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Alabama Commission on Higher Education

PROPOSAL FOR A NEW GRADUATE DEGREE PROGRAM A. General Information 1. Institution: University of Alabama at Birmingham 2. Date of Submission: 4/2012 3. Institutional Contact Person: Glenna Brown, Ph.D.

Telephone: 205-934-2090 Fax: 205-934-3179 E-mail: glenna@uab.edu

Program Contact Person: Dr. Molly Wasko, Ph.D.

Associate Professor & Chair, MISQ School of Business Telephone: 205-934-8806 Email: mwasko@uab.edu

4. Program Identification:

Title: Master of Science in Management Information Systems Award: Master of Science CIP Code: 52.1201

5. Proposed Implementation Date: Summer 2013 6. Program Administration College or School: UAB School of Business Dean: David Klock Department: Management, Information Systems and Quantitative Methods Chairperson: Dr. Molly Wasko B. Program Objectives and Content

1. To facilitate review of the proposal, please classify the degree program (e.g. Post Baccalaureate Masters, Research Doctorate (Ph.D.), Applied/ Professional Doctorate (DPT, Ed.D., or DBA), …). If desired, please elaborate in a short paragraph.

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The degree offered will be a Master of Science in Management Information Systems (MS in MIS). It will be a professional/practice master’s program involving faculty primarily from the School of Business. Faculty and courses for this Program will be provided by the Departments of Management, Information Systems and Quantitative Methods, and Accounting & Finance. Faculty from related disciplines, such as the Departments of Computer & Information Sciences, and staff (adjunct faculty) from the UAB Department of Information Technology may also participate.

2. List the objectives of the program as precisely as possible. The objectives

should address specific needs the program will meet (institutional and societal) and the expected student learning outcomes and achievements. This is an extremely important part of the proposal. The objectives should lend themselves to subsequent review and assessment of program accomplishments.

The objective of the program is to help our students advance in their careers by improving understanding about how to use the latest information technologies to benefit organizational stakeholders, such as managers, organizations, employees, customers and partners. In this era of rapidly expanding technology, the Management of Information Systems field is growing at an exponential rate as organizations struggle to stay current with new emerging technologies, such as mobile applications and social media. Professionals are needed that can help organizations understand the business potential of these new technologies, how to develop new applications to meet changing market dynamics, and how to secure these systems from threats. Students graduating from our program will be prepared to succeed in exciting and dynamic career fields combining a solid technical information system foundation with business skills so they can immediately contribute to solving business problems, and can drill down into specific fields, such as IT management, web & mobile development or security management.

This program provides the expanded perspective needed to advance in the management information system’s field, and allows students to tailor their education based on specific career goals by focusing in one of three areas: IT Management, Security Management, or Web & Mobile Development. The curriculum supplements traditional management information systems coursework that many receive in undergraduate programs by focusing on higher-level learning objectives and outcomes relevant in today’s rapidly changing business environment. Our emphasis is on the managerial aspects of information systems, and the goals of our program are to help those currently working in IS related fields move into managerial positions, and to prepare individuals from other fields build the skills needed to succeed in IS careers.

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Specific objectives include the following: o Build professional skills in the areas of being able to lead, manage,

develop and evaluate organizational information systems. o Develop working professionals who have the ability to integrate in-depth

knowledge of information technology with business. o Understand how to apply different technology solutions to meet the

needs of different industries and functional units. o Advance professional careers through gaining additional certifications in

the MIS profession. o Respond to the professional needs that project high levels of growth in

the IT sector.

The overall objectives of the proposed program are fully in line with the stated mission and goals of the University of Alabama at Birmingham:

o Dramatically increase enrollments over the next five years o Offer high-demand cross-disciplinary programs o Provide educational opportunities through diverse modalities to better

leverage advances in technology and the needs of a changing workforce

o Support economic development and activity in the Birmingham region by offering a state of the art distance learning program that will serve the local community and the national market

3. Will this program be related to other graduate programs at your institution? If so,

how?

