The PhD in management information systems focuses on an interdisciplinary business understanding of how technology can affect an organization's behavior, structure, and function and on the effective use and control of information and computer systems by management; both the technical aspects and the organizational impact of information management are stressed.

• Apply to the PhD-MIS Program
• MIS Program Requirements
• MIS Qualifying Examination
• MIS Premilinary Examination
• MIS Dissertation
• MIS Faculty
• MIS Admission Requirements

The director of the PhD in MIS program is Professor C.Ranganathan. He can be reached by contacting ranga@uic.edu or (312) 996-2847, or by visiting his office located in Room 2428 of University Hall (945 West Harrison Street).

MIS Program Requirements
Breadth work Requirement
Two introductory courses in any two functional areas of business [for example, operations management (IDS 532), accounting (ACTG 500), economics (ECON 520,521), finance (FIN 500), marketing (MKTG 500) or management (MGMT 541)]. These courses will not count towards the 64 semester hours required for entrants with a master's degree.

Technical Requirement
Data Structures and Operating Systems(IDS 401), Business Systems Analysis & Design(IDS 405), and Business Database Design(IDS 410). Each course may be waived based on equivalent prior coursework or appropriate work experience in the technical area. These courses will not count towards the 64 semester hours requirement for entrants with a master's degree.

MIS Qualifying Exam
Basic Competency
Advanced database management (IDS 520), distributed processing and telecommunication systems (IDS 521), and enterprise application infrastructure (IDS 517). Each course may be waived based on equivalent prior coursework or appropriate work experience in the technical area.

Research Methods: 3-4 courses (12-16 semester hours)
Including statistical methods in research, behavioral research methods overview, quantitative methods in research and additional courses to be decided in consultation with the director of the PhD program.

MIS Specialization
Minimum of six courses (24 credit hours) including two IDS research seminars (IDS 529), three specialized courses in areas of individual interest, IS research topics (IDS 525), and additional courses in consultation with the director of the PhD program.

Additional doctoral-level course work, including dissertation: at least 8 courses (32 semester hours minimum)
IDS 599: PhD Thesis Research or additional doctoral-level course work chosen with the consent of the PhD coordinator and in consultation with the dissertation adviser. A maximum of 32 semester hours of thesis research can count toward the degree.

Preliminary Examination
The preliminary examination is normally taken upon successful completion of the required course work. In exceptional cases, the examination may be taken earlier upon recommendation of the MIS director of doctoral studies and the student's PhD adviser. The Graduate College requires that "the preliminary examination may not be given before one calendar year of residence nor later than one calendar year before defense of the dissertation."

The preliminary examination consists of an oral examination on the dissertation proposal and related material. The examination may cover any issues relevant to the topic addressed in the proposal and PhD common core and basic knowledge in the field of specialization related to the proposal.

Dissertation
A dissertation, which makes an original contribution to knowledge in MIS, is required and must be defended. Dissertations may address theoretical or applied problems. In most cases, a minimum of 24 semester hours will be required to prepare a dissertation acceptable to the committee. Up to 32 semester hours of credit can be awarded for successful completion of a dissertation.