Information systems management (ISM) is a multidisciplinary major that focuses on the fusion of information systems, technology, and business management for two purposes: the use of information systems to solve business problems, and the management of technology, which includes new product development and supply chain management. It is a rigorous, challenging major for those students wanting to pursue careers in information systems management and the management of technology. To accomplish these objectives, students must learn the mathematics, science, and technical fundamentals of computer science and engineering as well as understand the environment in which information systems and technology management solutions will be applied, through economics, business, and management of technology courses.  

Study and Research Opportunities

• B.S.
• Intended for students who have an interest in both business and technology, especially computer systems

ISM07.pdf

Admission to the Jack Baskin School of Engineering (SoE)

Please see the current UC Santa Cruz General Catalog for a full description of the SoE admissions policy.

Freshman Applicants: Admission into an SoE major is based on high school grade point average, test scores, courses completed in mathematics and sciences, and/or the personal statement. Applicants who are not accepted into the major at the time of admission to UCSC may still reapply for admission to the major after enrolling at UC Santa Cruz.

Transfer Applicants: Admission into the major will be based on the student’s academic college record. Applicants are encouraged to take and excel in as many courses that are equivalent to the department’s foundation courses as possible (see Transfer Preparation section). An applicant will be approved, conditionally approved, or declined. Only students who have completed most or all of the foundation courses will be approved or conditionally approved for the major. 

High School Preparation
It is recommended that high school students intending to apply to the SoE have completed four years of mathematics (through advanced algebra and trigonometry) and three years of science in high school, including one year each of chemistry, physics, and biology. Comparable college mathematics and science courses completed at other institutions may be accepted in place of high school preparation. Students without this preparation may be required to take additional courses to prepare themselves for the program.

Transfer Preparation
The SoE strongly encourages applications from transfer students. Due to the prerequisite structure for upper-division courses, it is necessary for prospective transfer students to have completed as many of the lower-division requirements for the respective majors as possible to complete the degree within a reasonable time. Students must plan carefully because many courses must be taken sequentially. Applicants must take and excel in as many courses that are equivalent to the department’s foundation courses as possible. UC Santa Cruz foundation courses in information systems management are:

• Computer Science 12A, Introduction to Programming or 13H, Honors Programming and Data Structures
• Computer Engineering 16, Applied Discrete Mathematics, or Computer Engineering 16H, Honors Applied Discrete Mathematics
• Mathematics 19A and 19B, Calculus for Science, Engineering, and Mathematics (two quarters); or Economics 11A and 11B, Mathematical Methods for Economists (two quarters)
• Information Systems Management 50, Business Information Systems; or Economics 1, Introduction to Microeconomics, and Economics 2, Introduction to Macroeconomics

Transfer students should not follow the Intersegmental General Education Transfer Curriculum (IGETC) because it will not provide transfer students with enough mathematics and engineering courses to allow them to complete these programs at UC Santa Cruz in two years.

In addition to the foundation courses required for admission, some transfer students may choose to take other articulated lower-division courses for the major. Such courses are listed on the web site www.assist.org. For a complete list of lower-division courses for the major, visit www.soe.ucsc.edu/programs/ism/curriculum.html.

Internships, Field Work, and Education Abroad Opportunities
Many students find internships and fieldwork to be a valuable part of their academic experience. They work closely with faculty and career advisers in the UC Santa Cruz Career Center to identify existing opportunities and often to create their own internships with local companies or in nearby Silicon Valley. For more information about internships, contact the undergraduate director of the ISM program or visit intern.ucsc.edu.

SoE students may wish to develop their cross cultural competency, typically via the Education Abroad Program (EAP). Interested students must work very closely with the faculty and academic advisers in their major very early during the freshman or sophomore year to create a plan for transferability of course work towards graduation. For more EAP information, visit eap.ucop.edu/eap/country/default.htm.

Careers

Systems analysis and design
Applications development
Systems architecture development
Data warehousing and data mining
Systems integration
Product and technology management
Product and technology development
Supply chain management
Business process engineering
Business analysis
Information systems management
Information systems project management
Information technology sales/marketing
Information technology technical support

These are only samples of the field’s many possibilities