• The proposed master’s program in Management Information Systems will not be dependent upon any of UAB’s existing programs, but will take full advantage of appropriate courses and faculty expertise in the School of Business.

• A number of courses in the proposed program will be dual-listed with the UAB – Graduate School of Management MBA program, allowing an enlarged offering of elective courses in the school’s graduate programs.

• The core courses in the Security Management track will help build enrollments in the Master’s of Science in Computer Forensics and Security Management program (MS CFSM), a joint degree program including Computer and Information Sciences, Criminal Justice and the School of Business. The security management track will be made available as an area of concentration for students in the MS CFSM program and to qualified students in other graduate programs, providing expanded qualifications to non-business students entering high-technology employment.

4. Please identify any existing program, option, concentration or track that this program will replace.

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No existing program, option, or concentration will be replaced by this program. 5. Is it likely that this program will reduce enrollments in other graduate programs at

your institution? If so, please explain. It is not likely to impact enrollments in other graduate programs at UAB. The curriculum is designed to target a unique set of potential new students in the IT sector who are looking for a graduate education that develops higher-level skills in management information systems, and does not substitute for an MBA or other master’s degree. The plan is to first launch the program through an online format to tap into a national pool of candidates. Existing programs at UAB that are similar, such as the MBA, the Information and Engineering Management track in the Master’s of Engineering degree and the MS in Computer Forensics and Security Management, currently require face to face attendance and cater to the local Birmingham-area market. 6. List new courses that will be added to your curriculum specifically for this

program. Indicate number, title and credit hour value for each course. The program curriculum is provided in the table below with course number, title and concentration designation. All courses are 3 credit hours each. The proposed program will offer 3 concentrations: Web Development, Security Management, and IT Management. The courses that are currently offered are indicated by an asterisk.

Curriculum Area and Concentration Mapping

Core Web Development Security IT

Management

Information Systems Courses (IS)

IS 613 Information Security Management* X

IS 617 Introduction to Business Intelligence* X

IS 611 Information Technology & Business Strategy* X

IS 618 Technology Based Project Management* X

IS 615 Social Media & Virtual Communities in Business* X

IS 612 IT Governance & Management X

IS 630 Web Development X

IS 631 Web Interface Design and Content X

IS 616 Web Analytics* X

IS 633 Mobile Applications X

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IS 620 Attack and Penetration X

IS 621 Incident Response & Business Continuity X

IS 622 CISSP I X

IS 623 CISSP II X

IS 640 Technology Planning & Capital Budgeting X

IS 641 Leadership in IT X

IS XXX Elective from Track X IS XXX Elective from Track X

*Current Course

7. Please list any existing undergraduate programs at the institution which are directly or indirectly related to the proposed graduate program. If this is a doctoral proposal, also list related master's programs at your institution.

Related undergraduate programs include the Information Systems degree in the School of Business for undergraduate majors and Computer and Information Sciences degree in the College of Arts and Sciences for undergraduate majors.

8. Program Completion Requirements— The program is modeled after traditional MBA programs, where students are introduced to core competencies and then allowed to choose a specialization or concentration. In the proposed program, students are introduced to various aspects of MIS including project management, IT and business strategy, social media, security and business intelligence, and are then provided the option of pursuing a concentration in web development, security management, and IT Management. Credit hours required in major courses: 18 credit hours Credit hours required in support courses: 12 credit hours

Credit hours in required or free electives: There are 6 credit hours of electives in the IT Management track.

The program is designed to be completed in 5 semesters, with time to degree completion in 1.6 years if students take 2 classes per semester, for 5 semesters straight. Pre-requisites for admission to the program include an undergraduate degree in an IT-related field, a minimum of 3 years of work experience in an IT-related field and proficiency in programming in at least one language. Prospective students who do

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not meet these requirements will be able to enroll in introductory-level courses to gain the foundational knowledge needed to succeed.

Credit hours for thesis or dissertation: No thesis or dissertation required

Additional requirements such as preliminary qualifying examination, comprehensive examination, thesis, dissertation, practicum or internship, some of which may carry credit hours included in the list above.

