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MS in Information Systems
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A Public Research
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MS IS QUICK LINKS: MSIS
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MSIS - Frequently Asked Questions
Invitation and Disclaimer: We believe all information
on this Web site to be accurate, and we make every effort to update
it when information is unclear or policies at NJIT change. However we
cannot guarantee that the information is 100% without errors,
especially concerning policies outside the IS Department. If you do
find anything is unclear or inaccurate or if you did not find the
information you needed, please contact the MSIS
Webmaster - thanks!.
Table of Contents (Overview)
Current and New MSIS Students
|
Thinking of Applying
|
Advising and Administrative Information
|
Other Information
|
Table of Contents (Detail)
- Should meet with my advisor as soon as I get to
NJIT?
- Who is my advisor?
- Can I take courses during the summer before I
officially start?
- Changing graduate programs at NJIT
- I made a mistake: I applied to CS instead of IS:
Can I switch from CS to IS?
- I need to postpone my admissions, and come a
semester late.
(back to top;
overview of table of
contents; detailed table
of contents)
- How many courses may I take?
- Which courses should I take?
- May I take distance courses if I am not a
distance student?
- Which courses may I take outside CIS? How many
courses may I take outside CIS?
- Which CIS Electives do we recommend?
- Can anyone take 700-level courses?
- I tried to register for a bridge course, but
the system says I need a prerequisite course.
- Can I take courses during the summer before I
officially start?
- How do I register for courses?
- Do I need anyone's approval or signature to
register?
- How do I register for courses at Rutgers and
UMDNJ?
- I have just been admitted. When can I register
for courses?
- What if a course is full ("closed")?
- What if the section I need is full ("closed")
or at a bad time?
- I can't register!
- I got a low grade in a course/I got an F in a
course. Can I repeat the course?
- What will an F prevent me from
doing?
- May I take CIS601, 602 and 604?
- How do I find out what text books are needed
for my courses?
- What are the tuition and fees for
NJIT?
- How do I withdraw from a course?
- Can I take fewer than 4 courses in my final
semester and keep my visa?
(back to top;
overview of table of
contents; detailed table
of contents)
- How do I know whether I need to take Bridge or
ESL courses?
- English as a Second Language (ESL)
Requirement
- ENG 598 - Understanding Research Articles in
IS
- Do I need CIS350, CIS465 and CIS565? I have
a CS background and work experience.
- I know C++. Why have I been assigned CIS 505
as a bridge course?
- When must I complete my ESL courses? Can I take
them later so I can get a start on my graduate courses?
- I wasn't assigned ESL courses, but I'd like to
take some./I've finished my required ESL courses. I'd like to take
some more.
- Why does IS have Bridge Requirements?
- When must I complete my bridge courses? Can I
take them later so I can get a start on my graduate
courses?
- I am planning to apply to NJIT but before I do
so I want to know how many bridge courses I will be required to
take. To whom do I talk?
- Can I take my bridge courses outside
NJIT?
- Can any discrete analysis and statistics
courses substitute for Math 226 and 333?
- Alternatives to Math
226
- Can I substitute other courses for the bridge
courses that I've been assigned?
- I'd like to study additional bridge courses,
even though I haven't been assigned them.
- What grades do I need to get in my bridge
courses for them to count?
- Can I take bridge courses Pass/Fail?
- I heard that I can waive bridge courses if I
get a good grade in the corresponding graduate course...
- How do I waive bridge courses?
- I tried to register for a bridge course, but
the system says I need a prerequisite course.
(back to top;
overview of table of
contents; detailed table
of contents)
- What grades do I need to get in my core courses
to graduate?
- What grades (GPA) do I need to get in all my
graduate courses to graduate?
- What grades do I need to get in my bridge
courses for them to count?
- I got a low grade in a course/I got an F in a
course. Can I repeat the course?
- What will an F prevent me from doing?
(back to top;
overview of table of
contents; detailed table
of contents)
- What is a Masters Project and Masters
Thesis?
- Additional Masters Thesis Information
- Can IS students do a Masters Project or Masters
Thesis?
- Who can advise a Masters Project/Thesis
- Applying for a Masters Project/Thesis &
Important Dates
- When are Masters Project reports due?
- Where do I turn in my Masters Project
report?
- Masters Project Grading: NJIT permits no
Incompletes
- What is an Independent Study?
- Can I take two Independent Studies in the same
semester?
(back to top;
overview of table of
contents; detailed table
of contents)
- Do you want to save time when you need to see an
advisor?
- Where can I find MS IS information and answers
to my questions?
- Do you just need a form signed by an MS IS
advisor?
- Should meet with my advisor as soon as I get to
NJIT?
- I would like to see my advisor. How should I
prepare to make the meeting productive?
- Who is my advisor?
(back to top;
overview of table of
contents; detailed table
of contents)
- How do I transfer courses
from other universities?
- How do I transfer courses if
I switch majors within NJIT?
(back to top;
overview of table of
contents; detailed table
of contents)
- Information Systems, Computer Science or
MIS?
- What If I Don't Have an IS or CS
Background?
- What are the qualifications?
- What if I don't qualify?
- Certificate Programs
- Distance Learning & Part-Time
Studies
- Are there different admission standards for
distance, part-time or Mt. Laurel students?
- Coming from Three-Year Undergraduate
Programs
- Admissions Process
- What Materials Should I Include in my
Application?
- I don't have all my admissions information. Can
I apply now and send the missing information later?
- I'm still missing some application materials.
Can NJIT help?
- Checking the Status of My Application
- Under what circumstances can I get a
"conditional admission"?
- Can I place my application on-hold, while I
await new test scores?
- GRE, GMAT or MCAT
- TOEFL
- Financial Support
- What are the application deadlines?
- What if I've missed the application
deadlines?
- Do I need to hurry? Is there a quota for the MS
IS program?
- NJIT's dual masters degree program
- Can I major in another field and take a minor
in IS?
- Transferring from other universities
- I have a MS IS from a foreign university. May I
get one at NJIT too?
- How long does it take to earn the MS IS
degree?
(back to top;
overview of table of
contents; detailed table
of contents)
Click here for the notes.
Click here for information.
- I really want to do a Ph.D. in IS. Do I need to
get a MS IS first?
- I would like to get my Ph.D. after completing my
MS IS degree.
- Can I earn a MS IS and a Ph.D. in IS at the same
time?
- I'm in a Ph.D. program now at another university
(or at NJIT). I've decided that I'd rather do a MS degree instead.
