Mar 28, 2024  
2019-2020 Graduate Catalog 
    
2019-2020 Graduate Catalog ARCHIVED CATALOG: CONTENT MAY NOT BE CURRENT. USE THE DROP DOWN ABOVE TO ACCESS THE CURRENT CATALOG.

Master of Science - Management Information Systems


This program is accredited by: AACSB. More information can be found at: unlv.edu/provost/vpaa/accreditation

Plan Description


The Master of Science – Management Information Systems (MS MIS) program prepares graduates for professional careers in the management of information technology (IT). The MS MIS focuses on the application of technology to help achieve organizational goals and solve business problems. MIS students earn competency in IT, embedded in a business context that provides them with well-rounded preparation for occupations in high demand. Recent graduates are pursuing careers in a variety of roles, such as project manager, IT manager, business analyst, database analyst, network engineer, and systems consultant.

Each student completes a total of 36 credit hours in MIS courses with a minimum GPA of 3.0. The student can elect to either take 30 credit hours of coursework and complete a master-level thesis for 6 credit hours, or to complete 36 credit hours of course work. The student’s program will be selected in consultation with and approved by the student’s advisor and the department chair and may include up to two courses (four courses if the non-thesis option is selected) from supporting areas other than MIS, such as accounting, law, computer science, economics, social sciences, and management.

For more information about your program including your graduate program handbook and learning outcomes please visit the Degree Directory.

Plan Admission Requirements


Application deadlines

Applications available on the UNLV Graduate College website.

  1. Submission of a completed application and required application fee;
  2. Submission of official transcripts from all post-secondary institutions;
  3. Evidence of having been awarded the equivalent of a U.S. Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science degree from an accredited college or university with an overall undergraduate grade point average of at least 3.00 on the four-point scale;
  4. For MIS applicants who previously attended a post-secondary institution outside of the U.S., the requirement that transcripts be evaluated by an outside agency is waived.
  5. Official GMAT or GRE score. Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT) with a target score of 550. Applicants with satisfactory scores on the general aptitude portion (50th percentile or higher) of the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) will be considered for admission. Test scores over five years old are not accepted. The GMAT test score should be reflective of verbal and quantitative aptitude. GMAT or GRE scores over five years old are not accepted.
  6. Two letters of recommendation submitted in sealed envelopes or uploaded through the Grad Rebel Gateway application system.
  7. Statement of purpose that describes why you want to join the program and your professional goals, relevant to this program. Updated resume, which includes academic, professional and other relevant experience.

Individuals with deficiencies in their undergraduate background may be required to enroll in selected additional undergraduate courses to satisfy the M.S. degree requirements. A maximum of 12 credit hours may be transferred into the program if taken recently from an AACSB accredited school. The department chair and the associate dean must approve any earned credits for transfer.

Individuals with degrees in disciplines other than business may be required to take leveling business courses, as prescribed by the director.

The application forms, fees, letters of recommendation, official transcripts, test results, and assistantship applications must be submitted to the Graduate College as outlined in this catalog.

All domestic and international applicants must review and follow the Graduate College Admission and Registration Requirements.

Students are accepted into a degree program as described in the Graduate Catalog. The faculty and corresponding sub-disciplines and sub-plans within the described programs are subject to change at any time.

Plan Requirements


See Subplan Requirements below.

Subplan 1: Thesis Track
Subplan 2: Non-Thesis Track

Subplan 1 Requirements: Thesis Track


Total Credits Required: 36

Course Requirements


Elective Courses – Credits: 6


Complete 6 credits of electives from any 600/700-level course offered by the Lee Business School.

Thesis – Credits: 6


  •  

    * * If a student has completed any of the required or elective MIS graduate courses as part of a previous degree at UNLV with grades of B or better, the course(s) may be waived and the number of credits required for the MS MIS program will be reduced by an equal number of credits, up to a maximum of 12 credits.

