Curriculum

Program Description

Information Systems Management (ISM) is a multi-disciplinary program that focuses on the integration of engineering, computer science, information technology, and business management for two purposes: the technology of management, which includes the design of information technology to solve business problems, and the management of technology, which includes the management of new product development and entrepreneurship. The program offers a B.S. in information systems management (ISM) as well as a minor in information systems and technology management (ISTM). See description below concerning advanced degree programs that are available starting fall 2009.

ISM is a rigorous, challenging major for those students wanting to pursue careers in the management of information and technology. ISM students will receive a thorough grounding in the fundamental principles and practices of technology (in particular, computer science and computer engineering) and management, and the scientific, mathematics, and economics principles upon which they are built. In particular, they will become proficient in the following areas: strategy, planning, innovation, entrepreneurship, information technology, software design, product development, and supply chain management.

The essence of the information systems management major at UCSC is the integration of the fundamental intellectual content of the disciplines of computer science, computer engineering, business management economics, and finance. ISM students will learn how to apply the fundamentals of these diverse disciplines to solving problems that require the integration of management and technology, e.g., developing information technology systems to manage all activities and operations in a firm, e-commerce, managing and commercializing a new technology, and starting a new high-technology company.

To graduate with a B.S. in information systems management, students normally complete 21 required courses (with two laboratories, totaling 102 quarter credits) plus four elective courses (20 quarter credits) for the information systems management major program. To plan for completion of these course requirements within the normative time, students should consult with an adviser as early as possible. Honors students are likely to find the rigorous management and leadership elements of the new program of significant interest. Industrial interactions and projects are key features of this major.

Information Systems Management Policies

Admissions Policy

Admission to majors in the School of Engineering is selective. First-year applicants may receive direct admission at the time they apply to UCSC based on their high school record and test scores. Admission to the major after a student has entered UCSC is based on performance in all School of Engineering and Physical and Biological Sciences courses attempted at UCSC. Please refer to the School of Engineering section of the catalog for the full admissions policy.

UCSC students who have completed 3 or more quarters at UCSC must complete the foundation courses before they can declare an information systems management major. Please refer to the School of Engineering section of the catalog for the full admissions policy.

Foundation Courses: Computer Science 12A, or 5J and 11, or 13H; Computer Engineering 16 (or 16H); and Mathematics 19A-B, or Mathematics 20A-B, or Economics 11A and 11B; Information Systems Management 50 (or Economics 1 and 2).

Disqualification and Satisfactory Progress in the Major

Please refer to the Engineering section of this catalog for the School of Engineering’s major disqualification policy.

Letter Grade Policy

Information systems management requires letter grading for all courses applied toward the B.S. in information systems management, with the exception of two lower-division courses which students may elect to take Pass/No Pass (not to include course 50 or 58). This policy includes courses required for the information systems management major but sponsored by other departments.

Transfer Students

Articulation agreements with other California institutions are in place for some courses required for the information systems management major; it is important for students to inquire whether specific courses meet the requirements of this major. Articulation information is available on ASSIST at www.assist.org. Courses taken at other institutions which emphasize applications of programming languages often do not count toward the information systems management major at UCSC. Please refer to the School of Engineering section of the catalog for the policy regarding transfer students.

School of Engineering Policies

Please refer to the School of Engineering section of the catalog for additional policies that apply to all School of Engineering programs. These policies include admission to the major, limits on the number of times courses can be attempted, and the need for UCSC students to obtain pre-approval before taking courses elsewhere.

Preparation for the Major

The information systems management major is intended for students with an interest in both technology and business. It is recommended that students intending to declare this major have completed four years of mathematics (through advanced algebra and trigonometry) and three years of science in high school. Completion of business-oriented computer literacy and basic programming courses is of benefit to students entering this major. Completion of any economics and/or business-related courses in high school is also beneficial, but the faculty realizes that these courses may not be available at many high schools. Completion of comparable college courses at other institutions serves to strengthen the preparation of a student for the information systems management major.