What do I need to do to apply to the MS IS?
(back to top;
overview of table of
contents; detailed table
of contents)
- What is a Co-op?
- What requirements must I complete to become
eligible for a Co-op?
- How many courses can I take when I am doing my
Co-op program?
- Can I take another Co-op in a subsequent
semester?
- I'm having problems with my Co-op. What do I
do?
(back to top;
overview of table of
contents; detailed table
of contents)
- Graduate Assistantships
(Financial Support)
- What if I missed the Graduation
Deadline?
- Cheating & Plagiarism Policies
- Changing graduate programs at NJIT
- Can I take a leave-of-absence for a few
semesters?
(back to top;
overview of table of
contents; detailed table
of contents)
Detailed Questions
New Students (and switching
programs at NJIT)
- Should meet with my advisor as soon as I get to
NJIT?
- Who is my advisor?
- Can I take courses during the summer before I
officially start?
- Changing graduate programs at NJIT
- I made a mistake: I applied to CS instead of IS:
Can I switch from CS to IS?
- I need to postpone my admissions, and come a
semester late.
(back to top;
overview of table of
contents; detailed table
of contents)
- Should meet with my advisor as soon as I get
to NJIT?
No, there generally is no need to meet an MS IS advisor when you
start at NJIT. All the information you need to know most likely
will be posted on this MS IS Web site. If your question is not
answered, ask it on the WebBoard advising system!
- Who is my advisor?
The "Contact"
link will tell you who the MS IS Advisors are, and what their
office hours are.
- Can I take courses during the summer before
I officially start?
A student beginning or accepted for the Fall must get permission
from the Admissions Office to enroll in courses the summer before
they start. An MS IS Advisor should contact the Admissions Office
on your behalf. Please email an advisor at msis
@ oak.njit.edu.
Foreign students need permission from the International Programs
Office to enroll in any summer course prior to going through the
foreign student orientation, which occurs at the end of August.
Please contact Dr. Grundy directly at grundy@adm.njit.edu.
- Changing graduate programs at NJIT
Some graduate programs are easier to get into than others at NJIT.
As a result a number of people have entered in one program and
then the first semester sought to transfer into one of the harder
programs.
NJIT's policy is that you must spend a full academic year in the
graduate program you enter in before the Admissions Office will
consider forwarding your application to a different NJIT office.
Furthermore since CS and IS have many courses in common an IS
major must take CIS 677 followed by CIS 675 the first academic
year before we will consider a transfer.
To transfer degree programs, you must make a formal application
through the NJIT Admissions Office and pay the application fee.
You generally will need over a 3.0 Grade Point Average, with very
good grades (B+) in any CIS courses. It is often more difficult to
transfer to IS than getting into IS originally.
Note that only permitted electives (listed elsewhere on this page)
will count towards the MS IS degree. Many courses from other
majors are not eligible for credit in the MS IS program.
- I made a mistake: I applied to CS instead of
IS: Can I switch from CS to IS?
If you mistakenly applied for the MS CS instead of the MS IS
program (or vice versa), you need to let the Admissions Office
know *immediately, before* you arrive at NJIT. They may
choose to re-route your application to the department you really
meant to apply to. Your application will still go through the full
application review, and there is no guarantee that even if you are
accepted into one program, that you will gain admission to the
other...
Once you start at NJIT, you will have to wait a year before
switching programs. (See the item on Changing Graduate Programs at
NJIT above.)
- I need to postpone my admissions, and come a
semester late
If you need to postpone your starting date at NJIT, please send a
letter (not email) to the NJIT admissions department with a brief
explanation.
(back to top;
overview of table of
contents; detailed table
of contents; top of this
section: New Students (and
switching programs at NJIT)
Choosing, Registering and Other Course
Information
- How many courses may I take?
- Which courses should I take?
- May I take distance courses if I am not a
distance student?
- Which courses may I take outside CIS? How many
courses may I take outside CIS?
- Which CIS Electives do we recommend?
- Can anyone take 700-level courses?
- I tried to register for a bridge course, but
the system says I need a prerequisite course.
- Can I take courses during the summer before I
officially start?
- How do I register for courses?
- Do I need anyone's approval or signature to
register?
- How do I register for courses at Rutgers and
UMDNJ?
- I have just been admitted. When can I register
for courses?
- What if a course is full ("closed")?
- What if the section I need is full ("closed")
or at a bad time?
- I can't register!
- I got a low grade in a course/I got an F in a
course. Can I repeat the course?
- What will an F prevent me from
doing?
- May I take CIS601, 602 and 604?
- How do I find out what text books are needed
for my courses?
- What are the tuition and fees for
NJIT?
- How do I withdraw from a course?
- Can I take fewer than 4 courses in my final
semester and keep my visa?
(back to top;
overview of table of
contents; detailed table
of contents)
Note: The general course
requirements for the MS IS are listed in the MS
IS Description.
- How many courses may I take?
Starting Fall 2002, Masters students in the College of Computing
Sciences will be allowed to take at most four courses per
semester. We have long wanted to make this limit and finally have
been able to incorporate it in the registration system. This will
allow people to really concentrate on their courses, including the
very important bridge courses that form the background knowledge
for graduate courses. We realize that this will lengthen the time
it takes full-time students to complete the degree, especially if
they are required to take bridge courses. But we believe this will
allow everyone to learn more deeply.
The Only Exceptions:
- Students taking an ESL course may take that as a fifth
course
- Students taking ENG 598 may take that as a fifth
course
- Students may take five courses in their final semester to
complete graduation requirements
- Students wishing to take a for-credit physical education
course may take this in addition to other courses
- Not an exception: the need to take additional courses
for financial reasons
- To register for an additional course as one of these
exceptions, you will need to get permission from an MS IS
advisor.
We will not be making exceptions beyond those listed above, so
there is no need to see an advisor if this is your only concern.
However, you are welcome to see an advisor otherwise, and we have
streamlined this process as follows.
- Which courses should I take?
The general course requirements for the MS IS are listed in the
MS IS Description. The
course planning form
should prove helpful in deciding which courses to take.
Starting students should first complete and ESL
and Bridge Course requirements. If you plan on doing a
co-op, then you must complete your core courses
(CIS 663/673, 677 and 675). Note that CIS 677 is a prerequisite
for CIS 675. So we suggest doing your core courses as soon as
possible.
After this, it is really up to you. Plan your courses keeping
prerequisites in mind. Also be aware that most courses are not
available during the summer. You can check with Dr. Hrechak in the
College of Computing Sciences to get an idea which courses most
likely will be offered in the summer, but there are no
guarantees.
