The Department of Information and Operations Management in Mays Business School offers a non-thesis program leading to a Master of Science degree in Management Information Systems (MS-MISY).  This program produces graduates who are both business analysts (i.e., professionals who understand accounting, marketing, finance, etc.) and information system specialists (i.e., professionals who can implement information systems strategies). Graduates of the program possess the business, technical, and leadership skills to meet the challenges presented by rapidly evolving information technology and the need to effectively incorporate this technology into business strategy and day-to-day operations.

The MS-MISY degree program provides two delivery methods. The traditional format is an on-campus option that takes four semesters (21 months) and includes a core curriculum of eight courses, in addition to four elective courses, which may include an optional summer internship. The Flex Online format is designed for working professionals and requires twelve courses, taken in eight-week terms over 24 months. Graduates of the program are qualified to pursue a variety of careers in IT, such as business, systems, or network analyst, database administrator, software developer, risk assurance specialist, systems developer, web developer, etc. 

For additional information on the MS-MISY degree in Mays Business School, please visit https://mays.tamu.edu/ms-management-information-systems/, email INFOStudentServices@mays.tamu.edu, or call (979) 845-0811.

This program is also approved for delivery via asynchronous or synchronous distance education technology.

Steps to Fulfill a Masters Program 

Program Requirements

• Student's Advisory Committee
• Degree Plan
• Credit Requirements
• Transfer of Credit
• Limitations on the Use of Transfer, Extension and Certain Other Courses
• Final Examination

Student’s Advisory Committee

On-Campus and Distance Education Degree Programs

The MS degree in Management Information Systems (MS-MISY) is a non-thesis degree. After receiving admission to graduate studies and enrolling for coursework, the student will be assigned a committee chair. The person assigned will be the faculty member who serves as the academic advisor for the MS-MISY program. 

Degree Plan

On-Campus Program

The student, in consultation with the committee chair, will develop the proposed degree plan to include eight required courses and four elective courses. The degree plan must be completed and filed with the Graduate and Professional School.  The target deadline for filing the degree plan should be the end of the spring semester of the first year of study. 

A student should submit the degree plan using the online Document Processing Submission System.

A student submitting a proposed degree plan for a Master of Science degree in Management Information Systems should designate "MISY non-thesis" on the official degree plan as the program option.

Additional coursework may be added to the approved degree plan by petition if it is deemed necessary by the committee chair to correct deficiencies in the student’s academic preparation.

Distance Education Degree Program

The student will complete a predetermined set of twelve courses.

The degree plan must be completed and filed with the Graduate and Professional School.  The target deadline for filing the degree plan should be the end of the spring semester of the first year of study. 

A student should submit the degree plan using the online Document Processing Submission System.

A student submitting a proposed degree plan for a Master of Science degree in Management Information Systems should designate "MISY non-thesis" on the official degree plan as the program option.

Additional coursework may be added to the approved degree plan by petition if it is deemed necessary by the committee chair to correct deficiencies in the student’s academic preparation.

Credit Requirement

On-Campus and Distance Education Degree Programs

A minimum of 36 semester credit hours of approved courses is required for the Master of Science degree in Management Information Systems.

Transfer of Credit

On-Campus and Distance Education Degree Programs

Due to our cohort model, the MS in Management Information Systems program does not accept transfer of credit or substitutions.

Limitations on the Use of Transfer, Extension and Certain Other Courses

On-Campus and Distance Education Degree Programs

Some departments may have more restrictive requirements for transfer work. If otherwise acceptable, certain courses may be used toward meeting credit-hour requirements for the master’s degree under the following limitations.

1. The maximum number of credit hours which may be considered for transfer credit is the greater of 12 hours or one-third (1/3) of the total hours of a degree plan. The following restrictions apply:
   • Graduate and/or upper-level undergraduate courses taken in residence at an accredited U.S. institution, or approved international institution with a final grade of B or greater will be considered for transfer credit if, at the time the courses were completed, the student was in degree-seeking status at Texas A&M University, or the student was in degree-seeking status at the institution at which the courses were taken; and if the courses would be accepted for credit toward a similar degree for a student in degree-seeking status at the host institution.
   • Courses previously used for another degree are not acceptable for degree plan credit.
2. The maximum number of credit hours taken in post-baccalaureate non-degree (G6) classification at Texas A&M University which may be considered for application to the degree plan is 12.
3. A zero credit 684 or 685 course is only allowed for non-thesis option master's students. A zero credit 681 course can be used for either thesis or non-thesis option master’s students. Other courses, including 691 (Research) hours, are not eligible for zero credit.
4. Not more than 12 hours may be used in any combination of the following categories:
   • Not more than 8 hours in the combination of 691 (Research), 684 (Professional Internship), or SOPH 680 may  may be used. Under normal circumstances, non-thesis masters students may not use 691 hours on their degree plan. used. However, for non-thesis masters students who are using 691 hours on the degree plan, see the Non-Thesis Option section on the Program Requirements page in the graduate catalog for the degree they are pursuing.
   • Not more than 8 hours of 685 (Directed Studies) may be used.
   • Not more than 3 hours of 690 (Theory of Research) may be used.
   • Not more than 3 hours of 695 (Frontiers in Research) may be used.
5. A maximum of 2 hours of 681 (Seminar).
6. A maximum of 9 hours of advanced undergraduate courses (300- or 400-level).
7. For graduate courses of three weeks’ duration or less, taken at other institutions, up to 1 hour of credit may be obtained for each five-day week of coursework. Each week of coursework must include at least 15 contact hours.
8. Continuing education courses may not be used for graduate credit.
9. Extension courses are not acceptable for credit.

