JMU Concentration: Cooperative Education

Admission and Progression Standards for this major:

The Cooperative Education concentration offers highly qualified CIS majors the opportunity to participate in a six- to eight-month professional experience with well-recognized industry leaders in information systems and operations. The CIS&MS Program also offers minors in Computer Information Systems and in Management Science. Management Science is the application of quantitative techniques to solving business problems. Students who have completed their lower-level business requirements must formally apply for admission to the College of Business. Students interested in pursuing a business major are encouraged to begin taking lower division business courses as early as possible.

Tell me more about this field of study.
Computer and information technology has dramatically changed the workplace. Increased use of the Internet has influenced the manner in which we communicate and conduct business, regardless of the setting – industry, government, education, or non-profit. As the need for information increases, technology in this field creates systems and procedures for processing the data. The study of information systems focuses on significant problems in creating, organizing, representing and manipulating data to present usable information in a computer environment. Information technology has reshaped the structure of organizations, the way we make business transactions, the types of jobs available and the nature of the work itself. As computer applications have increased in number and complexity in science, government and industry, so has the need for highly trained specialists and managers of computer hardware and software. Sample career fields include: systems analysis, design, development, programming, Internet, data base management, computer security, telecommunications, sales and service, data communications and networks.

Tell me more about specializations in this field.
Since the field of information systems is so vast, there are numerous areas to specialize. Expert systems simulate the thought processes of experts in a particular field. The expert system does not replace but assists the user by providing pertinent information for decision-making. Almost every industry can describe expert systems, and how they are developed and used. For example, utility companies use expert systems to determine when to purchase, gas, oil, and uranium for production of electricity. Physicians use expert systems to match signs and symptoms, recommend diagnoses, and serve as an information resource on appropriate drugs. Networks electronically connect computer terminals with a central or mainframe computer. These networks can cover broad geographical regions or can be localized to a building or office. Networks made it possible to communicate with others electronically introducing the age of electronic mail – E-Mail. The Internet is a worldwide network comprised of thousands of interconnected networks that exchange information freely. Internet website offerings expand daily and include on-time news, online shopping, tax tips, health information, live broadcasts, travel planning, gaming, legal advice, educational opportunities, scientific facts, or products and services for sale. Webmasters develop, update and maintain these websites. Goods purchased over the Internet are considered e-commerce. Electronic Commerce has made business- to- business transactions faster and easier for companies. Business- to- consumer transactions have allowed even smaller companies to market their products worldwide. Customers using credit cards online become concerned about security, thus leading to tremendous growth in computer security jobs. The Secret Service introduced the Electronic Crimes Task Force to identify and apprehend cyber criminals. Computer-aided software engineering and object oriented programming tools significantly reduce the time needed by systems analysts and programmers to design systems, create new programs, or update old ones. These tools allow organizations to plan systems and develop software at a much lower cost and to complete projects in less time compared to past practices. Imaging systems enable documents to be digitized and shared across networks. Documents can be retrieved faster and more easily. Digitized documents are stored optically reducing the space required to store company records. Optical disks and other high-density storage devices are more convenient and more easily accessible compared to microfiche or microfilm used in years past.

What common major or minor combinations from other departments complement this major?
There are no common combinations but some examples might be: Communication Studies, English, Finance, Integrated Science & Technology, Management, Management Science, Marketing, Physics, Psychology, Public Policy and Administration, Statistics, or Technical and Scientific Communication.

CHARACTERISTICS OF SUCCESSFUL STUDENTS
In this fast paced field it is important for a person to be able to handle change and pressure. Besides technical knowledge, individuals should have organizational, analytical, interpretive, problem- solving, decision-making and quantitative skills. It is also necessary for the person to communicate well.

CAREERS
Many graduates choose typical career paths associated with this major. However, some graduates choose unrelated careers that utilize skills and experiences developed during their years in college. Keep in mind, that some fields will require graduate study or further training. The listing below offers examples of possible career paths and is not meant to be comprehensive.