- May I take distance courses if I am not a
distance student?
Any NJIT student may take either distance or on-campus courses.
Both have the same quality and essentially are identical.
- Which courses may I take outside CIS? How
many courses can I take outside CIS?
Note that you are not required to take courses outside CIS
(although most of the application track courses are outside CIS).
Students with a substantial CS or IS background (either an
undergraduate or masters degree, or 4 years IS/CS-related work
experience) may take 4 courses out of the 12 for the MSIS program
outside CIS. Everyone else may only take 2 courses outside CIS.
The reason for this is that we believe ourselves obligated to
provide a solid, academic grounding in CIS as part of our degree,
and CIS work experience rarely provides the robust underpinning
that formal education gives.
A list of permissible non-CIS
electives is posted on the MS IS Web site.
If you plan to take 4 courses, you MUST check with an MS IS
advisor to establish that you have the appropriate background.
Otherwise you will not be permitted to graduate.
- Which CIS Electives do we recommend?
We strongly recommend the following three courses that will
provide the minimum set of technical knowledge really needed in
dealing with Information Systems today:
- CIS 601 Object Oriented Programming
(requires CIS 505 or CIS 113)
- CIS 602 Web Development (JAVA)
(requires CIS 601)
- CIS 631 Database Systems
(requires CIS 114 or CIS 505. CIS 431 or experience with
database systems))
We recommend the following advanced CIS electives for
particularly outstanding Masters students:
- CIS 731 Applications of Database Systems
- CIS 732 Interactive Systems Design
- CIS 735 Computer Mediated Communications
- CIS 762 Information Systems for Planning and
Forecasting
- CIS 767 Decision Support Systems
- Can anyone take 700-level courses?
700-level courses are for advanced students and students who plan
to do (or are doing) a Ph.D. Anyone is welcome to take these
courses, but if you have any doubts you should talk to the
instructor to ensure you will be able to participate
effectively.
- I tried to register for a bridge course,
but the system says I need a prerequisite course.
Some bridge courses have undergraduate prerequisites. If you have
trouble registering for any bridge course for this reason,
email an MS IS advisor, and
we will ask the Registrar's office to override this prerequisite
for you.
- Can I take courses during the summer before
I officially start?
A student beginning or accepted for the Fall can get permission
from the Admissions Office to enroll in courses the summer before
they start. An MS IS Advisor should contact the Admissions Office
on your behalf. Please email an
MS IS advisor.
Foreign students need permission from the International Programs
Office to enroll in any summer course prior to going through the
foreign student orientation, which occurs at the end of August.
Please contact Dr. Grundy directly at grundy@adm.njit.edu.
- How do I register
for courses?
You can now register directly over the Internet with NJIT's
on-line registration system. See the Registrar's Web site for
details.
If you would like to register in person, go to the Registrar's
Office at the Student Mall in the basement of the Parking Deck.
Inform the staff that this is your first semester at NJIT; they
will assist you with registration.
International students are required to attend an orientation
before registration is possible.
- Do I need anyone's approval or
signature to register?
In ordinary situations, you do not need anyone's signature or
approval to register. Just follow the instructions
above. As stated above, the course
planning form should help you determine the proper courses to
take.
- How do I register for courses at Rutgers
and UMDNJ?
NJIT students may register for courses outside NJIT at Rutgers
University and UMDNJ, as long as these are valid for their degree
program (e.g., as electives).
Some Rutgers and UMDNJ (BINF) courses are included in the NJIT
course schedule and students can register for these in the normal
way. Registering for any other courses is handled through
cross-registration. The student must find the ID of the course and
section, complete a cross-registration form and submit it to the
NJIT Registrar Office. The NJIT registrar will then contact the
other university to arrange your registration.
- I have just been admitted. When can I
register for courses?
New students can register as soon as they are admitted (assuming
it is after course registration has opened). International
students attending classes on-campus, however, must go through an
orientation session before registering. (Check with the Office
of International Students. The main orientation session is
during the last week of August.)
For registration instructions, see the Registrar's
Web site.
- What if a course is full
("closed")?
Follow the instructions posted on the CCS
Web site. The MS IS Advisor can not help you get into closed
courses.
- What if the section I need is full
("closed") or at a bad time?
Of course, you should see if any other sections are available.
Seriously consider taking a Distance Learning section instead of
an on-campus section. Then you can participate at your convenience
(as long as you keep up with the course materials :-)
You can also fill out a closed course form at the CCS
Web site. The MS IS Advisor can not help you get into closed
sections.
- I can't register!
If your registration is on-hold, you need to contact the
appropriate office. The MS IS Advisor cannot help you until you
know why your registration is on-hold!
If you are a new student, you should contact the Admissions office
directly at (800-925-NJIT) during working hours.
If you are a current student, you should contact the Registrar's
office directly at (973-596-3236) during working hours, or email
them at registrar@njit.edu.
Only they can tell you why your registration is on hold and how to
resolve this.
- I got a low grade in a course/I got an F
in a course. Can I repeat the course?
(See note in the Grades section)
- What will an F prevent me from doing?
(See note in the Grades section)
- May I take CIS601, 602 and 604?
Yes. The MS in Computer Science program restricts taking all
three of these courses, but you are free to take all three in the
MS IS program as long as they fit as part of your overall program
requirements.
- How do I find out what text books are
needed for my courses?
The bookstore itself (not its Web site) has the textbooks for
the current (or near to current) semester. You can also contact
the professor of the course directly - often this information
will be listed on a professor's Web site.
- What are the tuition and fees for
NJIT?
All this kind of information is available on the Registrar's
Web site.
- How do I withdraw from a course?
You may withdraw using the "Registrar
On-Line" system.
- Can I take fewer than 4 courses in my
final semester and keep my visa?
If you are a full-time foreign student and are taking fewer than
four courses in your final semester, you need to inform the
Graduate Student Office and Office of International Students of
this. This will ensure that you have no visa problems.
(back to top;
overview of table of
contents; detailed table
of contents; top of this section:
Choosing Courses,
Registering and Other Course
Information)
Bridge/ESL
Requirements
- How do I know whether I need to take Bridge or
ESL courses?
- English as a Second Language (ESL)
Requirement
- ENG 598 - Understanding Research Articles in
IS
- I need CIS350, CIS465 and/or CIS565? I have
a CS background and work experience.
- I know C++. Why have I been assigned CIS 505
as a bridge course?