Information Systems Management Major Requirements

In addition to completing UCSC general education requirements, students must complete 21 required courses (with two laboratories, totaling 102 quarter credits) plus four elective courses (20 quarter credits) for the information systems management major program. To plan for completion of these course requirements within the normative time, students should consult with a School of Engineering adviser as early as possible. These 25 courses include the following:

Required Courses (21 courses plus two laboratories)

Mathematics (four courses)

19A-B, Calculus for Science, Engineering, and Mathematics; or
Applied Mathematics and Statistics 11A and 11B, or Economics 11A and 11B, Mathematical Methods for Economists; and
Applied Mathematics and Statistics 10A and 20A, Basic Mathematical Methods for Engineers I & II (3 units each); or Applied Mathematics and Statistics 10 and 20 Mathematical Methods for Engineers I and II; or Mathematics 21 Linear Algebra and Math 24 Ordinary Differential Equations

Economics (five required 5-credit courses)

1, Introductory Microeconomics: Resource Allocation and Market Structure
2, Introductory Macroeconomics: Aggregate Economic Activity
10A, Economics of Accounting
100A, Intermediate Microeconomics; or
100M, Intermediate Microeconomics Math Intensive
113, Introduction to Econometrics; or
Applied Mathematics and Statistics 113, Managerial Statistics

Computer Engineering (three 5-credit courses and a 2-credit lab)

12/L, Computer Systems and Assembly Language/ Laboratory
16, Applied Discrete Mathematics; or 16H, Honors Applied Discrete Mathematics
150/L, Introduction to Computer Networks/Laboratory

Computer Science (three 5-credit courses)

12A, Introduction to Programming; or 5J, Introduction to Programming in Java and 11, Intermediate Programming
12B, Introduction to Data Structures
182, Introduction to Database Management Systems

Information Systems Management (five 5-credit courses and one 2-credit seminar)

50, Business Information Systems
58, Systems Analysis and Design
101, Management of Technology Seminar
105, Management of Technology I
125, Management of Technology II
158, Business Strategy and Information Systems

Elective Courses (four courses)

• Two 5-credit School of Engineering courses

Students select two upper-division School of Engineering electives on the basis of their particular interests. These electives may be any 5-credit upper-division School of Engineering courses, with the following limitations

1. either Computer Engineering 153 or Electrical Engineering 153, but not both;
2. either Applied Mathematics and Statistics 131 or Computer Engineering 107, but not both;
3. at most one independent and field-study course (193, 195, 198, 199) with prior approval from the department to be used as an elective

• One 5-credit upper- division economics course
• One 5-credit, upper-division School of Engineering or economics course (the limitations on School of Engineering electives given above apply)

Information Systems Management Major Planners

The following are three sample academic plans for students to complete during their first two years as preparation for the information systems management major. Plan One A and B are suggested guidelines for students who are committed to the major early in their academic career. Plan Two is for students who are considering the major.

Plan One A
Year	Fall	Winter	Spring
1st (frsh)	ECON 1 CMPS 10	ECON 2 MATH 19A	ISM 50 MATH 19B
2nd (soph)	CMPS 12A, or 5J and 11 ECON 10A CMPE 16 or 16H	CMPS 12B ISM 58	CMPE 12/L AMS 10A

 

Plan One B
Year	Fall	Winter	Spring
1st (frsh)	ECON 10A CMPS 10	ECON 1 ECON 11A	ECON 2 ECON 11B
2nd (soph)	CMPS 12A, or 5J and 11 ISM 50	ISM 58 CMPS 12B	CMPS 16 or 16H ECON 100A AMS 10A

 

Plan Two
Year	Fall	Winter	Spring
1st (frsh)	MATH 3	ECON 1	ISM 50 ECON 2
2nd (soph)	CMPS 10 MATH 19A or ECON 11A ECON 10A	ISM 58 MATH 19B or ECON 11B	CMPS 12B AMS 10A

Disciplinary Communication (DC) Requirement

Students of every major must satisfy that major's upper-division Disciplinary Communication (DC) requirement. The DC requirement will normally be met within one to three courses already required for the major. For detailed information on this major’s DC requirement, consult your major adviser or see the 2010-11 general catalog.

Comprehensive Requirement

Students complete two project-intensive courses, Information Systems Management 158 and Information Systems Management 105, which constitute the comprehensive requirement for the information systems management major, based on the dual aspects (technology of management and management of technology) of the program. Course 158 deals with the technology of management, and course 105 deals with the management of technology. Both courses involve a substantial amount of critical thinking and writing within the context of comprehensive projects.

Information Systems Management 158, Business Strategy and Information Systems, requires that students understand and use a structured methodology to evaluate the competitive use of information systems within an enterprise. This is accomplished by a team project as well as by an individual project that involves researching and writing a comprehensive analytical term paper using a methodology taught as part of this course

Information Systems Management 105, Management of Technology I, requires that students understand and apply structured methodologies for the development, management, and commercialization of technologies and products. Students will work in teams on a comprehensive term project in the development, commercialization, and management of technologies such as computers, networks, semiconductors, mechatronics, and biotechnology.

Honors

The ISM program awards Honors to students whose academic performance is excellent. Students with a GPA between 3.5 and 3.75 will be awarded Honors, and students with GPAs greater than 3.75 will be awarded High Honors.

