Information Systems and Technology
The Information Systems and Technology (IST) program prepares students for careers focused on the planning, application, development, management, and implementation of technology to transform organizations and support data-driven decision-making. The IST curriculum exposes students to industry software and established methodologies while also incorporating emerging technologies. Emphasis is placed on the ability of technology to add value to the processes, products, methods, and decision-making in organizations.
Two optional tracks are available: Data Analytics and Digital Business Technology.
View the Curriculum Guide.
Data Analytics
In this track, students gain the expertise for careers focused on utilizing data for decision-making in organizations and designing business intelligence tools.
Digital Business Technology
Students gain the expertise for careers that bridge the business environment with technology in this track. They will learn methods and techniques for supporting business operations with information technology to enable the collection, storage, and synthesis of data and create efficient work flows and accurate reporting.
Experiential Learning
Before entering the job market, you will gain expertise in powerful industry tools like Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems, Microsoft SQL Server, Microsoft Power BI, and SAP.
You will also have the opportunity to join our student chapter of the Association for Information Systems (AIS) @ Duquesne, which connects you with mentors, alumni, and a vast network of professionals.
Program Information
Our leading Information Systems and Technology program prepares undergraduate students for careers focused on the planning, application, development, management, and implementation of technology to transform organizations and support data-driven decision-making.
Program Type
Major, Minor
Degree
Bachelor's
Duration
4-year
Required Credit Hours
69
"Duquesne offered the opportunity for me to get real-world experience with local
employers."
Required for all business students. Business Core Business Core Dive into the dynamic world of User Experience Design (UXD) in this comprehensive,
hands-on course designed for the next generation of UX innovators. This course offers
an engaging introduction to the core principles and practices of UXD and fosters creative
design thinking skills in user-centered product development. You will engage in both
individual assignments to develop your personal design skills and work in teams on
a semester-long project where you’ll take a poorly designed software application and
transform it into a user-friendly product. No prior design experience is necessary,
just a passion for creating great user experiences. Information systems create value by supporting organizational processes and the management
of data. This course introduces student to methods and tools for the analysis and
design of information systems where they will explore how to identify and model the
information requirements of an organization. This involves the use of data-flow diagrams
or UML models to describe the current state of affairs, including the needs of the
users, data requirements, existing systems, and the desired system’s functionality.
Other topics include the systems development life cycle, agile methodologies, and
systems implementation. Embark on a transformative journey with our Information Systems Capstone course. This
capstone is designed to synthesize and leverage your academic experiences in information
systems into practical, real-world applications. It is a blend of lecture-based learning
and experiential, project-based activities.
Information Systems and Technology Minor
ISYS 381W—Systems Analysis and Design
ISYS 382—Data and Informational Management
And one (1) of the following:
ISYS 480—Intro to Python For Data Analytics
ISYS 483—Enterprise Systems
ISYS 484—Business Intelligence
ISYS 486—IT Security and Risk Management
ISYS 489W—Information Systems Capstone
ISYS 490—AI for Data-Driven Decision Making
Students are encouraged to meet with their Student Success Coach for more information.
Course Descriptions: Business Core
3 credits
"What do information systems have to do with business," you ask? Everything! A profound
and fundamental shift is underway in our economy. A shift away from an industrial-based
to an information-based economy. The information-based economy has complex implications
for the management of the modern enterprise. The goal of this course is for students
to see how modern businesses use information systems to increase profitability, gain
market share, improve customer service, and manage inventory and daily operations
across a wide variety of fields, including accounting, finance, marketing, and supply
chain management. The course also highlights how innovative firms are constantly experimenting
with new types of products, production processes, organizational structures, and competitive
strategies that can only be enabled through the use of information systems. In other
words, information systems provide the foundation for modern business enterprises.
The information economy also has important and irrevocable workforce implications.
Tremendous demand will exist for employees that can combine technical skills with
business insight to create value for their organizations. Accordingly, this course
is also designed to both explore careers in Information Systems and Technology (IST)
and demonstrate how Information Systems (IS) can be utilized in any career to facilitate
personal and organizational success. The course approaches the above topics by developing
requisite technology concepts and skills required for success and efficiently and
effectively applying those skills in a business context.
3 credits
Contemporary organizations invest heavily in collecting and storing enormous quantities
of data related to their business operations, markets, and supply chains. It is critical
for future business leaders to understand the value of this data as a resource to
be converted into useful, actionable information. Using an established decision-making
methodology as an organizing framework, this course explores the acquisition, storage,
analysis, and presentation of information suitable for the support of decision making.
Course topic areas include data acquisition, data management, and data visualization
in a business context. Where appropriate, these concepts will be supported with technological
tools and will build on existing statistical analysis skills to support evidence-based
decision making in realistic business scenarios. At the conclusion of the course,
students will have necessary knowledge and skills required to explain and demonstrate
how data and information can be used to support decisions and thus be a point of strength
for an organization.
Prerequisite: ISYS 184Course Descriptions: Required
3 credits
You will explore and learn:
1. UX principles and best practices of user-centered design and how to analyze and
integrate user needs into the heart of your design process.
2. A variety of research methods to gather insights and validate concepts.
3. How to foster innovation in design to create impactful user experiences.
4. Hands-on experience with the latest tools and technologies shaping the industry.
5. Rapid prototyping and iterative design skills to communicate your ideas quickly
and effectively.