- When must I complete my ESL courses? Can I take
them later so I can get a start on my graduate courses?
- I wasn't assigned ESL courses, but I'd like to
take some./I've finished my required ESL courses. I'd like to take
some more.
- Why does IS have Bridge Requirements?
- When must I complete my bridge courses? Can I
take them later so I can get a start on my graduate
courses?
- I am planning to apply to NJIT but before I do
so I want to know how many bridge courses I will be required to
take. To whom do I talk?
- Can I take my bridge courses outside
NJIT?
- Can any discrete analysis and statistics
courses substitute for Math 226 and 333?
- Alternatives to Math
226
- Can I substitute other courses for the bridge
courses that I've been assigned?
- I'd like to study additional bridge courses,
even though I haven't been assigned them.
- What grades do I need to get in my bridge
courses for them to count?
- Can I take bridge courses Pass/Fail?
- I heard that I can waive bridge courses if I
get a good grade in the corresponding graduate course...
- How do I waive bridge courses?
- I tried to register for a bridge course, but
the system says I need a prerequisite course.
(back to top;
overview of table of
contents; detailed table
of contents)
Note: The bridge courses are
listed in the MS
IS Description.
- How do I know whether I need to take Bridge
or ESL courses?
If you have been assigned any bridge or ESL courses, they will be
listed on your admissions letter. If none are listed on your
admissions letter, then you do not have to take any.
- English as a Second Language (ESL)
Requirement
If your TOEFL is anywhere near the
lower threshold described above, we still will require two ESL
courses (English as a Second Language). English mastery is
extremely important to mastering IS courses. When you arrive
on-campus, you will have to speak to the Director of the ESL
program (currently Dr.
Paris), to determine which ESL courses you should attend. Dr.
Paris could also arrange a waiver of these if he believes
appropriate.
- ENG 598 - Understanding Research
Articles in IS
If you score under 60% in your GRE, GMAT or MCAT exams, we will
assign you to our special ENG598 course. Also, if you have had low
grades in humanities courses, we may assign you to this course as
well. It is designed to teach people the skill of analyzing
complex English journal articles. This is something many people
have not experienced in their undergraduate educations, either in
the United States or abroad. This is an important skill for the IS
core courses. ENG 598 is not an ESL course. Good TOEFL scores, or
speaking English well have little to do with ENG598 and therefore
have no impact on waiving this requirement.
Do I need CIS 350, CIS 465 and/or CIS
565? I have a CS background and work experience.
We regularly assign either both CIS350 and CIS465, or CIS 565 to
people with strong Computer Science backgrounds and to people with
a lot of work experience in CS, IT and IS fields. All are thorough
and rigorous courses, covering topics that Computer Science
educational programs often do not, and that work experience
generally does not teach you.
CIS465 and CIS565, for example, have a large decision analysis
component as well. Systems analysis experience alone is not
adequate for waiving CIS465 and CIS565.
- I know C++. Why have I been assigned CIS
505 as a bridge course?
CIS 505, which many people are assigned, focuses on algorithms,
not just C++. CIS505 actually is an excelerated course combining
CIS 113 and CIS 114. CIS114 focuses on algorithms. If you know
C++, you can choose to take CIS 114 instead of CIS 505.
- When must I complete my ESL courses? Can I
take them later so I can get a start on my graduate
courses?
You MUST take your ESL courses starting in your first semester,
and finishing at the latest in your second semester. If you are
assigned two ESL courses, you can take them both in one semester,
or across two semesters. You CANNOT take them later on, in order
to get a start on your graduate courses or other bridge
courses.
- I wasn't assigned ESL courses, but I'd like
to take some./I've finished my required ESL courses. I'd like to
take some more.
Feel free to take additional ESL courses. The better your
knowledge of English, the better you will do in your coursework
and in the working world! You will find them listed among the
courses of the English Department.
- Why does IS have Bridge
Requirements?
The purpose of bridge courses is to prepare you for graduate
courses. Without bridge courses, professors would be forced to
lower the standards and content of their courses to accommodate
those without appropriate backgrounds. This would threaten to
lower the overall standard of NJIT's courses. Therefore we are
very strict about enforcing the bridge courses we assign.
Bridge classes apply to anyone without a complete CS/IS
background, regardless of where they come from or their prior GPA.
Bridge courses ensure that all students have the correct
prerequisite knowledge to take the graduate courses in our
program.
- When must I complete my bridge courses? Can
I take them later so I can get a start on my graduate
courses?
You MUST take your bridge courses starting in your first semester.
You MUST finish them before starting graduate coursework.
Exceptions:
- If you are assigned ESL courses, you should do at least one
each semester, starting in your first semester until you
complete them.
- You must take CIS 113 or CIS 505 before you take CIS
332.
- If you have time for other courses in your last semester of
taking bridge courses, then you could take some to fill your
schedule to 5 courses that semester. (You may take 5 courses
since at least one is a bridge course.) In this case, do not
take graduate courses that require the bridge courses you are
taking as prerequisites.
- I am planning to apply to NJIT but before I
do so I want to know how many bridge courses I will be required to
take. To whom do I talk?
Basically the answer is: nobody! It is difficult to judge
which bridge courses you will need to take without an MS IS
advisor reviewing your entire application. Furthermore, any
information that a faculty member provides regarding admission
conditions (e.g. bridge courses) is PURELY SPECULATIVE UNLESS IT
OFFICIALLY APPEARS IN YOUR ACCEPTANCE LETTER. A final decision can
be reached only by the application reviewer who reviews the
complete application package submitted to the Admissions
Office.
- Can I take my bridge courses outside
NJIT?
Students may take courses equivalent to Bridge program courses
at another college or university (including community colleges).
In such a case they can request a waiver for the courses taken
elsewhere. This may also have some financial implications, since
NJIT could charge graduate rates for undergraduate bridge courses
once you are enrolled, and these entry-level courses may simply be
less expensive elsewhere.
Bridge program courses taken before submitting an admissions
application can enhance an applicant's chances of getting into the
program if you have had poor grades in IS/CS related courses in
the past.
If you plan to take courses equivalent to our bridge courses
elsewhere, be sure to check with an MS IS advisor to ensure that
they truely are equivalent, and will count towards your bridge
requirement.
If you do take equivalent courses elsewhere after you have been
accepted at NJIT, you MUST formally get your bridge requirements
waived (see below). Otherwise they
will remain as a requirement on your record and you will be unable
to proceed properly in the graduate program.
- Can any discrete analysis and statistics
courses substitute for Math 226 and 333?
