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Department of CIS

Dr. Dawn Medlin
Chair
2103 Raley Hall
Appalachian State University
Boone, NC 28608
Phone: (828) 262-2411
Fax: (828) 262-6190
Email


Walker College of Business Department of CIS

Core Courses

CIS 2025. Personal Computing Effectiveness.
This hands-on course provides students with the opportunity to understand the role of information technology to enhance the use of computer-based applications to achieve personal and professional goals. Upon successful completion of this course, students should be able to use application software such as Microsoft Excel, Word, Access, PowerPoint, FrontPage, and Outlook to make better decisions and improve their individual skills, to conduct online research, and to study e-commerce. Other topics covered include the
use of communication tools, emerging technologies and digital media, and security issues. This course is designed for the user with little experience using microcomputer software. (COMPUTER)

CIS 3050. Fundamentals of Management Information Systems.
This course is designed to expose students to the fundamentals of Management Information Systems (MIS). MIS success is based on an understanding of the integration of information systems and technology within functional areas of business and industry.Students will study concepts relating to the underlying design, implementation, control, evaluation, and strategic use of modern,
computer-based information systems for business data processing, office automation, information reporting, and decision-making. The major emphasis is on the managerial and strategic aspects of information technology and its ability to support the functional areas. Skill-based learning occurs in the areas of systems concepts and use.

CIS 3250. Building Information Systems.
Prerequisites: none; Co-requisites: CIS 3050
Course Description: This course provides a comprehensive introduction to the strategies and technologies for building information systems in organizations. Course includes planning and discovery, fact finding analysis using techniques such as joint application development (JAD), information systems modeling, use of CASE technologies and current development methods including prototyping, rapid application development and agile development. Project management tools will be used to create work plans and coordinate activities to achieve desired results for the design of a system. One quarter of this course will be dedicated to project management issues.

CIS 3750. Managing Corporate Data.
Prerequisites: none; Co-requisites: CIS 3050
Course Description: This course teaches students how to use data to stay competitive in a changing business environment. Topics include building, modeling and administering a database, data warehousing, data mining, XML and data integration, data security, as well as ethical and legal issues surrounding the use of data in our modern society. Microsoft Access will be the primary database toolset used in this course with an exposure in the Oracle 11i toolset. One-third of the course will be dedicated to database queries.

CIS 3580. Managing IT Infrastructures.
Prerequisites: none; Co-requisites: CIS 3050
Course Description: This course introduces students to the processes of selecting, modeling, configuring, and maintaining the components of a company’s IS infrastructure. The newest hardware components, networking devices, and security issues will be examined through both individual and group projects. Part of this course will be devoted to understanding network operating systems, and how key manufacturers (such as Cisco) develop telecommunications equipment.

CIS 4680. Developing Software Solutions.
Prerequisites: CIS 3250 (Building Information Systems) and CIS 3750 (Managing Corporate Data)
Course Description: This course focuses on the building of software systems including programming, logic, managing operating systems, and configuring large information systems, such as enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems. In this course, students will use a popular software package to build a working programming interface to solve business problems. Most of this course will be devoted to programming constructs using Visual Basic.Net.

CIS 3870. Using Internet Technologies.
Prerequisites: CIS 3580 (IS Infrastructure); CIS 3750 (Managing Data Management)
Course Description: This course focuses on the technology every leading organization needs to build effective Internet sites, promote Internet presence, secure sites and data, interface with other corporate applications, perform online business transactions, and compete in e-commerce. Current and emerging Internet technologies will be covered. Students will create Web sites and link them to other applications (databases). Students will learn how to protect sites and transactional data from theft or privacy intrusions. Students will also understand the basic principles of e-commerce and how technology can promote online competitive advantage. One half of this class would be devoted to programming in HTML, Dreamweaver, and ASP.net for middleware applications.