There are no additional requirements.

Please attach a typical curriculum by semester to this proposal as Appendix A.

9. Accreditation

If there is a recognized (USDE or CHEA) specialized accreditation agency for

this program, please identify the agency and explain why you do or not plan to seek accreditation.

All programs in the UAB School of Business are accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB). The MS in MIS program will comply with all AACSB accrediting requirements. We are not aware of specialized accreditation applicable for MIS programs. C. Program Admissions Requirements, Enrollment Projections and Completion

Projections 1. Describe briefly the criteria and screening process that will be used to select

students for the program. Students accepted into the program will have graduated, or anticipate graduating, with a baccalaureate degree from a regionally accredited college or university or from a recognized university abroad. Admissions requirements to this program will match the admissions requirements to the UAB School of Business MBA program. Most students accepted into the program will have achieved a minimum overall undergraduate grade point average (GPA) of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale and will have earned a combined score of 550 or higher on the verbal and quantitative sections of the GMAT. GMAT waivers are available for applicants with:

• a master's degree from a regionally accredited institution

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• a terminal degree (M.D., Ph.D., J.D, etc.) from a regionally accredited institution

• a bachelor's degree and five or more years of progressively responsible professional work experience.

An Admissions Committee consisting of the Program Director and a minimum of two affiliated faculty members will screen applicants and make recommendations to the UAB Graduate School for admission into the program. Students seeking admission to the program will be accepted from all undergraduate programs. However, students seeking admission to the program will have had formal exposure to the core areas of management information systems – including database management; systems analysis and design; telecommunications; and computer programming. Students who do not have the requisite backgrounds but who meet other admission requirements will be admitted on a contingency basis and be required to take a series of prerequisite courses that will allow them to gain the necessary background to be successful in the program.

2. Please describe your methodology for determining enrollment projections. If a

survey of student interest was conducted, please attach a copy of the survey instrument with a summary of results as Appendix B.

We have partnered with an outside research firm to determine the level of student demand. With assistance from this firm, we first performed a market test on the MS in Computer Forensics and Security Management program in spring, 2011. Their results indicate strong demand for the general MS in MIS program with the three proposed concentrations: Management of IT, Security Management and Web & Mobile Development (market test results are included in Appendix B).

3. Provide a realistic estimate of enrollment at the time of program implementation and over a five-year period based on the availability of students meeting the criteria stated above.

Year 1 Year 2 Year 3 Year 4 Year 5 Total Full-time Enrollment 0 0 0 0 0 0

Part-time Enrollment 33 60 80 80 80 333

FTE Enrollment 22 40 53 53 53 221

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4. Projected Program Completion Rates.

Please indicate the projected number of program graduates for the first five years.

Year 1

Year 2

Year 3

Year 4

Year 5

Total

0 26 48 64 64 202

D. Program Need Justification

1. Will the program satisfy a clearly documented need (institutional and societal) in an effective and efficient manner? If the program duplicates or closely resembles another program already offered in the State, can this duplication be justified? What characteristics of the identified need require that it be met by a new program rather than an existing program? (Note: In explaining how the proposed program meets this criterion, an institution may refer to the criterion on collaboration and develop a response that addresses both criteria simultaneously). For purposes of this criterion, duplication is defined as the same or similar six-digit CIP code and award level in the Commission's academic program inventory. Institutions should consult with the Commission staff during the NISP phase of proposal development to determine what existing programs are considered duplicative of the proposed program.

The Master’s of Science in Management Information Systems is a common graduate program offered by prestigious business schools. Similar to the MBA and Management Information Systems degrees at the undergraduate level, the rationale for having duplicate programs across universities is to meet the high demand from employing organizations for workers who hold advanced degrees in these areas. There are currently MS in MIS (or IS) programs offered at the University of Alabama at Huntsville and Auburn University, and Auburn University at Montgomery. There are no graduate degree programs for working professionals in the Birmingham region. To our knowledge, there are no business schools in public institutions of higher education in Alabama presently offering graduate education that allows students to specialize in the areas of Management of IT, Security Management and Web & Mobile Development.