You can substitute any discrete analysis course requiring two
semesters of calculus as a prerequisite for Math 226 outside NJIT.
Similarly, you can substitute any probability and statistics
course requiring calculus for Math 333.
- Alternatives to Math
226
While we recommend Math 226, we actually allow you to substite any
higher-level post-calculus math class in its place. The only
requirement is that the course require at least one year of
calculus as a prerequisite.
- Can I substitute other courses for the
bridge courses that I've been assigned?
- You can substitute CIS 113 and CIS 114 together for CIS
505.
- You can substitute another post-calculus, advanced
mathematics course for CIS 226.
- Advanced students may take CIS 776 instead of CIS 465,
before taking the core CIS 677.
- Apart from these exceptions, you must take the bridge courses
assigned. As noted below, you can take several of them at other
universities.
- I'd like to study additional bridge
courses, even though I haven't been assigned them.
Feel free to take additional background courses if you feel you
could use them. Note that they do not count towards your MS IS
graduation credits. If there are graduate course equivalents, you
may wish to ask the instructor if you have the appropriate
background to go straight to the graduate version.
- What grades do I need to get in my bridge
courses for them to count?
You must get at least a C in each Math bridge course and CIS565,
and at least a B in every other CIS bridge course (not a
B-average) for each to count towards your bridge course
requirements. Otherwise you will need to repeat the course.
For CIS 505, if you get a grade lower than a B, we strongly
recommend that you take CIS 114 instead of CIS 505 the second
time.
- Can I take bridge courses
Pass/Fail?
No, you must take bridge courses for a "letter grade." And you
must get the grades noted in the prior comment above.
- I heard that I can waive bridge courses if
I get a good grade in the corresponding graduate course...
In the past it has been possible to waive out of some bridge
courses by getting high grades in other courses. This was an
informal policy, which we are no longer following.
- How do I waive
bridge courses?
If you are convinced that you have had the background to waive a
bridge requirement, then you need to convince the Graduate IS
Advisor of this. Fill out the
Course Waiver Form.
If you are using work experience as a substitute for a bridge
course, please include a very detailed description of your work
experience (several paragraphs), documents and other evidence as
appropriate.
(back to top;
overview of table of
contents; detailed table
of contents; top of this
section: Bridge/ESL
Requirements)
Grades & Grade Requirements
- What grades do I need to get in my core courses
to graduate?
- What grades (GPA) do I need to get in all my
graduate courses to graduate?
- What grades do I need to get in my bridge
courses for them to count?
- I got a low grade in a course/I got an F in a
course. Can I repeat the course?
- What will an F prevent me from doing?
(back to top;
overview of table of
contents; detailed table
of contents; top of this section:
What Grades do I need to
Graduate)
- What grades do I need to get in my core
courses to graduate?
MS IS students must have at least a 3.0 overall GPA in the three
core courses (CIS 663/673, CIS 675 and CIS 677). No grade may be
under a C+ in these courses, or you will need to retake the course
for graduation. (If you do retake a course, please get a repeated
course form approved by the Graduate Studies Office to remove the
first from your GPA.)
- What grades (GPA) do I need to get in all my
graduate courses to graduate?
A student needs to maintain a CUMULATIVE GPA of 3.0 or higher in
all graduate-level courses regardless of applicability to a
specific degree. Graduate-level courses that count are 500-level,
600-level, and 700-level courses from within the Department or
outside the Department. The grade for CIS 700B Master's Project,
however, IS NOT included in GPA calculations. If such a GPA is not
maintained, a student may need to repeat a graduate course. (If
you do retake a course, please get a repeated course form approved
by the Graduate Studies Office to remove the first from your
GPA.)
The cumulative GPA score includes every graduate course ever taken
at NJIT regardless of the number of degree programs in which you
have participated. To graduate, you must not only have a
cumulative GPA of 3.0 or above for all courses you have taken at
NJIT, but also must have a 3.0 or above in the courses presented
for the MS IS degree. This is a general NJIT policy.
Graduate Studies has a GPA
calculator on-line.
- What grades do I need to get in my bridge
courses for them to count?
You must get at least a C in each Math bridge course and CIS565,
and at least a B in every other CIS bridge course (not a
B-average) for each to count towards your bridge course
requirements. Otherwise you will need to repeat the course.
For CIS 505, if you get a grade lower than a B, we strongly
recommend that you take CIS 114 instead of CIS 505 the second
time.
- I got a low grade in a course/I got an F in
a course. Can I repeat the course?
If you receive an "F" in a course, you will need to repeat that
course to graduate.
A student can repeat a maximum of two courses. Normally, these
courses are courses that a student received a fail grade (e.g. F)
or courses that affect negatively the cumulative GPA of 3.0 or
higher, or bridge courses with low grades. For information on how
to repeat a course contact the Office of Graduate Studies (Dean
Dr. Ron Kane) or go to the Graduate Studies Web page for more
details.
You need to go to the Office of Graduate Studies and fill out a
course repetition form. Both the Dean of Graduate Studies and the
Department Graduate Advisor need to approve and sign this form.
The new grade replaces the old grade in GPA calculations. Both
grades show up on the transcript, however.
If a student receives an F in a course and repeats it without
following the procedure above, then BOTH the old grade (F) and the
new grade will be used in GPA calculations.
Similarly, if you need to repeat more than two courses, you can
use the above process to replace two of them. For the other
courses, both the old grade and the new grade will calculated in
your GPA.
Some students have asked if they can repeat the course at another
university. If an equivalent course is offered you may take it
elsewhere and transfer it over to
NJIT. However, this will only satisfy the requirement for
graduating. The grade will not be counted in your GPA and the
grade of the original course will not be removed from your
GPA.
- What will an F prevent me from
doing?
As stated immediately above, you cannot graduate with an F on your
record, unless you repeat the course.
However, and F will not prevent you from doing a co-op, holding a
campus job or holding a research assistantship. In all of these
cases, as long as you maintain a 3.0 average, you should be
allowed to continue in that activity/job.
(back to top;
overview of table of
contents; detailed table
of contents; top of this section:
Grades & Grade
Requirements)
Masters Project, Masters Thesis and
Independent Study
- What is a Masters Project and Masters
Thesis?
- Additional Masters Thesis Information
- Can IS students do a Masters Project or Masters
Thesis?
- Who can advise a Masters Project/Thesis
- Applying for a Masters Project/Thesis &
Important Dates
- When are Masters Project reports due?
- Where do I turn in my Masters Project
report?