10. For non-distance degree programs, no more than 50 percent of the non-research coursework required for the program may be completed through distance education courses.

11. To receive a graduate degree from Texas A&M University, students must earn one-third or more of the credits through the institution’s own direct instruction. This limitation also applies to joint degree programs.  

Exceptions will be permitted only in unusual cases and when petitioned by the student’s advisory committee and approved by the Graduate and Professional School.

Final Examination

On-Campus and Distance Education Degree Programs

The Final Examination is not required for the Master of Science in Management Information Systems.

A student pursuing the non-thesis option is not allowed to enroll in 691 (Research) for any reason and 691 may not be used for credit toward a non-thesis option Master of Science degree. A maximum of 4 credit hours of 684 (Professional Internship), 8 credit hours of 685 (Directed Studies), and up to 3 credit hours of 690 (Theory of Research) or 695 (Frontiers in Research) may be used toward the non-thesis option Master of Science degree. In addition, any combination of 684, 685, 690, and 695 may not exceed 25 percent of the total credit hour requirement shown on the individual degree plan. All requirements for the non-thesis option Master of Science degree other than those specified above are the same as for the thesis option degree.

The department head or the chair of an intercollegiate faculty (if appropriate) for the program may approve an exception for a PhD student who changes to a non-thesis option MS degree program after at least one year of PhD studies to use 691 credits toward a non-thesis option Master of Science degree. The department head or chair of an intercollegiate faculty (if appropriate) for the program may approve an exception for a master’s student who changes from a MS thesis option degree to a MS non-thesis option degree program to use 691 credits toward a non-thesis option Master of Science degree. In both cases, the student is allowed to use a maximum of 8 credit hours of 685 and 691 combined. Departments, Colleges, and Interdisciplinary Degree Programs may opt to establish higher standards. Further any combination of 684, 685, 690, 691, and 695 may not exceed 25 percent of the total credit hour requirement shown on the individual degree plan. All requirements for the non-thesis option Master of Science degree other than those specified above are the same as for the thesis option degree.

Additional Requirements

• Residence
• Continuous Registration
• Time Limit
• Foreign Languages
• Application for Degree

Residence

On-Campus Degree Program

In partial fulfillment of the residence requirement for the degree of Master of Science, the student must complete 9 resident credit hours during one regular semester or one 10-week summer semester in resident study at Texas A&M University. A minimum of 1 credit hour must be in a non-distance education delivery mode. Semesters during which the student is enrolled in all distance education coursework will not count toward fulfillment of the residence requirement. Upon recommendation of the student’s advisory committee, department head or Chair of the Interdisciplinary Program, if appropriate, and with approval of the Graduate and Professional School, a student may be granted exemption from this requirement. Such a petition, however, must be approved prior to the student’s registration for the final 9 credit hours of required coursework.

Students who are employed full-time while completing their degree may fulfill total residence requirements by completion of less-than-full time course loads each semester. In order to be considered for this, students are required to submit a Petition for Waivers and Exceptions along with verification of their employment to the Graduate and Professional School.

See Residence Requirements.

Distance Education Degree Program

Distance Education students will be required to attend two three-day sessions on campus at the beginning of the first and second years. The first session will include program orientation, training for course technologies and procedures, and faculty/staff introductions.  The second session will provide preparations for the second year and the capstone course, as well as career-management strategies.

Continuous Registration

On-Campus and Distance Education Degree Programs

A student in the thesis option of the Master of Science program who has completed all coursework on his/her degree plan other than 691 (Research) is required to be in continuous registration until all requirements for the degree have been completed.

See Continuous Registration Requirements.

Time Limit

On-Campus and Distance Education Degree Programs

All degree requirements must be completed within a period of seven consecutive years for the degree to be granted. A course will be considered valid until seven years after the end of the semester in which it is taken. Graduate credit for coursework which is more than seven calendar years old at the time of the final examination (oral or written) may not be used to satisfy degree requirements.

A student who has chosen the thesis option must have the final corrected copies of the thesis cleared by the Graduate and Professional School within one year of the semester in which the final exam is taken, or a final exam exemption petition was approved. Exams taken in between terms will expire at the end of the term that ended prior to the exam. For example, a final exam taken and passed during the Fall 2022 semester will expire at the end of the Fall 2023 semester. A final exam taken in the time between the Summer and Fall 2022 semesters will expire at the end of the Summer 2023 semester.

Foreign Languages

On-Campus and Distance Education Degree Programs

No specific language requirement exists for the Master of Science degree.

Application for Degree

On-Campus and Distance Education Degree Programs

For information on applying for your degree, please visit the Graduation section.