    If the student has not sufficient relevant work experience, up to 6 credits of MIS 755 Internship may be required in addition to the above degree requirements. The determination is made by the MIS Graduate Coordinator in consultation with the student at the time of filing the Proposed Master’s Degree Program, which shall occur before the student completes 16 credits towards the degree.

Degree Requirements


  1. Completion of a minimum of 36 credit hours of MIS courses.
  2. A grade point average of at least 3.00 for course work required for the degree.
  3. No grade lower than C is acceptable.
  4. Each student’s program of course work must be selected in consultation with and approved by the student’s advisor and the department chair, and may include up to 6 credit hours from selected disciplines other than MIS, such as cognitive psychology, computer science, accounting, or economics.
  5. Students on the thesis track are expected to select a research advisor by the end of their first year, to attend all departmental seminars, and to present a research seminar prior to graduation.
  6. In consultation with his/her advisor, a student will organize a thesis committee of at least three departmental members. In addition, a fourth member from outside the department, known as the Graduate College Representative, must be appointed. An additional committee member may be added at the student and department’s discretion. Please see Graduate College policy for committee appointment guidelines.
  7. Students with unsatisfactory progress toward the degree requirements are subject to dismissal. A student with a grade of C or lower in any of the required courses for the degree will be put on probation for one semester. Conditions and deadlines for the removal of probation will be specified. Failure to meet the condition will result in departure from the program. A student with two grades of C or lower will be dropped from the program.
  8. Students are required to register for six hours of thesis. They are advised to split these six hours of thesis and register for three hours each during the last two semesters.

Graduation Requirements


  1. The student must submit all required forms to the Graduate College and then apply for graduation up to two semesters prior to completing his/her degree requirements.
  2. The student must submit and successfully defend his/her thesis by the posted deadline. The defense must be advertised and is open to the public.
  3. After the thesis defense, the student must electronically submit a properly formatted pdf copy of their thesis to the Graduate College for format check. Once the thesis format has been approved by the Graduate College, the student will submit the approved electronic version to ProQuest. Deadlines for thesis defenses, format check submissions, and the final ProQuest submission can be found here

Subplan 2 Requirements: Non-Thesis Track


Total Credits Required: 36

Course Requirements


Elective Courses – Credits: 12


Complete 12 credits of electives from any 600/700-level course offered by the Lee Business School.

* * If a student has completed any of the required or elective MIS graduate courses as part of a previous degree at UNLV with grades of B or better, the course(s) may be waived and the number of credits required for the MS MIS program will be reduced by an equal number of credits, up to a maximum of 12 credits.

If the student has not sufficient relevant work experience, up to 6 credits of MIS 755 Internship may be required in addition to the above degree requirements. The determination is made by the MIS Graduate Coordinator in consultation with the student at the time of filing the Proposed Master’s Degree Program, which shall occur before the student completes 16 credits towards the degree.

Degree Requirements


  1. Completion of a minimum of 36 credit hours of MIS courses.
  2. A grade point average of at least 3.00 for course work required for the degree.
  3. No grade lower than C is acceptable.
  4. Each student’s program of course work must be selected in consultation with and approved by the student’s advisor and the department chair, and may include up to 6 credit hours from selected disciplines other than MIS, such as cognitive psychology, computer science, accounting, or economics.
  5. Students with unsatisfactory progress toward the degree requirements are subject to dismissal. A student with a grade of C or lower in any of the required courses for the degree will be put on probation for one semester. Conditions and deadlines for the removal of probation will be specified. Failure to meet the condition will result in departure from the program. A student with two grades of C or lower will be dropped from the program.
  6. MIS 781 should be taken during the last year of the student’s enrollment in this program.

Graduation Requirements


The student must submit all required forms to the Graduate College and then apply for graduation up to two semesters prior to completing his/her degree requirements.

Plan Graduation Requirements


Refer to your subplan for Graduation Requirements.

Subplan 1: Thesis Track
Subplan 2: Non-Thesis Track