Prerequisite: ISYS 184
3 credits
Prerequisite: ISYS 184
3 credits
Data is a critical asset for most modern organizations. This course provides the students
with an introduction to the core concepts in data and information management. It is
centered around the core skills of identifying organizational information requirements,
modeling the requirements in an industry-standard conceptual data modeling technique,
converting the conceptual data models into physical models, and verifying the models'
structural characteristics with normalization techniques. The course utilizes one
of the industry standard database management systems (Microsoft SQL Server) to practice
the implementation and querying of database designs using Structured Query Language
(SQL).
Prerequisite: ISYS 284
3 credits
You will create a sophisticated application designed to meet a real-life business
challenge. This project will be a practical learning experience and a portfolio piece
demonstrating your capacity to deliver tangible business solutions. This course is
not just a culmination of your learning journey but a stepping stone towards a successful
career in the tech industry. It prepares you to enter the industry with confidence
and advanced expertise, equipping you with the skills and knowledge employers seek.
Prerequisite: ISYS 380, ISYS 381W, and ISYS 382Data Analytics Track
This course introduces students to the fast-growing field of data analytics by focusing
on introductory skills of programming, problem solving and algorithmic thinking in
Python. The course will combine a technical focus with activities and assignments
designed to provide students with the opportunity to learn how to increase decision
making efficiency and productivity in various business scenarios through programming.
The course will take a hands-on approach and no prior programming experience is expected.
Prerequisite: ISYS 284
Business intelligence (BI) is a set of methodologies, processes, architectures, and
technologies that transform raw data into meaningful and useful information. This
course will introduce two main components of BI that are crucial for organizations
to gain significant competitive advantage: a) data warehousing, b) data mining and
augmented intelligence. Through lectures and in-class demonstrations, the course provides
a review of basic BI concepts, followed by the application of these concepts using
contemporary technology solutions. The course will also provide students with hands-on
experience using enterprise-level data warehouse software and various data technology
solutions. It counts towards the SAP student achievement award.
Prerequisite: ISYS 382
In our rapidly changing world, we are witnessing an exponential growth in the generation
and processing of information. This information explosion has given rise to Artificial
Intelligence (AI), a transformative force that enables machines to emulate human-like
reasoning and decision-making. AI holds great business value for individuals, organizations,
and society, but it also presents significant risks, societal implications, and ethical
dilemmas. This course provides students with a conceptual introduction to AI, a broad
understanding of its fundamental techniques, and practical applications in business,
with a particular focus on large language models and their use in business analytics.
It also aims to cultivate an awareness of the challenges, risks, and ethical considerations
associated with AI and the importance of responsible AI development.
Prerequisite: ISYS 382 with a minimum grade of DDigital Business Technology Track
This course provides students with the core concepts in enterprise models and contains
content that is applicable across various enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems
used in a majority of organizations today. It is centered around the ERP life cycle,
ERP systems architecture, business process engineering, process mapping, ERP functionality,
and administration of ERP systems both technically and functionally. In addition to
discussing the core concepts, this course helps students understand how modern organizations
are highly dependent on the use of enterprise systems and how ERP systems can drive
a competitive advantage or when used incorrectly, a disadvantage. By the end of this
course students will feel empowered to leverage ERP technologies and have hands on
exposure to top tier technologies such as SAP. Students will not only understand the
systematic procedures to perform certain tasks, but they will understand the business
process behind those tasks. A dive into the technical aspects of enterprise system
technology will also provide them with a complete understanding of the technical architecture
and requirements to set up an ERP system. Students will have a better understanding
of how to execute systems projects of various sizes and complexity. With a heavy focus
on SAP, the course will focus on empowering and preparing ISM professionals to help
support SAP within an organization. When paired with two other qualifying courses,
students are eligible for an SAP Student Recognition Award, allowing them to leverage
this qualification when entering the job market, separating themselves from other
applicants, and identifying themselves as excellent candidates to work and contribute
in an organization running a top-tier ERP platform.
Prerequisite: ISYS 184
Business intelligence (BI) is a set of methodologies, processes, architectures, and
technologies that transform raw data into meaningful and useful information. This
course will introduce two main components of BI that are crucial for organizations
to gain significant competitive advantage: a) data warehousing, b) data mining and
augmented intelligence. Through lectures and in-class demonstrations, the course provides
a review of basic BI concepts, followed by the application of these concepts using
contemporary technology solutions. The course will also provide students with hands-on
experience using enterprise-level data warehouse software and various data technology
solutions. It counts towards the SAP student achievement award.
Prerequisite: ISYS 382
This course provides an introduction to the fundamental principles and topics of Information
Technology Security and Risk Management at the organizational level. Students will
learn critical security principles that enable them to plan, develop, and perform
security tasks. The course will address hardware, software, processes, communications,
applications, and policies and procedures with respect to organizational IT Security
and Risk Management.
Prerequisite: ISYS 284
This course will review the major SCM strategic, tactical, and operational information
systems and technologies utilized by industry leaders to integrate SCM operations
and enhance collaboration within and across enterprises. Through lectures and case
studies, the course provides a review of basic information systems concepts, followed
by the application of these concepts to the functions of SCM. The course will also
provide students with hands-on experience using Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP)
software as well as data analysis and visualization software. The course prepares
students to take certification exams in Microsoft Excel and Tableau, and it counts
towards the SAP student achievement award.
Prerequisite: SCMG 267 with a grade of C or better