Information Systems, Ph.D.

Program Description

The Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Information Systems is designed to prepare individuals for careers in research, teaching and corporate employment. This program emphasizes applied scholarship, focusing on multi-disciplinary research projects with a strong emphasis on the productive application of information systems and information technology to organizations and their management. The program supports a thriving and sustained applied research program that meets the research needs of the State of South Dakota, the university, and its graduate students. The degree program is intended to produce graduates with a commanding knowledge of information systems and of applications and research in information systems. Graduates of the program will be qualified to pursue careers in:

• teaching and research within an academic setting.
• applied research within a corporate setting or government agency.
• industry, particularly in data-intensive industries such as the banking and finance industry in the state, or within other data-intensive corporations.

Program Completion

The program can be completed on a full-time or part-time basis, with classes offered in three academic terms: fall, spring, and summer. Full-time students with a master’s degree in information systems should be able to complete this program in 3 years. The program must be completed within 7 years of the semester of their admission. Students who do not meet the academic requirements for admission may be required to complete up to 12 additional hours of foundational coursework.

Admission Requirements Specific to the Ph.D. in Information Systems

Dakota State University seeks highly motivated individuals with education and professional credentials that will enable them to be successful doctoral students. Students who do not meet the academic requirements for admission may be required to take up to 12 additional hours of foundational coursework.

Admission Requirements

1. Baccalaureate degree from an institution of higher education with full regional accreditation for that degree. International students must have an undergraduate (bachelor’s) degree that is the equivalent to a four-year undergraduate degree in the U.S. Students who enter the program with graduate coursework in disciplines related to information systems may have to complete some master-level information requirements. Students who enter the program without a master’s degree in information systems or related field and without an undergraduate background in information systems will be required to complete a series of foundational courses.
2. Minimum undergraduate grade point average of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale (or equivalent on an alternative grading system).
3. Essential knowledge in both business fundamentals and information systems. This knowledge includes the following:
   • that they can analyze organizational systems and take appropriate action with particular business structures, particularly overcoming resistance to change;
   • organizations, and the role of IT professionals in developing, acquiring and managing IS;
   • systems including, setting a direction for information resources, managing technology resources, and managing the information systems function; (Windows and UNIX);
   • ability to use spreadsheets for computations and analysis;
   • understanding of the principles of programming and the ability to program.

The knowledge requirement can be met in a variety of ways, including: an undergraduate degree in MIS; specific undergraduate or graduate coursework that covers required knowledge; appropriate, verifiable IS/IT or management experience. Students using experience to meet the knowledge requirements may be required to demonstrate competency in the subject. Students who have not had appropriate coursework or acceptable experience to meet the knowledge requirements will be admitted to the program if they meet the other minimum requirements. However, these students will be required to meet the knowledge requirement by satisfactory completion of specified knowledge support courses as part of their program of study.

Entry-Level Knowledge Requirements

Students who enter the program with graduate coursework in disciplines related to information systems may have to complete some foundational and masters-level information systems requirements. Students who enter the program without a master’s degree in information systems or related field and without an undergraduate background in information systems will be required to complete a series of foundational courses prior to being admitted to the program in addition to the 27 credits in information systems at the master’s degree level. Foundational courses include:

• INFS 601 - Information Systems  3 credits
• INFS 605 - Foundations of Programming  3 credits
• INFS 608 - Applied Statistics  3 credits
• INFS 614 - Introduction to Research  3 credits

Program Faculty:

Cherie Noteboom, Program Coordinator

Andy Behrens, Omar El-Gayar, Kathy Engbrecht, Jason Jenkins, Stephen Krebsbach, Chris Olson, Insu Park, Ronghua Shan, Wendy Simmermon, Dan Talley, David Zeng,

Program Requirements

The program can be completed on a full-time or part-time basis, with classes offered in three academic terms: fall, spring, and summer. Overall, the program requirements for the Ph.D. in Information Systems include a total of 72 semester credit hours:

• 60 credit hours of graduate coursework:
  • 27 credit hours of master’s level information systems which may be waived for students with an MSIS degree
  • 9 credit hours of research methods
  • 24 credit hours of research specialization including research seminars, and core and electives courses
• Comprehensive examination
• Qualifying portfolio
• 12 credit hours of dissertation