Minor in Information Systems and Technology Management (ISTM)

Purpose

There is a growing need in today’s increasingly complex socio-technological world for the fusion of information systems, technology, and business management for two important purposes: the use of information systems to solve business problems, and the management of technology, which includes new product development and enterprise management. The Information Systems Management (ISM) Program therefore proposes a minor in Information Systems and Technology Management (ISTM) to provide undergraduates in the School of Engineering as well in other programs and divisions in the university, such as economics and business management economics, the physical and biological sciences, and arts, the opportunity to expand the breadth of their knowledge and training to include the management of information systems and the management of technology.

Rationale for the Courses

Courses for the information systems management minor will include a combination of courses from the ISM Program, computer engineering, computer science, and economics courses as well as the chains of prerequisites behind these courses. The ISM program courses for the information systems management minor will include a mix of information systems and management of technology courses, providing students with a strong foundation in both the management of information systems and the management of technology.

Course Requirements

Requirements for the minor in information systems management are the following:

Lower-Division Requirements:

Mathematics (2 courses)

• Mathematics 19A, Calculus (or Applied Mathematics and Statistics 11A/Economics 11A, Mathematical Methods for Economists, or Mathematics 11A, Calculus, or Mathematics 20A, Honors Calculus)
• Mathematics 19B, Calculus (or Applied Mathematics and Statistics 11B/Economics 11B, Mathematical Methods for Economists, or Mathematics 11B, Calculus, or Mathematics 20B, Honors Calculus)

Computer Science (1 course)

• 12A, Introduction to Programming; or Computer Science 5J, Introduction to Programming in Java

Information Systems Management (2 courses)

• Information Systems Management 50, Business Information Systems
• One of the following courses:
  • Information Systems Management 58, Systems Analysis and Design
  • Information Systems Management 80C, Starting a New Technology Company

Upper-Division Requirements

Mathematics (1 course)

One of the following courses:

• Applied Mathematics and Statistics 113, Managerial Statistics; or
• Economics 113, Introduction to Econometrics; or
• Computer Engineering 107,  Mathematical Methods of Systems Analysis:Stochastic; or
• Applied Mathematics and Statistics 131, Introduction to Probability Theory

Upper-Division Electives (4 courses)

Four (4) upper -division courses selected from the following:

• Information Systems Management 105, Management of Technology I
• Information Systems Management 125, Management of Technology II
• Information Systems Management 158, Business Strategy and Information Systems
• Computer Engineering 150/L, Introduction to Computer Networks/Laboratory
• Computer Science 180, Database Systems I (or CS 182, Introduction to Database Management Systems)
• Economics 100A, Intermediate Microeconomics (or 100M, Intermediate Microeconomics, Mathematics Intensive—requires additional prerequisites)
• Economics 100B, Intermediate Macroeconomics (or 100N, Intermediate Macroeconomics, Mathematics Intensive—requires additional prerequisites)

With pre-approval from the information systems management undergraduate director, up to two graduate information systems management courses may be used to satisfy upper-division elective requirements.

Technology and Information Management Ph.D. and Master’s Degrees

Technology and Information Management (TIM) is a new and distinct discipline within engineering, combining technology management, systems engineering, and information technology. TIM’s research and academic programs, combining information technology with both knowledge management and systems management, address problems facing firms today as they deal with more complex decisions in a global environment, facing new business models (e.g., “services”) and business practices. TIM places special emphasis on research arising from challenges faced in creation and management of knowledge-based services and enterprises. TIM themes include:

Management and optimization of enterprise systems, which is the integration of business, technology, and management perspectives to enable an entity to achieve enhanced growth and profitability through use of analytical methods including stochastic models, optimization, game theory and knowledge management.

New product, technology, and services management, which is the design and development of products and services, the design and risk management of product portfolios, and pricing.

Financial engineering, which addresses the management of risk, reward, and allocation of resources in technology development and deployment.

Information retrieval and knowledge management, which includes semantic mining and machine learning, linking business to knowledge management.

TIM offers a master of science (M.S.) degree as a terminal degree for engineers who wish to prepare for careers in management in high-tech enterprises, providing the appropriate breadth and depth of courses for preparation of these engineering managers.

The TIM doctor of philosophy (Ph.D.) degree focuses on research, with emphasis on analytic methods for managing high-tech enterprises, including product, services, and business-process innovation and development; financial engineering for technology and enterprise management; entrepreneurship; operations and supply-chain management; costing and strategy; marketing engineering; data mining; and the applications of information technology to knowledge management high-tech enterprises.

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