- Masters Project Grading: NJIT permits no
Incompletes
- What is an Independent Study?
- Can I take two Independent Studies in the same
semester?
(back to top;
overview of table of
contents; detailed table
of contents)
- What is a Masters Project and Masters
Thesis?
A masters project typically is a one-semester project done under
the guidance of a faculty member. A masters thesis is a
two-semester project, combining the programming project with some
research that could result in an academic publication.
Many students have found the Masters Project an excellent way to
gain development experience and be able to list this on their
resume.
MS IS students can negotiate a substantial research-oriented
non-programming masters project with IS faculty members. There is
no set format for this alternate approach, and you will have to
work your project out carefully in advance with your faculty
advisor. The IS advisor also must approve your project. See the
MSIS Masters Projects page for
details.
Course IDs: Masters Project (CIS 700B-XYZ), Masters Thesis
(CIS701B-XYZ), where XYZ is the special identifier of your faculty
advisor for the masters project or thesis.
Students planning to continue with the IS Ph.D. program might
not be able to take a CIS 700 implementation project for Ph.D.
credit. Similarly, it is possible that only 3 credits of CIS 701
will count towards the IS Ph.D. program. Therefore, if you are
going to do a masters project or thesis, then please check with
the Ph.D. program coordinator first to ensure that all of it
counts for Ph.D. course credit.
- Additional Masters Thesis
Information
CIS 701B is a closed-course. The student obtains a closed-course
form from the Registrar's office or the Department. The student
needs two signatures to register for CIS 701B: one from the thesis
advisor, and one afterwards from the person responsible for closed
courses in the College of Computing Sciences.
The thesis format, deadline for submission of final thesis,
duration of thesis and other matters are the responsibility of the
Office of Graduate Studies. See its Thesis
Web site for details.
This is addition to all the details below.
- Can IS students do a Masters Project or
Masters Thesis?
IS students are not required to do a Masters project or Masters
thesis. However, we strongly encourage that you consider a
one-semester (masters project) or two-semester (masters thesis) of
as part of your CIS elective courses.
Students planning to go on for a Ph.D. especially will find the
Masters Thesis to be useful preparation.
- Who can advise a Masters
Project/Thesis
You can do your project with any faculty member in the College of
Computing Sciences (IS or CS), including faculty with joint
appointments from other departments. Only faculty members may
advise a masters project or thesis. However, if you find another
instructor (special lecturer or advanced Ph.D. student) who is
willing to advise your project, you may be able to work out an
arrangement with an MS IS advisor.
IMPORTANT NOTE:
Do not start on a project proposal without finding a faculty
advisor first and confirming your topic with her or him! Faculty
members only take on masters projects voluntarily, and often
require that you find a topic closely related to research they are
conducting. Many IS and CS faculty will have programming projects
for masters project/thesis students. Feel free to scan the
faculty Web pages to
see their research interests.
- Applying for a Masters Project/Thesis &
Important Dates
The Computer Science Department and Information Systems
Departments may have different deadlines for Masters Projects and
Masters Theses.
If you are planning to do a project or thesis with a Computer
Science Faculty member MUST first confirm this with the MSIS
program director. Please note that the CS faculty member may
require you to go through the project
application process or the thesis
application process for MS CS students. You will need to plan
this at the start of the semester before you begin
your project. Note that the proposal outline specified in the
Project Guide is for reference only. Advisors are free to require
alternative outline formats.
Remember to check with the MSIS program director to ensure that
your project with a CS Faculty member will count for MSIS program
credit!
MS IS students doing a masters project with an Information Systems
Faculty member should follow the date information on the MSIS
projects page.
- When are Masters Project reports
due?
Masters project reports done with a CS faculty member are due one
week before the last day of classes to your project advisor. See
the MSIS projects page for details
on due dates for other projects. You should have given your
project advisor a draft a few weeks before this to ensure that he
or she is satisfied with your report.
The advisor can request changes to your project and to your
report. If these changes will take you past the deadline, you will
need to re-register for the project in a subsequent semester.
- Where do I turn in my Masters Project
report?
See the MSIS projects page for
details.
Note that your project advisor may require an electronic copy of
your project report.
- Masters Project Grading: NJIT permits no
Incompletes
By regulation, you cannot get an Incomplete for a masters
project. Your advisor must give you a letter grade at the end of
the semester. If you have not completed your project, your advisor
will give you a "S" (satisfactory) or "U" (unsatisfactory). You
will need to register for the project again in the next semester
and pay for the course registration a second time. There are NO
EXCEPTIONS to this rule, and advisors cannot get the Registrar to
grant an exemption for any reason.
Therefore you must work in advance to plan your project in the
prior semester and work diligently towards the deadline. An
incomplete is not permitted.
Part-time students funded by their workplace, who need to register
for CIS700B a second time are sometimes concerned that their
employer will not pay for the same course twice. Your project
advisor (or an MS IS advisor) will be happy to write you a letter
stating that it often takes two semesters to complete the masters
thesis and that employers typically fund both semesters.
- What is an Independent Study?
An independent study is an opportunity to study an out-of-the-
ordinary topic in depth under the guidance of an IS or CS faculty
member. It is up to you to find a faculty advisor and define the
scope and requirements for the independent study. With this
advisor's approval, you would register for CIS 725-XYZ, where XYZ
is the special identifier of your advisor for the independent
study.
- Can I take two Independent Studies in the
same semester?
If the MS IS advisor agrees, you may enroll in two independent
studies. You would register for CIS 725-XYZ and CIS 726-XYZ, where
XYZ is the special identifier of your advisor for the independent
study.
(back to top;
overview of table of
contents; detailed table
of contents; top of this
section:Masters Project,
Thesis and Independent Study)
Contacting an MS IS
Advisor/Getting Forms Signed
- Do you want to save time when you need to see an
advisor?
- Where can I find MS IS information and answers
to my questions?
- Do you just need a form signed by an MS IS
advisor?
- Should meet with my advisor as soon as I get to
NJIT?
- I would like to see my advisor. How should I
prepare to make the meeting productive?
- Who is my advisor?
Note: See the MS IS
Forms
page for forms information.
(back to top;
overview of table of
contents; detailed table
of contents)
- Do you want to save time when you need to
see an advisor?
In 90% of the cases, we find that students don't actually need to
meet with an advisor in person. We've set up the Web to save you
the time spent coming over the MS IS office and standing in line.
Take a few minutes to find the answer yourself, and save yourself
a lot of time.
Of course, you are welcome to see an MS IS advisor. Please see the
preparation note below.
