MIS major emphasis

<p>which would be the best concentration to choose with my MIS major database,networking or e-commerance/e-business.</p>

<p>Also which would be a better minor or dbl major with these concentration marketing or decision science</p>

<p>help please</p>

<p>Accounting.</p>

<p>Why accounting though.? I’m a CIS major and I’ve seen all around the net that people are double majoring in Accounting and CIS. I understand to a certain extent why they complement eachother, but I’m not sure of all the possible careers that someone could get from having degrees in both. I plan on going for my MBA in CIS. But would it make sense for me to go for my MAcc with a concentration in CIS as well or no.?</p>

<p>is e-commerce and e-business a good concentration with a mis degree?</p>

<p>After months in the job search myself, post-MIS, I would actually recommend against Accounting. After studying entry-level job descriptions/qualifications, even though Accounting <em>might</em> be more intense, more practical, and more widely recruited as a MAJOR than Finance, the entry-level MIS jobs (yes, MIS, not Computer Science) want quantitative coursework and DIRECTLY relevant high-proficiency skills. </p>

<p>As a result, on the quantitative side recruiters want courses in mathematics, finance, and economics (the more highly mathematical economics courses). <em>At large</em>, recruiters looking for entry-level MIS candidates are not looking for accounting (unless you specifically wish to go into Accounting Information Systems). On the directly-relevant-skills side, recruiters want coursework that have a very heavy emphasis on widely used languages and applications. They want you to have at the very minimum an intermediate level of proficiency in multiple directly-relevant technologies.</p>

<p>My MIS curriculum focused on “mass exposure” to numerous different applications and only one programming language and one database language, both at a beginner level. None of it focused on developing even one practical skill to an intermediate level - every course focused on multiple applications with a small amount of work in each. So on the practical side you should focus on developing a set of electives (ignoring whether or not they would result in an minor, unless your program requires a minor) that will develop your practical skills to a high level. This means MIS, CIS, and CS courses that focus almost entirely on the non-theoretical/knowledge side, and on the skills side (and make sure to FOCUS your electives/minor): programming, databases, networks, etc…</p>

<p>The optimal MIS candidate will have both quantitative coursework and practical skills. Another name for this is a Computer Science major (if it is not too late, change your major now, unless you go to an extremely well-connected and nationally reputable business school and MIS department).</p>

<p>Good luck.</p>

<p>so your saying i should put my emphasis in database or networking and then minor in CS?</p>

<p>It really depends on your school’s curriculums and your career goals. It sounds like you’re saying that there are three official concentrations/tracks your school offers within your MIS department. First, you should look at all the courses offered to complete each emphasis. Read the course descriptions and find and read the syllabus for every one of them. If you cannot find hard facts/details about what specific technologies each course teaches, talk to others who have taken those courses or professors that teach the courses.</p>

<p>Once you have a good understanding of the actual practical technical skills taught in the courses (the textbook/lecture/theory material is completely irrelevant), immediately eliminate from your consideration any emphasis that is even moderately more theoretical than one/both of the others. If there is still more than one left, just go with whichever is your interest / preferred career choice. Even if one of the theoretical concentrations is your specific career goal, I would be very cautious of it. You can always start out in another field and work your way into your target field.</p>

<p>Databases, networking, and e-commerce are all equal fields in IT. Just make sure that the databases courses focuses on practical implementation (Oracle, SQL, etc…), the networking courses focuses on actually creating/working with networks (Cisco), and the e-commerce courses focuses on actual web development (not web design applications like Dreamweaver) such as Java.</p>

<p>As for the minor, yes a CS or CIS (if your school also has that) minor would likely be your best bet. However, that is only if they allow you to structure a minor using practical courses with heavy emphasis on programming, databases, and networks. Preferably, your minor’s coursework will match your chosen emphasis and/or target career. Don’t try to “spread out” your coursework over multiple areas. You will become a “jack of all trades and master of none,” which is exactly what you do not want in this economy. You need those intermediate or advanced level skills relevant to a specific type of job and all of your coursework decisions should revolve around that idea. This may not be the best way to go about choosing courses for some majors, but it is certainly critical for MIS majors.</p>

<p>I agree with GoalOriented’s theme of taking courses that focus on practical skills over theoretical ones. Back when I was in grad school my school had a class “Information Systems of the Soviet Union” (even though the USSR was crumbling as I entered grad school!). There were some military folks in the program that got some value from that class, but most who took it were disappointed. I avoided it like the plague and went for the more ‘hard-core’ programming classes. Even if those had languages you didn’t wind up using in the business world, those classes teach you skills that will transfer to any language. </p>

<p>Also try to get practical experience with some tools, through internships, student jobs, or whereever. Any practical experience will set you apart from recent grads without that experience. While it may not seem worth the effort at a low (or none) paying position in school, you will get a big payback later.</p>

<p>thanks for the replies. Im looking for a career in Digital Business - Business Development dealing with music. The link at the bottom pretty much sums what i want to do. Do you believe it is possible given the job description that is listed with a MIS degree?</p>

<p><a href=“https://jobs-sonymusic.icims.com/jobs/3159/job[/url]”>https://jobs-sonymusic.icims.com/jobs/3159/job&lt;/a&gt;
<a href=“https://tbe.taleo.net/NA5/ats/careers/requisition.jsp?org=WMG&cws=1&rid=1736[/url]”>https://tbe.taleo.net/NA5/ats/careers/requisition.jsp?org=WMG&cws=1&rid=1736&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>You’re decreasing your chances by majoring in MIS instead of Accounting, Finance, or Economics (with heavy mathematics/statistics emphasis). If you are not already in a top school, if you truly want that type of job, you should transfer into the best school you can get into and/or switch your major. It is highly unlikely you will get such a job after undergrad regardless, but all of your work experience is cumulative and matters for MBA admission and post-MBA jobs.</p>

<p>With the new information, I agree with Goals Oriented. In the jobs you seek, you will want IT people around you for support, but your main focus should to learn how to develop businesses and relationships within the music business. I am not really sure how that industry works (though I am trying to learn as my son is working towards a degree in sound recording technology), but you really need to seek out people in the industry and find out how they got there.</p>

<p>i hate accounting, finance never really got into so idk and economics is just blah. I choose MIS because its a balance between to things i enjoy and jobs are always out there and the jobs i posted there weren’t for when i first get out of college. They were for later down the road after i establish myself. I was primarily asking would MIS be a decent start and along the way teach skills that will be desired for the jobs i posted.</p>

<p>Also I plan to look into finance because it was something i thought about but never interested me enough to look into the major or careers but after your post i will give it a shot.</p>

<p>thanks for replies</p>