Information technology

Information technology (IT), as defined by the Information Technology Association of America (ITAA), is "the study, design, development, implementation, support or management of computer-based information systems, particularly software applications and computer hardware."^[1] IT deals with the use of electronic computers and computer software to convert, store, protect, process, transmit, and securely retrieve information.

Today, the term information technology has ballooned to encompass many aspects of computing and technology, and the term has become very recognizable. IT professionals perform a variety of duties that range from installing applications to designing complex computer networks and information databases. A few of the duties that IT professionals perform may include data management, networking, engineering computer hardware, database and software design, as well as the management and administration of entire systems.

When computer and communications technologies are combined, the result is information technology, or "infotech". Information technology is a general term that describes any technology that helps to produce, manipulate, store, communicate, and/or disseminate information. Presumably, when speaking of Information Technology (IT) as a whole, it is noted that the use of computers and information are associated.

In recent years ABET and the ACM have collaborated to form accreditation and curriculum standards for degrees in Information Technology as a distinct field of study separate from both Computer Science and Information Systems. SIGITE is the ACM working group for defining these standards.

Computer Hardware Basics

How an Information Systems Minor will complement your Major?

If you are a biology major, bioinformatics is a hot new area that combines molecular biology with computer information systems. This is an exciting area in which computer information technology is being used to develop new drugs to treat, cure and prevent human disease.

If you are a communications major, digital media and related technologies are revolutionizing print, video, and web-based communications.

If you are majoring in music or art & design, computer information systems are opening up new avenues of expression and have become essential tools for design.

If you are majoring in political science, information systems are important tools for conducting public opinion polls, electronic voting, and providing access to information and services (i.e., e-government).

If you are an education major, a basic knowledge of information systems is essential for teaching computer literacy in the classroom and for delivery of instructional materials.

What is Information Systems?

Information Systems (IS) is the use of computers and information to enable people and organizations to be more creative and productive. Studying information systems involves learning to: 1) identify the needs of an individual or organization, 2) design and develop systems to meet those requirements, and 3) deploy these systems to solve real-world problems. These solutions can involve applying the latest technology to improve the delivery of products and services, while insuring that the systems are secure.

Information Systems is distinguished from computer science (which is a department in the College of Arts & Sciences) in that it is more business-focused. Computer scientists focus more on computer hardware, computer languages, and specialized systems software.

The Department of Computer Information Systems

The top-ten ranked Department of Computer Information Systems (CIS) within the J. Mack Robinson College of Business at Georgia State University is one of the strongest information systems departments in the world. In 2008, both the department’s undergraduate (ranked 8th in the nation) and graduate programs (ranked 9th in the nation) were the top in the Southeast and among the top-ten computer information systems departments in the nation by U.S. News & World Report. There are 20 full-time faculty with doctorates from such schools as Harvard, M.I.T., Cornell, Indiana, Minnesota, and other prominent universities, many of whom hold endowed chairs or professorships.

In the spring of 2008, there were 342 undergraduate students majoring in computer information systems, 80 masters students (both MBA and M.S.), and 20 doctoral students pursuing their Ph.D. degrees in information systems. Because the programs at both the undergraduate and graduate levels focus on leading-edge topics, Georgia State information systems graduates are much in demand.

Because of the breadth and excellence of the CIS Department, it has received considerable recognition over the years including a $2 million grant from IBM and top rankings both in U.S. News & World Report and Computerworld.

In 2006, Sandra and Douglas Bergeron created a one-million dollar scholarship for Georgia State University to provide educational assistance to high-potential women seeking careers in technology leadership.

The department’s MBA concentration and major earned the Robinson College of Business recognition as a top 25 “Techno MBA Program” in a Computerworld survey. Computerworld has ranked the Department as second only to M.I.T. among information systems graduate programs in the United States. Sourcebook rated the CIS undergraduate program as one of the top five in the country.

The CIS Department at Georgia State has earned recognition as one of the top programs in the world in terms of leading-edge research productivity based on a study published in the Academy of Management Journal that focused on research publications in the most prestigious journals in the information systems field.

The Department has close links with the Atlanta business community. A Board of Advisors, comprised of CIOs from many large Atlanta-based firms, provides counsel and advice to the Department on its teaching and research programs. Each December, the Department sponsors the CIO Executive Summit, which attracts nearly 200 CIOs from around the Southeast.

Since 1997, the CIS Department, has been the official administrative home of both the Association for Information Systems (AIS) and the International Conference on Information Systems (ICIS). AIS is the leading society for information systems academics and ICIS is the premier IS research conference in the world.

Association for Information Systems
International Conference on Information Systems

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