2. Based on your research on the employment market for graduates of this program,

please indicate the total projected job openings (including both growth and replacement demands) in your local area, the state, the SREB region, and the nation. These job openings should represent positions that require graduation from a program such as the one proposed.

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Local Birmingham Job Market: The addition of a Master’s of Science in Management Information Systems at UAB will help the Birmingham region deliver on the objectives stated in Blueprint Birmingham (blueprintbirmingham.com). Blueprint Birmingham presents a new blueprint for the Birmingham region, and was developed through collaborations with key stakeholders and the Birmingham Business Alliance. At the heart of the blueprint is UAB’s role as a world-class research institution and the need to make UAB a more meaningful part of economic development programs, especially in the areas of health services and technology. High-tech jobs are one of the seven sectors targeted for expansion under Blueprint Birmingham. According to a recent article published in The Birmingham News, there are 773 technology companies in the Birmingham metro area, and “high-tech jobs [are] key to a vibrant Birmingham area work force” (see Appendix C for full article). The UAB School of Business has an active IS Advisory Council who provides support, direction and advice for our Management Information Systems programs, and has been an integral part in the development of the MS in MIS program. Membership on the IS Advisory Council includes the CIO (or equivalent position) from Regions Bank, BBVA/Compass, Healthsouth, Alabama Power, O’Neal Steel, Motion Industries, Drummond Company, CTS, ACIPCO, Mayer Electric, Kinetic, Sungard, Brasfield and Gorrie, Protective Life, Mayer Electric Supply and Energen. At a recent meeting, Advisory Council members in the banking and service-related industries noted that their #1 problem right now was finding highly-qualified candidates to fill current job openings. For those organizations in the construction and steel industries, their #1 problem right now is getting the most out of their current employees. Offering high-quality continuing education opportunities at the graduate level will help alleviate both of these problems. According to the projections from the US-Bureau of Labor Statistics (http://www.projectionscentral.com/Projections/LongTerm), the following are the projected growth demands in the areas of computer and information systems in the state of Alabama over the next 10 years:

Occupation Name Base Year Base

Proj Year Proj Change

% Change

Avg Annual Openings

Computer Software Engineers, Applications 2008 3190 2018 4240 1050 32 130 Computer Software Engineers, Systems Software 2008 4740 2018 5940 1200 25 160 Computer and Information Scientists, Research 2008 330 2018 390 60 17 10 Computer and Information Systems Managers 2008 2290 2018 2670 380 16 80 Computer Systems Analysts 2008 7340 2018 8500 1160 15 270 Computer Support Specialists 2008 6460 2018 7340 880 13 270

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Computer Specialists, All Other 2008 2610 2018 2890 280 10 80 Computer Hardware Engineers 2008 1190 2018 1280 90 7 40

28150

33250

According to the website indeed, which is a job aggregator that co-lists all of the job openings across the internet (one search, all jobs), as of March 4, 2012, there were 1,047 open positions within 15 miles of Birmingham Alabama that listed the key words “Information Systems”. More than half (634) of these jobs earn $50,000/yr or above. Sample jobs include: Information Systems Specialist (UAB), Director of Management Information Systems (BBVA Compass), Information Systems Manager (UAB Health System), Business Systems Analyst (Hancock Bank, Regions Bank and BBVA Compass, Systems Analyst Sr – Cyber Security – Southern Company. National Job Market According to the projections from the US- Bureau of Labor Statistics (http://www.projectionscentral.com/Projections/LongTerm), the following are the projected growth demands in the areas of computer and information systems in the United States over the next 10 years:

Occupation Name Base Year Base

Proj Year Proj Change

% Change

Avg Annual Openings

Computer and Information Scientists, Research 2008 28900 2018 35900 7000 24 1320 Computer and Information Systems Managers 2008 293000 2018 342500 49500 16 9710 Computer Programmers 2008 426700 2018 414400 -12300 -2 8030 Computer Software Engineers, Applications 2008 514800 2018 689900 175100 34 21840 Computer Software Engineers, Systems Software 2008 394800 2018 515000 120200 30 15340 Computer Support Specialists 2008 565700 2018 643700 78000 13 23460 Computer Systems Analysts 2008 532200 2018 640300 108100 20 22280