- Where can I find MS IS information and
answers to my questions?
- Most information people need is included in the MS
IS program description or listed right here on this
page!
- Other information can be found on this Web site. Go to the
MS IS Home page to see
what is available.
- You can ask questions on-line through our WebBoard
Questions & Answers System. The questions and answers
will be available to everyone, so check here to see if your
question has already be answered!
- Do you just need a form signed by an MS IS
advisor?
There generally is no need to see an MS IS advisor in person
if you only need a form signed.
Please mail the form and all relevant documentation to the main MS
IS Advisor (Dr. Bieber), or leave it at the MS IS office. Do not
email forms to the MS IS Advisors, as we do not open email
attachments.
Fill the form in as fully as you can.
Include a cover letter that clearly states:
- what the advisor should fill out, if this is not absolutely
clear
- your student identification number, if this is not on the
form
- how we should return the form to you; we can either mail it
or leave it in the College of Computing Sciences office (GITC
4400) for you to pick up.
- Should meet with my advisor as soon as I get
to NJIT?
There generally is no need to meet an MS IS advisor when you start
at NJIT. All the information you need to know most likely will be
posted on this MS IS Web site. If your question is not answered,
ask it on the WebBoard Questions
& Answers System!
- I
would like to see my advisor. How should I prepare to make the
meeting productive?
Of course, you are most welcome to visit with an advisor.
As stated above, before you see an advisor we ask that you
read all the information here and on the WebBoard advising system
carefully.
If you still like to see an MS IS advisor in person, then please
fill in a Course Planning
Form thoroughly first. Bring this form and all relevant
materials relating to your questions with you to the meeting.
- Who is my advisor?
The "Contact"
link will tell you who the MS IS Advisors are, and what their
office hours are.
(back to top;
overview of table of
contents; detailed table
of contents; top of this section:
Contacting/Forms)
Transferring
Courses
- How do I transfer courses
from other universities?
- How do I transfer courses if
I switch majors within NJIT?
(back to top;
overview of table of
contents; detailed table
of contents)
- How do I transfer
courses from other universities?
NJIT will only allow up to three course transfers to a Masters
Degree from other U.S. accredited colleges and universities. These
courses *must not* have counted to another degree. NJIT does not
transfer credits from foreign universities. (Note that it takes
two quarter courses to equal one semester course.)
The student should take their transcript and a copy of the entry
of the courses in the college catalog to the Office of Graduate
Studies. There you will fill out a form and the Graduate Studies
Office will verify that the courses are graduate level and the
college is accredited.
DO NOT GIVE US YOUR FORM! The Graduate Studies Office will send it
to an MS IS advisor through official channels. It is up to an MS
IS advisor to decide whether your courses qualify to replace
elective courses. Clearly courses in CS or IS at other
institutions can usually meet that criteria. However, some MIS
courses may be too devoid of technical contact to qualify.
Please include your email address on the form so we can contact
you with any questions.
Distance students can arrange to send the material to the Graduate
Studies Office directly.
Note that it is almost impossible to get transfer credit for
CIS675 and CIS677. We teach these courses in a unique way.
Because students from other fields generally can only take 2
courses outside CIS, if all of the courses you are transferring
are outside CIS topics, then you only will get transfer credit for
up to two of them. If the courses are not related to CIS studies
in some way, then you may not receive any transfer credit at
all!
After we have reviewed the form and approved the substitution we
will send them back to the Graduate Studies Office.
You can do this at any time, however, we advise you do it as soon
as possible, so you know whether we will accept the courses you
wish to transfer.
- How do I transfer
courses if I switch majors within NJIT?
Starting Fall 2001, if you transfer majors, up to two of your
non-CIS courses may count towards the MS IS degree. However, these
courses must be on the list of
approved non-CIS electives. (If you have a CIS background up
to four non-CIS courses may count. Be sure to check with the MS IS
advisor to confirm whether your background counts for this special
condition.)
These courses will be counted automatically, so there is no need
to formally transfer them, as long as they are on the list of
approved non-CIS electives.
(Also see the item "Changing graduate programs at
NJIT" on this page.)
(back to top;
overview of table of
contents; detailed table
of contents; top of this
section:Transferring
Courses)
Applying to the MS
IS Program
- Information Systems, Computer Science or
MIS?
- What If I Don't Have an IS or CS
Background?
- What are the qualifications?
- What if I don't qualify?
- Certificate Programs
- Distance Learning & Part-Time
Studies
- Are there different admission standards for
distance, part-time or Mt. Laurel students?
- Coming from Three-Year Undergraduate
Programs
- Admissions Process
- What Materials Should I Include in my
Application?
- I don't have all my admissions information. Can
I apply now and send the missing information later?
- I'm still missing some application materials.
Can NJIT help?
- Checking the Status of My Application
- Under what circumstances can I get a
"conditional admission"?
- Can I place my application on-hold, while I
await new test scores?
- GRE, GMAT or MCAT
- TOEFL
- Financial Support
- What are the application deadlines?
- What if I've missed the application
deadlines?
- Do I need to hurry? Is there a quota for the MS
IS program?
- NJIT's dual masters degree program
- Can I major in another field and take a minor
in IS?
- Transferring from other universities
- I have a MS IS from a foreign university. May I
get one at NJIT too?
- How long does it take to earn the MS IS
degree?
(back to top;
overview of table of
contents; detailed table
of contents)
- Information Systems, Computer Science or
MIS?
Computer Science is the study of computers and all the internal
processes that go on in computers and computer networks.
Information Systems is the study of Computer Applications and
trains students to become Systems Analysts. As a result some of
the key courses in the IS field involve learning about users, user
requirements, organizations and organizational requirements. The
subject of designing systems for humans and organizations is of
primary importance in IS. As a result there is a great deal more
emphasis on qualitative material in English and the evaluation of
the human and organizational components in Computer Applications.
In the Computer Science degree program there is no requirement to
study this aspect of computing.
We consider Information Systems to be a body of knowledge in the
creation of computer applications that applies to almost any field
of endeavor in society. A program in MIS (Management Information
Systems) focuses on the use of IS technology in typical management
applications. Also such programs taught in business schools do not
provide sufficient technical skill requirements to allow persons
to become working professionals in the development of
applications. Students from the IS program can be working in
developing applications for such areas as Engineering, scientific,
health and medical fields, media and communications.
Those who are coming from other disciplines are ideally suited,
after completing the Masters in IS to seek positions in the
development of computers applications in companies and end user
units of companies that reflect their prior disciplines.
