About the Program
The computer information systems program prepares students for entry-level positions, such as programmer, systems analyst, database administration, web programming or network support in the computer field, and provides them with the technical knowledge and managerial skills necessary for a wide range of subsequent career paths. There is a growing demand in all sectors for individuals with this combination of capabilities. This program was developed with the cooperation of employers and information systems professionals and, unlike a computer science program, its emphasis is on commercial applications of computers rather than theory.
About the Computer Information Systems Department Department
203 Technology Building
1300 Elmwood Ave
Buffalo, NY 14222
Phone: (716) 878-5528
Fax: (716) 878-6677
https://cis.buffalostate.edu/
Admission Requirements
Pre-university Students
Pre-university students are admitted directly into the CIS major. They must apply through Undergraduate Admissions. Once admitted, incoming students are advised about where to start in the curriculum.
Current Buffalo State Students
Any current Buffalo State undergraduate student in good academic standing may switch into the CIS major. They can do this by completing and submitting a ‘Change of Major’ form.
Transfer Students
Transfer students holding A.A.S or A.S. degrees in a parallel program (CIS, CS, IT, etc.) and transfer students who have completed some computer courses may apply for admission into the program. Transfer students are accepted directly into the CIS major on a competitive basis providing they have a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.5 and a minimum GPA of 2.0 in major courses from the transfer institution.
Learning Outcomes
Upon completion of the program, students will be able to:
1. Code and analyze computer programs.
2. Assess the information systems (IS) needs of clients.
3. Design, develop, and implement information systems to meet the IS needs of clients.
4. Describe the capabilities of, and interaction between software and hardware.
5. Plan, organize, cooperate, and communicate effectively as members of IS teams.
6. Design data systems to represent and process real world data.
7. Design, test, and troubleshoot networked computer systems.
Program Requirements
General Education 23 Requirements
33 credit hours 33
Computer Information Systems Major Requirements (42 credit hours)
Required Courses (24 credit hours)
CIS 151 COMPUTER PROGRAMMING I
CIS 251 COMPUTER PROGRAMMING II
CIS 315 COMPUTER ORGANIZATION
CIS 370 SYSTEMS ANALYSIS AND DESIGN
CIS 380 DATABASE SYSTEMS I
CIS 400 .NET APPLICATION DEVELOPMENT
CIS 410 COMPUTER OPERATING SYSTEMS
CIS 411 DATABASE SYSTEMS II
Electives (18 credit hours)
Select from the following: 18
CIS 375 WEB DESIGN AND PROGRAMMING I 3
CIS 388 SERVICE LEARNING IN COMPUTING 3
CIS 391 INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY PROJECT MANAGEMENT 3
CIS 414 MULTIMEDIA METHODS, TOOLS, AND APPLICATIONS 3
CIS 415 MULTIMEDIA AND USER INTERFACE DESIGN 3
CIS 425 OBJECT-ORIENTED DEVELOPMENT 3
CIS 427 E-COMMERCE SYSTEMS 3
CIS 435 COMPUTER SEMINAR 3
CIS 442 ADVANCED SYSTEMS APPLICATIONS 3
CIS 451 DATA STRUCTURES AND ALGORITHMS 3
CIS 461 PROGRAMMING WITH PYTHON 3
CIS 470 DATA COMMUNICATIONS 3
CIS 471 NETWORKING LABORATORY I 3
CIS 472 NETWORKING LABORATORY II 3
CIS 473 IT TECHNICAL SUPPORT 3
CIS 475 WEB DESIGN AND PROGRAMMING II 3
CIS 478 CYBERSECURITY 3
CIS 480 INTRODUCTION TO ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE 3
CIS 488 INTERNSHIP (3-15) 3-15
CIS 494 UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH IN COMPUTING 3
CIS 495 SPECIAL PROJECT (1-3) 1-3
CIS 499 INDEPENDENT STUDY (3-12) 3-12
In addition to the above courses, one non-CIS course may be taken as an elective with the department chair's permission.
Residency Requirements
A minimum of 21 credit hours must be completed in the CIS department at Buffalo State.
No more than 3 credit hours of CIS 488 may be used to fulfill the CIS elective requirement.
No more than 3 credit hours of CIS elective requirement can be satisfied by credit hours from CIS 495 and CIS 499.
All College Electives
39-45 credit hours 39-45
Total Credit Hours 120
1 Required only for transfer students who have not taken a course in C programming.