Doctoral Plan of Study
Research Methodology, Hands-on and Theoretical Work = Success
The MIS Ph. D. program starts with a solid foundation in research methodology. Building on this, it offers a unique synthesis of state of the art technologies and approaches from Computer Science, Artificial Intelligence , Economics, Operations Management, Groupware, and Socio-technical networks, to name a few. Our top-flight research faculty stands ready to mentor students and guide their entry into the many possible avenues of MIS scholarly pursuits. There is a mix of hands-on and theoretical work: the students learn how to implement, deploy and evaluate business information systems that are of interest to academia and industry alike.
Program Requirements
The MIS Ph.D. degree requires a major in MIS plus a minor in a related discipline from another department. The major course work consists of a set of core courses (18 units), statistical methods (6 units), research methodology (6 units), and specialization (6 units). Below are the required courses.
| Requirements | Courses |
| CORE (18 units required) |
MIS 531: Enterprise Database Management |
| STATISTICAL METHODS (6 units required) |
MGMT 582C - Univariate Analysis Management MGMT 582D - Multivariate Analysis Management (Other stats classes may be substituted with approval: one for univariate and another for multivariate---but these Management classes are the recommended (best and most useful) classes to take). |
| RESEARCH METHODOLOGY (6 units required) |
MIS 611A: Design Science Research Methodologies MIS 696D: Models for Quantitative Analysis |
| SPECIALIZATION (6 units required) |
The student should consult his/her major advisor to select two courses that contain the basic knowledge in a chosen area of specialization such as Information Technology, Information Economics, Management and Organization, Quantitative Methods and Operations Management. |
The minor requirements are determined by the department that offers the minor. Students should consult the major advisor and the minor department for guidance. Some well-taken minors include computer science, decision science, economics, industrial engineering, linguistics, and management and policy.
Suggested Plan of Study
The Ph.D. program offers a high level of flexibility in terms of course work, which is determined by the student's chosen specialization in major and minor. As such, each individual student can work with his/her advisor to design a unique plan of study. The following table gives a sample plan of study to illustrate the basic timeline.
| Semester | Plan of Study |
| Fall, Year 1 | MIS 696A, MIS 531, MIS 541, MIS 543 |
| Spring, Year 1 | MIS 510, MIS 611B |
| Last Week of May | Core Exam (Written) |
| Fall, Year 2 | MIS 696D, MGMT 582C |
| Mid December | Submit proposal for a research paper |
| Spring, Year 2 | MIS 611A, Minor Course 3, Minor Course 4 |
| Mid October | Preliminary Exam (research paper and oral exam) |
| Fall, Year 3 | MGMT 582D and other courses |
| Spring, Year 3 | MIS and/or minor electives |
| Anytime before the Comprehensive Exam | Minor Exam (Consult the minor department) |
| Early June * | Comprehensive Exam (Draft dissertation and oral exam) |
| Fall, Year 4 | MIS and/or minor electives |
| Spring, Year 4 | MIS and/or minor electives |
| Early June* | Dissertation Defensive (Completed dissertation and oral exam) |
This is a sample plan of study. Specific sequence of courses can vary depending on the schedule of courses being offered.
* These exam times are flexible, and students should consult the major advisor for guidance.
For additional information, please contact us.
RSS
Print