According to CNN Money, 8 of the top 20 jobs in 2011 for fast growth are in the Management Information Systems area, including the #1 fastest growing job, Software Developer. http://money.cnn.com/magazines/moneymag/bestjobs/2010/?iid=EAL 1. Software Developer: 380,000 jobs 7. IT Consultant: 70,000 jobs 8. Database Administrator: 120,000 jobs

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11. IT Business Analyst: 130,000 jobs 12. Business Systems Analyst: 80,000 13. Software Developer/Eng/Test: 90,000 jobs 14. Systems Administrator: 70,000 jobs 18. Web Development: 110,000 jobs According to the website indeed, which is a job aggregator that co-lists all of the job openings across the internet (one search, all jobs), there are over 413,480 open positions with Information Systems in the Title as of March 4, 2012. More than 245,000 of those earning $50,000/yr or more.

3. Please give a brief description of the methodology used to determine the projected job openings. If a survey of employment needs was used, please attach a copy of the survey instrument with a summary of results as Appendix C.

Data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, current trade press articles to track openings and trends, feedback from the UAB School of Business IS Advisory Council and current openings and trends on indeed.com (one of the leading national jobs aggregators on the internet) were reviewed to compile data on projected job openings.

4. If the program is primarily intended to meet needs other than employment needs, please present a brief rationale.

The primary purpose is to meet the needs of employment, with a focus on working professionals.

5. If similar programs are available at other institutions in the state, will any type of program collaboration be utilized? Why or why not? What specific efforts have been made to collaborate with institutions to meet the need for this program? Address qualitative, cost, and access considerations of any collaboration that was considered.

A copy of the curriculum and course descriptions have been sent to the program directors at University of Alabama, University of Alabama in Huntsville, and Auburn University to identify potential areas of collaboration. We are in the process of following up with the University of Alabama at Huntsville and AUM to identify areas of collaboration. Possible areas of collaboration include allowing students to take courses across programs, co-teaching arrangements for faculty and joint

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collaborations for faculty research. We are open to additional collaborations with other institutions should possibilities arise.

6. Please identify any similar programs at institutions in other SREB states. If the proposal is for a doctoral program, also identify similar programs in the nation.

Please see Appendix B for a complete listing of the competitive set for this program nationally.

7. Will any type of distance education technology be utilized in the delivery of the program on your main campus or to remote sites? If not, why? Address the quality, access and cost considerations of using distance technology in the program.

The proposed program will be offered through multiple methods. The plan is to initiate the program through online distance learning to better meet the needs of working professionals and to take advantage of national demand for the degree and still meet local needs. In order to maximize student enrollments and deliver courses in an effective manner, we plan to implement a rotating model for course scheduling. This allows students to matriculate at multiple points during the year without gaps in their progress towards completion of the degree, while minimizing the number of course offerings each semester. Once the courses have been developed for the online program, we will then explore additional modes of delivery based on student demand and employer need, such as a hybrid experience that combines online with face to face sessions, continuing education programs with corporate partners, and course offerings in complementary programs, such as the MBA and the MS in Computer Forensics and Security Management. E. Program Resource Requirements 1. Number of currently employed qualified faculty who will teach in the program: Primary Faculty-- Full-time: 5 Part-time: 2 Support Faculty-- Full-time: Part-time:

Please attach the curriculum vita of each existing faculty member to this proposal as Appendix D.

