What is MIS?
MIS stands for Management Information Systems. It is the study of how to use technology in an organization to improve business outcomes. A supermarket could use an information system to process transactions, manage its inventory, and learn about which products sell the best. Imagine doing all this using file folders; that'd be a mess and not very effective!
Should I have to be good at Programming?
Do you have to be good at computer programming to be an MIS major? Our intention is not to make you a software programmer, but we believe that knowledge of at least one programming knowledge will be helpful for you. Only one programming course is required for you in UP’s curriculum to understand the role of programming in developing information systems. There are many MIS jobs that don't require programming. If you like programming, on the other hand, you can take multiple coding courses too!
What is the difference between Computer Science (CS) and Management Information Systems (MIS)?
Imagine you are a computer science (CS) major. You will have to focus on writing computer code to create a new program. Let's say a bunch of CS majors create a security software. But just purchasing security software doesn't make a client organization secure. They will have to audit their current systems, find out security vulnerabilities, create a security plan, use/modify security software to meet their needs, and train their users. Technology must be used effectively with people and business processes to make the company secure. It is the job of MIS majors to make this happen. In summary, the focus of CS majors is on writing reliable software, and the goal of MIS majors is to determine the business requirements of an organization and strategically use technology to meet business outcomes.
What jobs do MIS graduates get to work on?
Many jobs in MIS work at the intersection of business needs and technology. As an MIS major, you will have to be a bridge between "business" and "technology." It is an area with many employment possibilities, but here is a sample listing of jobs that MIS graduates get to do:
How do my Job Prospects Look Like? Will these Jobs be Outsourced?
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that MIS-related jobs are expected to grow much faster than the average for all jobs from 2022 to 2032. The median annual salaries for MIS-related professions were $104,420 in 2023, compared to the median of all occupations of $48,060.
Please see the link for the types of MIS jobs, summary, education, and median pay: https://www.bls.gov/ooh/computer-and-information-technology/home.htm
As for outsourcing and the risk of automation, these arguments have been around for more than two decades that there won't be any MIS or CS-related jobs in the USA. This is simply not true! The United States is the world's largest economy, and it continues to produce a large number of technology jobs every year. It is true that some portion of jobs are automated or outsourced, but this is not true for the entire category of MIS jobs. Because many MIS jobs require gathering requirements, communicating, working with programmers, and problem-solving, it is hard to move these jobs overseas. As we see many technology advancements in AI, Cloud, and Cybersecurity, we believe that MIS will be an area of job growth for many years to come.
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