computer Technologies at (570) 327-4517. Penn College alsocan be accessed on the Web.