Doctor of Philosophy in Information Systems

This program offers a course of study leading to the degree of Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Information Systems or the Ph.D. in Information Systems with Concentration in Information Science or the Ph.D. in Information Systems with Concentration in Information Security. Its cluster format combines traditional and online instruction to provide information technology professionals the opportunity to pursue graduate study while continuing to work in their current positions. The program is especially well suited to professionals working in areas such as information system planning, information security, systems analysis and design, project management, information system administration, information science, or software engineering. It provides information technology professionals with the knowledge and ability to develop creative solutions to substantive real-world problems in information systems. Each student must complete eight core courses, two directed research courses, and a dissertation.

The concentration in information security is recognized by the National Security Agency (NSA) based on its certification of the school’s curriculum for compliance with the requirements of NSA national training standards NSTISSI No. 4011 (Information Systems Security Professionals) and CNSSI No. 4013 (System Administrators). A graduate with a Ph.D. in Information Systems will have the ability to:

1. acquire advanced knowledge and deeper understanding of the field of information systems;
2. communicate professionally and ethically about information systems research issues;
3. identify, analyze, and synthesize scholarly literature related to information systems; and

generate new knowledge through research/scholarship and disseminate that knowledge to others by demonstrating the necessary technical and intellectual skills to produce a written document that makes an original contribution to the field of information systems.