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2. Number of additional qualified faculty who will be employed to teach in the program during the first five years:

Primary Faculty-- Full-time: 2 Part-time: Support Faculty-- Full-time: Part-time: 2 3. Briefly describe the qualifications of new faculty to be hired. All course requirements can be covered through year 1 with existing faculty. Additional faculty will be hired as demand for the program increases. New full-time faculty hires will have completed a Ph.D. in Management Information Systems or a related area and have expertise in one of the following areas: web development, mobile development, IT capital planning, or IT security management. 4. Briefly describe available and additional support staff that will be provided for the

program. A full-time staff position will be hired to provide student services for this program. 5. Describe any special equipment that is necessary for this program, indicating

what is currently available and what would be added, including the cost of any additional equipment.

No additional equipment or facilities will be needed. We can fully develop the program using existing technologies and facilities.

6. Describe facilities required for the program, indicating what is currently available and any necessary renovations or additional facilities that would be added. Provide a cost estimate for any renovations or additions.

No additional equipment or facilities will be needed. We can fully develop the program using existing technologies and facilities.

7. Using the Collection Assessment Manual of the Network of Alabama Academic Libraries (NAAL), provide an indication of the current status of the library collections supporting the proposed program. Please describe how any deficiencies will be remedied, including the cost of such remedies.

An assessment conducted by librarians at the Mervyn H. Sterne Library indicated that students and faculty involved in the proposed program will be served by three reference librarians, all of whom are subject specialists in one or more of the

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following areas: Social and Behavioral Sciences, Business, Law and Government Documents. Currently, the library provides access to approximately 10,000 holdings identified as being associated with core areas in the proposed master’s program, including over 100 journals available either through individual subscriptions and electronic package subscriptions. Relevant items were identified using the Library of Congress Classification System, and are found in the following call number ranges:

• HD30.38 • HD60- 60.5 • HF5387- 5387.5 • HF 5548- 5549.5 • HF5601-5689 • HV6635 • HV6691 – 6697 • HV6768-6769 • HV 6773 • HV8079 • KF5215 • KF 8968-8968.54 • KF9350 • QA76.76 • QA 76.9 • QA268 • TK5101- 5105.49 • TK 5102.94 • TK5105.59 • TK 5105.5 -5105.9 • TK7882 • Z103- 104

The library provides access to over 200 databases, of which approximately twenty-two directly address areas relating to the proposed degree. They include the following databases:

• ABI/INFORM Complete • Accounting Research Manager • ACM Portal • Annual Reviews • Applied Science and Technology Full Text • BNA Tax and Accounting Center • Business Source Elite • Compendex • Criminal Justice Periodical Index

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• Criminal Justice Reference Center • Dissertation and Theses • ICPSR Direct • IEEE Xplore • JSTOR • Lexis Nexis Academic (including Lexis Nexis Legal) • MathSciNet • PAIS Archive/International • Science Citation Index Expanded • Science Direct • Social Sciences Full Text • Springerlink • WileyInterscience

No deficiencies were identified in current library support offerings based on the above review.

8. How many assistantship/fellowship stipends will be provided and what will be the range of support involved?

We will not offer assistantship/fellowship stipends. F. Costs and Financial Support of the Program

Provide a realistic estimate of the costs of the program. This should only include the additional costs that will be incurred, not current costs. All sources and amounts of funds for program support should be indicated.

Estimated New Funds Required to Support the Program

Year 1 Year 2 Year 3 Year 4 Year 5 Total

Faculty* $90,000 $352,000 $352,000 $352,000 $352,000 $1,498,000

Library 0 0 0 0 0 0

Facilities 0 0 0 0 0 0

Equipment 0 0 0 0 0 0

Staff $0 $30,000 $65,000 $65,000 $65,000 $225,000

Assistships/ Fellowships 0 0 0 0 0 0

Other $43,000 $45,000 $48,000 $51,000 $55,000 $242,000

Total $133,000 $427,000 $465,000 $468,000 $472,000 $1,965,000

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*Additional faculty salaries should be shown in all five years 6 course offerings year 1 and 22 course offerings years 2-5 at faculty cost of $15,000/ea

