Bachelor of Science in Computer Information Systems

Open new doors to hundreds of fulfilling professional positions in the world of technology and computer science with an online computer information systems degree. Not a single industry has been unmarked by the accelerating growth of technology, and students in computer and technology programs are no longer limited by narrowly defined technological occupations. Rather, CIS majors have the opportunity for employment in diverse fields ranging from public service to nonprofit work, and from traditional business environments to entrepreneurship and innovation.

Loyola's online CIS degree furnishes students with the tools they need to understand computer languages and advanced concepts in information systems. Graduates with their BS in computer information systems have the skills to plan, create, deploy, analyze, and improve the systems that businesses use.

Degree overview

Loyola’s online Bachelor of Science in Computer Information Systems degree consists of 120 credit hours, which includes:

• 54 credits of Major courses
• 39 credits of Loyola Core courses
• 27 credits of general elective courses

Major courses

Computer Science Core (24 credit hours)

• Choose one of the following:
  • COSC A208: Information Systems Theory & Practice (3 credits)
  • MGT B250: Management Information Systems (3 credits)
  • ACCT B340: Accounting Information Systems (3 credits)
• COSC A211: Introduction to Programming I (3 credits)
• COSC A212: Introduction to Programming II (3 credits)
• COSC A270: Introduction to Relational Databases (3 credits)
• COSC Electives (9 credits)
• COSC A497: Practicum/Internship (3 credits)

Business Administration Core (15 credit hours)

The Business Administration core of the CIS degree offers interdisciplinary flexibility and management-focused courses, a true point of distinction in the realm of computer information systems degrees. Indeed, management has the broadest scope of all business disciplines, which translates into career flexibility. Graduates of the online computer information systems degree are marketable in a variety of fields as a result of having had extensive experience in business decision-making, statistics, and operations/project management. In addition to rigorous academic instruction in these topics, CIS majors obtain real-world experience through our internship program.

The online CIS degree prepares students to solve both business and technology-related problems, such as regulatory compliance and network migrations, as well as larger operations challenges. Technology experts are indispensable for myriad reasons, from keeping software current for their whole company to troubleshooting technical problems and building custom solutions.

• BA B100: Introduction to Business (3 credits)
• ECON B200: Principles of Micro Economics (3 credits)
• ACCT B202: Principles of Financial Accounting (3 credits)
• MKT B100: Basic Marketing (3 credits)
• MGT B245: Management & Organizational Behavior (3 credits)

Entrepreneurship Core (15 credit hours)

Entrepreneurs in today’s economy have opportunities unimaginable to previous generations, as the barriers to building one’s own small business have become almost nominal. Yet, according to the Small Business Administration, approximately one-third of small businesses fail within their first two years. Why is this? A primary reason is a lack of training and knowledge of technology and business-related concepts.

The Entrepreneurship core of Loyola’s online computer information systems degree provides students with robust knowledge of both computer science and business principles. A student graduating with an online CIS degree will be well-equipped to establish a small software company and will have the skills to make this type of endeavor both successful and sustainable. The required core courses teach a common foundation of knowledge across primary fields of business: financing, accounting, management, marketing, and entrepreneurship. Combined with the technical computer science skill set, the BS in computer information systems degree is perfect for students interested in any small business enterprise.

• BA B101: Business Communications (3 credits)
• LGST B105: Legal Environment of Business (3 credits)
• BUAN B205 Business Analytics (3 credits)
• BUAN 305: Decision Modeling (3 credits) or BUAN 310: Decision Support (3 credits)
• ENTR B300, MGT B300, or MGT B375: Entrepreneurship (3 credits)

Loyola core

Loyola Core Courses (39 credits):

The goal of the Loyola Core is to foster students’ competency in five key areas:

• Critical Thinking
• Effective Communication
• Quantitative Reasoning
• Information Literacy
• Ethical Reasoning

To help students develop these competencies, the Loyola Core embraces an interdisciplinary approach to learning with an emphasis on the spiritual and intellectual, the moral and ethical, the natural and social scientific, the humanistic, and the artistic.

Foundation Courses

Foundation courses should be taken in your first three online sessions at Loyola and include:

• First-Year Seminar
• English – Critical Reading & Writing
• Survey of Calculus
• Science Process – Investigating Nature

Knowledge and Values Courses:

Students complete courses in the following 9 categories:

• Creative Arts & Cultures
• History Sequence (2 courses for 6 total credit hours)
• Philosophy I: Introduction to the Philosophy of Reasoning
• Philosophy II: Philosophy of Knowledge & Morality
• Religious Studies I: Christian Traditions
• Religious Studies II: World Religions
• Social Science
• Writing About Literature

Major Substitution: One of the courses in the Loyola Core will be satisfied in each undergraduate major. This is usually the introductory course for each major. The result is the total hours needed to complete the Loyola Core are reduced to between 39 and 41 credit hours (depending on lab requirements associated with Math and Science courses).

General electives

The online CIS degree requires 27 credits of general electives. These courses must be taken in non-CIS areas, and there is a wide range of online elective courses to choose from in other departments.

What can you do with a computer information systems degree?

Discover your full potential.

Loyola’s 100% online bachelor of science in computer information systems degree prepares you for advanced studies (such as Loyola’s online MBA program) or to enter the workforce in a wide range of careers, such as:

• Web Developer
• Hardware Engineer
• Network Architect
• Information Security Analyst
• Database Administrator
• IT Project Manager