Hello all, My question is can an undergrad degree in MIS put me in an Information and Systems Manager role? I only ask this question because the cirriculum for MIS degree are mostly business and very little technical, therefore I am trying to understand how the MIS degree prepares one to manager programmers when the Systems Manager doesn't know programming.
The key word in Systems Manager is Manager. A manager doesn't spend their day programming. They meet with other managers and accountants and CEO's and CFO's and go over the year's budget and answer financial and computer questions. Can we afford to hire another programmer? People are complaining that we're still using IE 6. Why can't we upgrade to Internet Explorer 8 ? (because that would require upgrading all our computers from XP to Windows 7 and we can't afford it) Managers schedule employees, approve training, meet with vendors and try to work out deals to buy the latest bar coding equipment. Managers need to know the difference between MS Access, MySQL and Oracle, but they do not need to be DBAs. The CEO heard that linux is free and wants to know why we aren't using it. The manager doesn't need to be a systems administrator. They just need to know the pros and cons of the various systems and to be able to tell the CEO why the company is paying for MS Windows. All MIS programs have a course in databases, a course in data communications or networking, at least one course in programming, but yes, they do tend to focus on accounting, human resources, conflict management. MIS people don't need to know how to write and sort a linked list. They don't need to know why one sorting algorithm is better than another. They just need to know which languages are appropriate for a specific task. Which language integrates best with other systems the company will be working with. I would LOVE to have Oracle where I work, but there is no way I could BS my manager into getting it because she knows MS Access is all we need. We are at the very limits of what Access can do, but we are no where near the point that we could justify the expense of upgrading. here is a list of course for a BS in MIS Search SUNY Plattsburgh College Catalog Course Descriptions I think its pretty typical
Please do not expect to be a manager of employees with 10-20 years of solid experience working in the corporate world in your first job after graduation. Managers are most often promoted from a technical role to a supervisory role, where their technical skills can be leveraged to improve the technical skills of those under their supervision. After they prove themselves as leaders, they move up to middle management. They are now responsible for managing supervisors. In this role their communication and people skills are more important than technical skills as the supervisors handle the day to day tasks of ensuring that the technicians do their jobs correctly. After spending 5-10 years in middle management, the manager can move up the chain to a director level where they are managing project managers for example. At this level conceptual skills are more important that people skills. Directors need to see the big picture, present a roadmap of the future and this is where they communicate with the C level executives. It will take many years to climb the typical corporate ladder and get the ear of the CEO. Taking an undergrad course in strategic management and memorizing Porter's five forces is not enough to grant you access to the CEO. Short answer. Don't discount technical skills since they are your bread and butter for getting employed.
Agree with Ryoder. If you are just entering the job market focus on cultivating expert level skill in your field through continuing education, certification, hard work and initiative. When employers see those qualities you are more likely to be considered for IT management positions.