Sources and Amounts of Funds Available for Program Support

Year 1

Year 2

Year 3

Year 4

Year 5

Total

Internal Reallocation 0 $60,880 0 0 0 $60,880

*Extramural 0 0 0 0 0 0

Tuition $201,366 $366,120 $488,160 $488,160 $488,160 $2,031,966

Total $201,366 $427,000 $488,160 $488,160 $488,160 $2,092,846

*Attach a statement identifying actual or probable sources of extramural funds for the program as Appendix E. Be as specific as possible. G. Institutional Program Evaluation and Approval Process

1. Please describe the process used by your institution in its internal evaluation and approval of this program.

Proposals for new graduate programs (MS/MA/PhD) are first reviewed by the respective Deans of the School or College which house(s) the unit(s) associated with the new program. Following this review, the proposal is submitted to the Graduate School Advisory Committee (ADCOM) which consists of one graduate program director from each school, approved by each school’s dean to represent his/her school. Upon approval by the ADCOM, proposals are then submitted to the Provost and President for final review. The Board of Trustees reviews all proposals and then forwards them to the Alabama Commission on Higher Education for review.

2. It is expected that the institution will utilize one or more external consultants for all doctoral program proposals and the more esoteric or unusual master’s programs. Please attach the consultant’s report as Appendix F.

Not applicable. H. Program Review and Assessment

Approval of this program will be on the basis of certain program outcomes agreed upon by the institution and the Commission. The outcomes will be based on the

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stated objectives of the program and enrollment and productivity projections. In the final analysis, the institution and its governing board are accountable for the quality, utility and productivity of this and all other programs of instruction. With this in mind, please describe the procedures that will be used in assessing program outcomes. Among other things, include an assessment process for student learning outcomes and a follow-up plan to determine accomplishments of graduates such as obtaining relevant employment or being admitted to a doctoral program. In accordance with our AACSB accreditation requirements, learning objectives will be identified at the program level, in line with the stated program objectives presented in this proposal. Student performance on these assessments will be tracked, using the School of Business Sedona system, which is what is currently being used to track learning outcomes for AACSB accreditation. Improvements to the proposed program will be made through a continuous improvement program where learning outcomes are reviewed and appropriate changes implemented. Students will be tracked using our current alumni tracking mechanisms in addition to LinkedIn connections.

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APPENDIX A Proposed Program and Delivery

Typical enrollment cycle for a student entering summer term in the Web & Mobile Development track. Summer 1 Information Security Management Intro to Business Intelligence Fall 1 Information Technology and Business Strategy Technology-based Project Management Spring 1 Social Media and Virtual Communities in Business IT Governance and Management Summer 2 Web Development

Web Interface Design and Content Fall 2 Web Analytics Mobile Applications Typical enrollment cycle for a student entering summer term in the Security Management track. Summer 1 Information Security Management Intro to Business Intelligence Fall 1 Information Technology and Business Strategy Technology-based Project Management Spring 1 Social Media and Virtual Communities in Business IT Governance and Management Summer 2 Attack and Penetration

Incident Response and Business Continuity Fall 2 CISSP I CISSP II

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Typical enrollment cycle for a student entering summer term in the Security Management track. Summer 1 Information Security Management Intro to Business Intelligence Fall 1 Information Technology and Business Strategy Technology-based Project Management Spring 1 Social Media and Virtual Communities in Business IT Governance and Management Summer 2 Technology Planning and Capital Budgeting Leadership in IT Fall 2 Elective from development or security track Elective from development or security track Course Descriptions IS 613 Information Security Management Information security management is a course designed to provide students with a strong foundation in key security management issues, including: an understanding of key information security concepts; and how people, technology and organizational policies should be developed and managed to safeguard an organization’s information resources. IS 611 Information Technology & Business Strategy This course is designed to improve understanding of the intersection between IT and business strategy. The course covers topics, concepts and the terminology of strategy and the role of IT in strategy formulation, innovation and competitive advantage in organizations. IS 612 IT Governance & Management This course introduces the concept of IT governance and will expose students to various IT governance frameworks. Particular focus will be given to the IT Governance Institutes COBIT framework, ITIL and ISO standards. Students completing this course should have an advanced understanding of the various IT governance frameworks, their application in an organizational setting and the managerial issues associated with different governance structures. IS 615 Social Media & Virtual Communities in Business This course focuses on how social media and virtual communities are changing business in fundamental ways. The course helps students gain practical facility in the use of social media tools and learn meta-skills like how to use new social media

