UNIVERSITY CATALOG: 2025-2026

Program: Information Systems, B.S.

Software Technology Option

Program Description

The study of Information Systems (IS) centers on the effective use of information technology—computers and telecommunications networks—to support management decision making and corporate strategy, in addition to providing all necessary operational level support for an organization.

Program Requirements

Business Majors

A Business major is any student majoring in Accountancy; Information Systems; or Business Administration with an option in either Business Analytics, Business Law, Financial Analysis, Financial Planning, Global Supply Chain Management, Management, Marketing, Real Estate, Risk Management and Insurance, or Systems and Operations Management. The B.S. in Accountancy is an impacted major with additional admission requirements. All Business majors share 27 units of common lower division core courses and 18 units of common upper division core courses.

Double Major Requirements

Students seeking a double major in the David Nazarian College of Business and Economics must be in good standing (2.0 overall and 2.0 CSUN GPA) and be able to complete both majors within a maximum of 140 units.

Transfer Course Requirements

Transfer students should be aware that no grade lower than a “C” will be accepted on transfer from another institution to satisfy department or David Nazarian College of Business and Economics requirements.

Residency Requirement

At least 50 percent of the business and economics course credit units and 50 percent of the specialized major credit units required for the Bachelor of Science degrees in Accountancy, Business Administration, or Information Systems and the Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics must be completed in residence at CSUN.

Course Requirements

Check course descriptions for prerequisite courses. Prerequisites must be completed prior to enrolling in each course. All IS majors must earn a “C” or higher in all IS courses.

1. Common Lower Division Business Core (27-30 units)

*Must be completed with a grade of “C” or higher.

2. Common Upper Division Business Core (18 units)

BUS 312 Data Literacy for Business (3)
BUS 497A or BUS 497B Capstone (3)
FIN 303 Financial Management (3)
MGT 360 Management and Organizational Behavior (3)
MKT 304 Principles of Marketing (3)
SOM 306 Operations Management (3)

3. Required Information Systems Core Courses (19 units)

COMP 110/L Introduction to Algorithms and Programming/Lab (3/1)
IS 312 Systems and Technologies for Managers (3)
IS 431 Systems Analysis and Design (3)
IS 435 Business Data Networks and Cybersecurity (3)
IS 441 Database Management Systems (3)
IS 451 Enterprise Systems and Project Management (3)

4. Software Technology (IS-ST) Option (20 units)

IS-ST provides a focus of software development electives for positions in software development for business.

COMP 122/L Computer Architecture and Assembly Language (1/1)
COMP 182/L Data Structures and Program Design and Lab (3/1)
COMP 222 Computer Organization (3)
COMP 282 Advanced Data Structures (3)
COMP 380/L Introduction to Software Engineering and Lab (2/1)

Select 5 units from the following courses:

COMP 424 Computer System Security (3)
COMP 467 Multimedia Systems Design (3)
COMP 484/L Web Engineering I and Lab (2/1)
COMP 485 Human-Computer Interaction (3)
COMP 541 Data Mining (3)
IS 498B Field Assignments and Reports Information Systems (2)
IS 499B Independent Study (2)

5. General Education (43 units)

Undergraduate students must complete 43 units of General Education as described in this Catalog, including 3 units of coursework meeting the Ethnic Studies (E.S.) requirement.

12 units are satisfied by the following courses in the major: MATH 103 satisfies Basic Skills Area 2 Mathematical Concepts and Quantitative Reasoning; FIN 303 satisfies Area 2 Mathematical Concepts and Quantitative Reasoning, Upper Division; and ECON 160 and ECON 161 satisfy Area 4 Social and Behavioral Sciences. In addition, IS 212 fulfills the Information Competence requirement.

6. Campus Requirements (6 units)

Undergraduate students must complete 6 units of Campus Requirements as described in this Catalog. IS 212 meets the Lifelong Learning requirement.

Total Units in the Major/Option: 84-87

General Education Units: 31

Campus Requirement Units: 3

Additional Units: 0-2

Total Units Required for the B.S. Degree: 120-121

Contact

Department of Systems and Operations Management
Chair: Amir Gharehgozli
Bookstein Hall (BB) 3121
(818) 677-2470

Program Learning Outcomes

Students receiving a Bachelor of Science in Information Systems will be able to:

  1. Recognize and analyze ethical problems in organizational situations and select and defend a course of action.
  2. Effectively communicate complex information system and business concepts orally and in writing.
  3. Apply critical-thinking and problem-solving skills when analyzing and solving information system and business problems.
  4. Understand the individual and group dynamics of project teams.
  5. Have knowledge of IS technology components and their interrelations.
  6. Have the knowledge to implement information systems that support an organization’s strategic objectives.
  7. Develop skills through research in IS literature that will prepare them for lifelong learning in the field.