PROGRAM

Program Overview
Admission Requirements
Prerequisites
Degree Requirements

PROGRAM OVERVIEW

The special Master of Science (M.S.) program in Information Systems & Decision Sciences (ISDS) is pre-dominantly for students with backgrounds in business management. The program emphasizes the business applications of information technology and information systems. The student who will gain the most from the program will have an undergraduate business degree, will have worked for at least two years in industry, and will have some experience with information technology in the work place. Students without a business background are encouraged to consider the E. J. Ourso College's Flores MBA degree with an information systems specialization.

The ISDS faculty is continuously involved in improving the curriculum and enlarging the programs in order to improve the marketability of our graduates. Over the past few years, several new information systems courses have been developed. The ISDS department is working with several other departments to create concentration areas.

As a result of these efforts, ISDS students are highly marketable because of their range and depth of skills in information systems and business administration. Placement of students completing the program has been excellent. Students in the program tend to receive several good job offers with high starting salaries. Companies that actively recruit students from the program include: Exxon, Tenneco, Texas Instruments, JC Penney, South Central Bell, IBM, Chevron, Federal Reserve Bank, International Paper, Georgia Pacific, Andersen Consulting, Ernst & Young, and Deloitte & Touche.

ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS

All applicants are required to take the Graduate Management Admissions test (GMAT) or the Graduate Record Examination (GRE). The admission decision is based primarily on the student's academic records, letter of recommendation and on the GMAT or GRE test score. Students who have graduated from a non-us school should check the LSU Graduate Schools Admission Requirements to determine if a TOEFL Exam is required. All candidates must meet the LSU minimum requirements (see business). Preference is given to students with a GMAT score over 600 and a GPA over 3.0. Work experience is preferred but not required.

PREREQUISITES

BADM 7050 or equivalent

DEGREE REQUIREMENTS

Thesis option requires 39 hours of approved graduate level course work (including BADM 7050 or equivalent 9 semester hours of ISDS core courses, 12 hours of ISDS electives, 9 hours in an approved concentration field outside the ISDS department, are 6 hours of thesis credit), and passing a final examination, which is a defense of the student's thesis.

Project option requires 39 hours of approved graduate level course work (including BADM 7050 or equivalent 9 semester hours of core ISDS courses, 12 hours of ISDS electives, 9 hours in an approved concentration field outside the ISDS department, and 6 hours of project credit), and passing a final examination, which is a defense of the student's project.

All of the student's course work must be at the graduate level. Students who do not have degrees in business administration, in addition to fulfilling normal degree requirements, must also complete two three-hour graduate level courses in business administration, chosen from a set list of five available alternatives.

Project Committee - A committee of 3 ISDS faculty members to supervise the project, and assess the students' performance in the examination (the committee composition will be as for thesis option).

A student must submit a proposed course work plan for approval to the ISDS Masters Program Advisor no later than the end of his or her first semester in the program.

• Download the ISDS M.S. Program of Study here.

FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE ISDS Department Assistantships and Scholarships Graduate School Scholars Dissertation Fellowships Board of Regents' Graduate Fellowship Program The Huel D. Perkins Doctoral Fellowship Program Graduate School Tuition Awards Federal Work-Study Program Loan Programs Veterans' Benefits ISDS DEPARTMENT ASSISTANTSHIPS AND SCHOLARSHIPS Assistantships do not include a tuition waver. Assistantships for Master students range from $4,400 to $8,800 a year. Financial support for Ph.D. students range from $10,000 to $25,000 per year depending on qualifications. Financial support for Ph.D. students may include: Assistantships $10,000 to $15,000 a year depending on qualifications. LSU Fellowships $5,000 a year Dean's Fellowship $5,000 a year All assistantships are competitive and certain restrictions apply to the Dean's Fellowship. All students who receive at least a 10-hour assistantship qualify for in-state tuition. There are also a limited number of tuition wavers available for minority students. See the LSU Graduate School for more information about Assistantships. GRADUATE SCHOOL SCHOLARS Superior graduate students awarded departmental assistantships and fellowships may, on departmental nomination to the Graduate School and selection by a faculty committee approved by the Graduate Dean, be designated Graduate School Scholars. Students selected for these awards receive a monetary enhancement to their departmental assistantship/fellowship. Nominations will be considered on a rolling basis, but applications received to date will be forwarded to the selection committee on the 15th of each month January through April. DISSERTATION FELLOWSHIPS Dissertation Fellowships are available to exceptional doctoral students beginning their final year of study. A one-year stipend of $10,000 is awarded, along with the cost of resident tuition. Nonresident tuition (if applicable) is waived. Applicants must be able to demonstrate a high probability for completion of the dissertation during the fellowship year. Dissertation fellowships are available only to full-time students. For information procedures for this fellowship program, which entail departmental nomination by February 15, contact the Graduate School: 114 David Boyd Hall, (225) 578-2311. BOARD OF REGENTS' GRADUATE FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM The Louisiana Educational Quality Support Fund provides Board of Regents' Graduate Fellowships for exceptionally qualified M.F.A. and doctoral students. These awards are valued at $12,000 to $17,000 per year for up to four years. Academic departments eligible for these awards from year to year. Most major areas-including humanities, social sciences, basic sciences, arts design, education, agriculture, and engineering-are included annually. Interested students should submit scores on the verbal and quantitative portions of the Graduate Record Examination (GMAT scores, if appropriate), official transcripts of all previous college-level work, a one-page narrative of educational goals, and three letters of recommendations. Applications must be submitted through the candidate's department and be received in the Graduate School by February 15th. THE HUEL D. PERKINS DOCTORAL FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM  These fellowships are among the most prestigious awards offered by the University and are available to qualified African-American doctoral students. The Huel D. Perkins Doctoral Fellowships include a cash stipend of $14,000 per year for three years. A fourth year of funding will be provided if the Fellow passes the general examination and has submitted an approved dissertation topic by the end of the third year. An exemption of resident and nonresident tuition is also added to the stipend. For application procedures, which entail departmental nomination by February 15, contact the Graduate School: 114 David Boyd Hall, (225) 578-2311. GRADUATE SCHOOL TUITION AWARDS The graduate dean can award up to 200 tuition exemptions to graduate students from under-represented groups. These tuition awards provide for an exemption from the resident or nonresident fee, or both the resident and nonresident fees. Preference is given to students from Latin American countries and to African-Americans. Students must be admitted to a graduate program at LSU and be nominated by their respective departments. FEDERAL WORK-STUDY PROGRAM Another form of financial assistance available to graduate students is the federal work-study program. A graduate student who qualifies for this program can be assigned part-time employment in an academic area or in any other University office. The amount of aid available is determined by assessment of the student's needs. Students may also be assigned to community service agencies. To be considered for the work-study program, a current or prospective graduate student must file the "Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)." This form should be completed and filed as soon after January 1 as possible. It is to the student's advantage to apply early. Aid is awarded on a yearly basis, and students must reapply each year. Application forms are available from the Office of Student Aid & Scholarships: 202 Himes Hall, (225) 388-3103. LOAN PROGRAMS The Office of Student Aid & Scholarships administers a number of loan programs created to help deserving graduate students who need financial assistance to continue their education . All such funds are subject to policies and regulation authorized by the Faculty Senate Student Aid and Scholarships Committee. To be eligible, a student must be making satisfactory academic progress. For more information on the available loan programs, contact the Office of Student Aid & Scholarships: 202 Himes Hall, (225) 388-3103. VETERANS' BENEFITS The Office of Veterans' Affairs has the responsibility for handling all applications for benefits under the various public laws. In order to receive full VA benefits, a veteran graduate student must be registered for nine or more semester hours. Details and additional information concerning benefits for veterans may be obtained from the Office of Veterans' Affairs: 112 Thomas Boyd Hall, (225) 388-1547.