Definition of Concentration: Computer Information Systems (CIS)
The Computer Information Systems concentration in the Ph.D. in Management program is dedicated to the study and investigation of computer applications. This entails the areas of planning, conception, design, development, implementation, testing, validation, evaluations, management and relationships of, and strategies for applications, communications and other computer technologies. The context of computer applications and technologies includes the relationships of impacts, consequences and implications of these systems on individuals, groups, organizations and society. This area may also include theory and internal implementation topics when there is a clear perceived relationship or consequence for an application or technology. Thesis work includes the assessment of such relationships.
Information on the CIS concentration requirements
This is a concise summary of the course of study for those interested in concentrating in Information Systems. All students electing to major in this concentration should contact the advisor in the CIS department at NJIT (Murray Turoff, 973 596 3366, murray@vc.njit.edu, or on VC - EIES: Murray or 103). Initial study plans for the first year must be approved by the area coordinator.
Students may work toward and obtain the MS in Information Systems or Computer Science offered by NJIT while part of the Ph.D. in management program. Most students satisfy the MS in IS requirements as part of their normal course of study.
Core courses (six)
This set of courses is intended to provide the student with fundamental principles of information systems and with the methods by which Information systems may be studied and understood in the context of their role in organizations.
The following four courses are required:
Two of the following four courses:
Research Courses (two):
Major Courses (five):
Five courses in the chosen specialty area under the guidance of a faculty advisor. At least four of these courses must be taken before enrolling in CIS 776 with your advisor.
Minor Courses (three):
Three courses in an area of computer technology and fundamentals related to supporting the students chosen specialty area. These should be completed before taking CIS 776. They should be chosen with the approval of the area coordinator or the faculty advisor.
Prerequisites for the CIS concentration or equivalent knowledge:
The above assures sufficient technical knowledge for a major in CIS. A student having equivalent courses in the upper division undergraduate or graduate level courses or work experience may have the above waived. These courses may be taken while in the Ph.D. program. The above 600 level courses may be applied to the minor requirement in the CIS concentration.
Reading lists: There are standard reading lists for CIS 677, CIS 675, CIS 679.
These will be held constant for up to one academic year preceding the field examination. All majors are responsible for the material in the current reading lists for the general part of the field exam.
Offerings: All required courses will be offered at least once a year. Currently there are Distance Learning versions offered by NJIT for many of its graduate courses.
Faculty Advisor: Once the student has had most of the required courses he or she should determine a specific area of interest and seek to discuss this with various faculty in that area and look at some of the publications of the faculty whom you are interested in working with. Faculty lists and their interests are available in the NJIT graduate catalog and some have relevant homepages describing their research and publications. In addition, the program director for the department’s concentration can guide the student to appropriate faculty.
The major and minor elective courses must be a coherent set of courses endorsed by a faculty advisor who is authorized to guide thesis topics in the Ph.D. in Management program. Until the student has settled on a faculty advisor he or she should seek approval for any course in this set from the NJIT CIS Department Coordinator for this concentration (Murray Turoff). Courses in other departments can only count for this requirement with prior approval of the NJIT CIS Department Coordinator or the student’s faculty advisor.
State of the Art Review Paper: The major must submit to the exam committee a "state of the art" review paper at least two months before taking the field exam. This state of the art paper must be endorsed and signed by the student's faculty advisor. The state of the art paper should cover the exposure of the major research areas in their chosen specialty area and reflect relevant knowledge from the major and minor courses. It is generally expected that one of the issues described will become the subject of the student’s dissertation proposal, and the paper the initial literature review section of the dissertation proposal.
State of the Art Paper: The review paper for a major must meet the standards of scholarly work and should be written as a review on the "state of the art" for fellow researchers in this topic area. This review paper will emphasize the current findings in the field and the identification of a range of researchable issues,-not just the one issue the student will work on for his or her thesis. It is expected that this paper will be the basis for the literature review included in the student's dissertation proposal. The student may take up to 6 credits of dissertation research before the qualifying exam, but only after having received a final grade for CIS 776 and an approved state of the art review.
Field Exam: The major field exam will consist of three parts:
The student's specialty area exam committee will be composed of the faculty advisor, the NJIT - CIS department coordinator, and one or two other faculty members.
Examples of Specialized Areas: Specific topics of interest should be worked out with the faculty advisor. The following are only examples:
Simulation & modeling, Data Base Systems, Decision Support Systems, Computer Mediated Communications, Hypermedia & Hypertext, Interface Design, Software Engineering, Social Impacts of IS, Communications, Evaluation Methodology for IS, Expert Systems, Information Management, Collaborative Systems, Standards, Distributed Processing, Computer Integrated Manufacturing, Computer System Management, AI and Expert Systems.
All of the above topics will have a focus on applications in organizations, management and development of those applications, and/or the implications of the technology for management and the organization.
Advisement: New students should see the NJIT CIS Department coordinator for this program as soon as they enter the program. If potential waivers or transfers need to be discussed, the student should have a transcript copy and material on prior courses (e. g., such as catalog descriptions or lists of books or material covered). This would only apply to courses in the Computer Science and Information Systems areas. Other subject area course waivers or transfers are handled in the Rutgers Ph.D. office.
Because the registration process for Rutgers students may cause delays, Ph.D. students may seek, and will usually be given, entry to closed sections by contacting Michael Tress (973-596-3385), Department Administrator.
The CIS Department at NJIT is located on the fourth floor of the Information Technologies Building at Central Avenue and Lock Street. Department phone: 973-596-3366. The department secretaries can provide information on office hours for faculty you may wish to contact. The Ph.D. student should feel free to talk to faculty in areas of interest to them. The Ph.D. student should obtain a copy of the NJIT graduate catalog to review both courses and faculty. Furthermore, the Citation index in the Rutgers library can provide useful information on various publications of faculty members.
Additional Information on the Ph.D. in Management
Applications for this program are made through the Office of Admission, Graduate School of Management, Rutgers, University Heights, 92 New Street, Newark, NJ 07102. Additional information may be ordered from the Ph.D. office at Rutgers c/o Narda Acevedo, Assistant Director: 973 648 1002.
Information on the Masters in IS and the Ph.D. in IS, offered by NJIT, maybe found linked to the CIS Department’s website: http://www.njit.edu/Directory/Academic/CIS/Welcome.html