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tools, how to use filters to make sense of social media, and how to curate news and reports in a manner that contributes to business knowledge and intellect. IS 617 Introduction to Business Intelligence This course covers topics of knowledge management and business intelligence “from an organizational IT perspective.” The content of the course includes discussion of and readings on the nature of knowledge; knowledge discovery, generation, capture, transfer, sharing, and application; and includes discussion of the core IT capabilities necessary to deliver Business Intelligence in organizations. The development and use of data warehouses and data marts to support business analytics is discussed. IS 618 Technology Based Project Management This course provides the foundation for the management and successful execution of IT based projects. The learning objectives follow the PMI Project Management Body of Knowledge so students are prepared to take PMI Project Management Professional (PMP) certification exam. IS 630 Web Development In this course, we will discuss concepts, principles, and methods related to the design and implementation of web applications. We will also build basic understanding and technical skills of both client and server technologies. IS 631 Web Interface Design and Content This course provides an introduction to the study of human-computer interaction, user interface design and content creation. Course readings focus on developing both a strong theoretical understanding of the field, practical user interface design skills and creating compelling content. Students will work on several design projects, including paper designs and implemented prototypes. Students will also participate as usability experts in evaluating the designs of others. IS 616 Advanced Web Development The Web Analytics course introduces technologies and tools used to realize the full potential of web sites. The course focuses on collection and use of web data such as web traffic and visitor information to design web sites that will enable firms to acquire, convert, and retain customers. Online advertising such as paid search and web analytics tools will also be included. The course will provide introduction to following concepts related to web site optimization and web marketing : SEO (Search Engine Optimization), Tracking and Analyzing website traffic, PPC (pay per click), Social Networks & Social Media Marketing. IS 633 Mobile Applications In this course, we will discuss concepts, principles, and methods related to the design and implementation of mobile applications. Emphasis is placed on developing web content and creating applications for mobile devices, including internet/business practices and techniques for delivery on mobile platforms.

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IS 620 Attack and Penetration This course covers the concepts of network vulnerabilities from a hacker's perspective. The course addresses the latest cutting edge attacks and common attacks still prevalent. Students will explore legal issues associated with computer network attacks. The course also provides the student with the knowledge they need to design, build, and operate network systems to prevent, detect, and respond to attacks. IS 621 Incident Response & Business Continuity This course provides students with the knowledge necessary to prepare for and respond to computer security incidents. Topics include incident response preparation, detection, reaction, recovery, and maintenance. Computer-related disaster recovery and business continuity planning are also addressed. IS 622 CISSP I The goal of the CISSP I course is to prepare professionals for the challenging security exam CISSP by covering the syllabus as defined in the Common Body of Knowledge (CBK). The CISSP I course covers the first 5 CISSP domain areas. IS 623 CISSP II The goal of the CISSP II course is to prepare professionals for the challenging security exam CISSP by covering the syllabus as defined in the Common Body of Knowledge (CBK). The CISSP II course covers the second 5 CISSP domain areas. IS 640 Technology Planning & Capital Budgeting This course will cover financial techniques and metrics that IT managers should be familiar with, including topics such as measuring returns on IT investments, categories of IT investments, defining and quantifying expected benefits, managing the IT investment portfolio, and budgeting for IT expenditures. IS 641 Leadership in IT The Leadership in IT course will prepare students for leadership roles in IT related careers. The course will provide students with the knowledge, skills, and foundation in Leadership necessary to be effective in organizational settings, and develop an understanding of the components that make leadership successful.

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Appendix B – methodology for enrollment projections

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Market Test Results from Embanet Compass Marketing Consulting

The following data reflect the results of interviews with 109 prospective students. These prospective students were identified through an online pay-per-click campaign, they completed an online information form, and then participated in the one on one interview process.

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