Model Curriculum For Undergraduate Degree Programs In Information Systems

Abstract NOTE: The first page of text has been automatically extracted and included below in lieu of an abstract Session 2558 Model Curriculum for Undergraduate Degree Programs in Information Systems Akram Al-Rawi, Azzedine Lansari, and Faouzi Bouslama College of Information Systems, Zayed University P. O. Box 4783, Abu Dhabi, UAE Abstract Growing demand for information technology (IT) skills from industry and government is putting an enormous pressure on academic institutions to produce graduates that have an understanding of a broad range of technologies and have the necessary skills to be productive as they join the workforce. The Information Systems (IS) discipline is becoming an essential part of business and government organizations, which require professionals from diverse backgrounds. Academic institutions in the US and worldwide are constantly refining their curricula in an attempt to address the needs of industry and government. However, these curricula are not developed based on world wide recognized standards and at times lack critical components. The objective of this paper is to propose a comprehensive model IS curriculum based on recommendations of two internationally recognized organizations: the IS 2002 and ABET (Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology). In order to meet the accreditation requirements, the IS 2002 recommendations states that a minimum of 30 credit hours in IS are required. Moreover, the ABET criteria specifies recommendations for all the model components including general education (GE), major core courses, major electives and general elective courses. The proposed model is based on the above requirements and provides a framework to integrate problem solving skills in IS courses at various levels of the model curriculum. It is anticipated that universities and colleges will benefit from this study by using the proposed model curriculum as a basis to tailor their own curricula and address society needs. 1. Introduction Shortage of skilled Information Technology (IT) workers puts enormous pressure on colleges and universities to prepare students for future job markets and to expose them to a broad range of technologies and methods. Business today needs college graduates to make an impact immediately and become productive employee, almost immediately after joining the work force. These institutions must provide students with the knowledge, problem-solving skills, and tools needed for a successful entry-level job. Many academic institutions in the US and worldwide are aiming to generate an IS curriculum that can balance the needs to produce graduates with the skills required by business and government. Furthermore, these institutions have to provide the education needed to produce responsible and effective citizens as well as lifelong learners. However, IS are complex systems requiring both technical and organizational expertise for design, development, and management. The IS field affects not only operations but also competitive strategy, therefore universities and Proceedings of the 2004 American Society for Engineering Education Annual Conference & Exposition Copyright © 2004, American Society for Engineering Education