Earning a Master of Science in Management Information Systems degree can be a valuable step toward building a career in information technology and related fields.
The University of Alabama at Birmingham offers a comprehensive, respected online MS MIS program that can point graduates in the right direction for success. However, the first step toward earning this distinction is gaining entry into the program.
What does the average applicant need to be admitted into the Collat School of Business? Here, we’ll detail the traditional admissions requirements, as well as various exceptions to the rule and outstanding circumstances.
Traditional admissions requirements
The typical first step in working toward an MS MIS degree is earning a bachelor’s degree in information systems, information technology, or something similar. Students who earned a Bachelor of Science in Information Systems from UAB may find the applications process relatively straightforward, but there is no requirement about where students earn a bachelor’s degree before being accepted into a master’s program at UAB.
That said, prospective students need to show that they earned degrees at regionally accredited colleges or universities, which simply ensures their education met the same standard of quality as those conferred at UAB’s Collat School of Business. Additionally, students should have earned a GPA of at least 3.0 on a 4.0 scale. Prospective students should take the Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT); the admissions council looks for scores of 480 and above.
In addition to these prerequisites, all applicants must also pay an application fee, send in their updated resumes, and complete an online application. Finally, prospective students need to write a personal statement that explains their professional applications, as well as detail challenges that they faced and overcame in their lives.
MS MIS after a non-IT bachelor’s degree
Those who didn’t pursue an IT degree during their undergraduate years have three paths to being admitted into the MS MIS online program at UAB: the bridge program, demonstration of industry experience, or relevant certifications.
1. MS MIS Bridge Program
As long as applicants complete a baccalaureate degree in another area of study from a regionally accredited college or university, or completed another graduate degree, they can become eligible for the MS MIS program.
The bridge program is six courses long:
- IS 204 Business Programming
- IS 301 Database Management
- IS 302 Enterprise Systems
- IS 303 Information Systems
- IS 321 Systems Analysis
- BUS 350 Business Communications
2. IT industry experience
Prospective students who don’t have a bachelor’s degree in IT, IS, or computer science but have relevant industry experience may still be eligible for entry into the MS MIS program at UAB by demonstrating their past work with computer programming, enterprise systems, databases, system design and analysis, IS, or IT.
3. IT industry certifications
People who have earned industry certifications related to computer programming, enterprise systems, databases, or system design and analysis may also be eligible for entry into the MS MIS degree program.
GMAT score alternative admissions
Generally speaking, students applying for the MS MIS program through the UAB online degree program should have a GMAT score of 480 or higher. However, it’s still possible to gain entry into the program without having taken this test. The three basic exceptions are based on Graduate Record Examination scores, work experience, or an earned GPA through a graduate degree program.
1. GRE scores
Students who chose to take the GRE rather than the GMAT can submit their scores with their applications to the MS MIS program. Their combined verbal and quantitative score should be 293 or higher, and not more than five years old.
2. Work experience
Professionals with five years of relevant professional experience may not need a test score for acceptance into the MS MIS program. This work experience should be evident in applicants’ resumes, which they must include with their applications.
3. Graduate degree GPA
Students who have earned a graduate degree in another field may be eligible for entry into the MS MIS program as long as their GPAs were 3.0 or higher on a 4.0 scale.
International MS MIS student admissions
International applicants from countries where the primary language isn’t English or those whose previous degree was conferred from an institution that wasn’t taught in English need to demonstrate their language proficiency by submitting one of the following test scores:
1. Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL)
Students who take the TOEFL must have a score of:
- 550 on the paper-based version
- 213 on the computer-based version
- 80 on the internet-based version
2. International English Language Testing Service (IELTS)
Students who take the IELTS need an overall score of 6.5, and should earn at least a 5.0 on each section of the exam.
3. Pearson Test of English Academic (PTE Academic)
Students can also submit their PTE Academic scores to demonstrate their fluency with the English language.
Regardless of which test a student takes, scores should not be more than two years old. Additionally, students need to arrange for the scores to be sent directly to UAB from the testing facility.
Are you ready to apply to UAB’s MS MIS degree program? Reach out to an enrollment advisor to learn more about the application process.
Recommended Readings:
Curriculum overview: Online MS MIS at UAB
How a Master’s in Information Systems degree can prepare you to face 2018’s IT challenges
Sources:
University of Alabama at Birmingham Collat School of Business Course Descriptions
University of Alabama at Birmingham Collat School of Business Admission Requirements