We do offer some courses in the Management of IS and the
development process which deal with methods and issues that
require a foundation in the technical knowledge of computers.
Those interested in this area can also choose some electives from
the School of Management, the Department of Industrial Engineering
and/or the Rutgers Graduate School of Management.
- What If I Don't Have an IS or CS
Background?
There are a great many people from other fields who have found
their way into jobs with Computer and Information Systems. The
Masters in IS with its selection of bridge courses and its
orientation to allowing work experience against some bridge
requirements is tailored to allow such individuals to obtain a
formal degree in Information Systems.
For those without work experience, a Masters degree in IS with a
prior Bachelors or Masters in another field does provide a person
a unique set of capabilities to be a very productive systems
analyst in organizations oriented to the student's original
discipline. There are many organizations that reflect the
scientific and engineering fields in which a person with both
training in the field and in the development of Computer
Applications is highly valued. This is also true in such areas as
the health fields and social services fields. Another current
dynamic field with respect to the inroads being made by
Information Systems is publishing, mass media and communications.
We have a number of students with Ph.D. degrees getting their
Masters in IS so they can more effectively get into current
research in their original field.
Typically the majority of persons entering the graduate IS program
from other fields are from the various management or engineering
fields. People with other backgrounds are welcome too!
Information System, by its very nature, is a core area for
developing a true interdisciplinary training with other fields of
endeavor. We have tried to design the program to allow this to be
possible and provide reasonable access to this program from other
fields.
The CS Masters program will not normally accept students with
degrees in other areas unless they have proven computer technology
skills. The IS program is oriented to allowing students to enter
from other academic programs with appropriate bridge courses to
make up any deficiencies.
- What are the qualifications?
Currently the qualifications for the MS IS Program are:
- 4-year undergraduate degree
- 3.0 undergraduate degree GPA (grade point average; U.S.
Equivalent)
- if your undergraduate degree is from a non U.S. university,
you must take the GRE, GMAT or MCAT with an adequate score
(equivalent to 1600 total in GRE with at least 1200 from the
quantitative and analytical scores combined).
- What if I don't qualify?
If you have a lower Grade Point Average or lower exam scores than
we require, you can opt to take a Certificate Degree program at
NJIT. If you do very well, then you may apply for the MS IS
program and the courses you took in the Certificate will be
applied towards your MS IS. Alternatively you could take the
bridge courses you would need, and then apply if you get very good
grades. Include your transcript for these courses with your
application.
In selected cases we will make an exception for students with a
lot of work experience, who completed their undergraduate degrees
a long time ago with a low GPA.
You also could try applying to MS programs at other universities,
which may have lower admission criteria than NJIT.
Besides this, all we can suggest is that you retake the GRE and
TOEFL exams, and reapply again if your scores are higher.
- Certificate Programs
The Certificate
Programs are four graduate course subsets of the full MS
degree, participating in the same courses that MS students take.
(You still need to fulfill any required prerequisites, so you may
take any necessary bridge courses in addition to the four graduate
courses). The following certificates provide a starting subset of
the MS IS degree:
- Information Assurance (choosing CIS courses)
- Information Systems Auditing
- Information Systems Design
- Information Systems Implementation
- Internet Applications Development (choosing CIS
courses)
- Telecommunications Networking (choosing CIS
courses)
- Virtual Tools for Communities
Note that international students (with B1, B2, F1, and possibly
F2 visas) may not enroll in a certificate program unless it is via
distance learning (meaning the student will remain in their own
country while doing the certificate.
Once enrolled, you must complete the certificate before you can
begin your MS IS course work. (This means you can apply for the MS
IS degree in the semester before you complete the
certificate.)
Note that if your undergraduate degree was not from the United
States, even though you complete a Certificate, you will still
need to take the GRE or GMAT exam, as well as the TOEFL exam for
admissions to the MS IS program.
- Distance Learning & Part-Time
Studies
We happily accommodate part-time students for the MS IS degree.
NJIT offers most graduate courses in the evening and we also offer
the IS courses and most electives through on-line distance
learning. We are in fact committed to providing the courses
through a Web-based part-time program.
All the required courses and many of the electives in IS can be
taken remotely (including in your home country if you are not from
the United States). All you need is an Internet connection.
In our program we offer the required courses and many of the
electives utilizing an Asynchronous Conferencing System. This
allows active class discussions among the students. A number of
the faculty use this technology to augment the traditional
classroom ("face-to-face") classes and choose to put the
face-to-face students in the same on-line discussion used for the
distance students.
Many findings of our research on the use of this group
communication technology for learning may be found on the homepage
of Professor Hiltz under "Virtual
Classroom."
The bridge courses and certificate programs discussed elsewhere on
this page, are also available on-line.
- Are there different admission standards for
distance, part-time or Mt. Laurel students?
The admissions standards are the same for all NJIT campuses
and program modes, whether you are part-time or full-time, at the
Newark Campus, the Mt. Laurel
campus or on-site at companies.
- Coming from Three-Year Undergraduate
Programs
In some countries there are three year undergraduate programs,
such as some commerce degrees in India. The NJIT Admissions Office
provides a referral to the World
Education Services agency that will evaluate how many credits
were earned in such a program and NJIT will then insist that the
missing credits to obtain equivalence to a four year degree be
made up. There are several ways to earn this equivalent. Once
could complete at least the first year (preferably two years) of
master's (M.Sc., M.A., or M.Comm.) level study outside the United
States. Students already in the United States should enroll and
complete an undergraduate degree program at a qualified U.S.
institution. Some students, for example, with a Commerce degree do
this by getting a Bachelors in Management at NJIT. Also the bridge
courses required for the IS Master can be used to apply to the
missing credits, though you will need enough credits to qualify
for a full academic senior year. Please contact the Admissions
Office if you have any questions.
- Admissions Process
No one in any of the departments that review applicants will see
an application until the Admissions Office determines it is
complete, so it does no good to message the MS IS Program Director
or any other faculty members about the status of your
application.
Once your application is totally complete, it will be sent to the
IS Department for the MS IS Program Director (Dr. Bieber) to
review. If he is not traveling or on vacation he will usually
process it the same week received, and return it to Admissions,
which hopefully will send out a result in one to two weeks.
- What Materials Should I Include in my
Application?
You need to supply *all* the materials asked for by the Admissions
Office in your application, including transcripts, test scores and
financial information, before your application will be
evaluated.
Besides the official material, I do find both a resume and
statement of purpose useful. Many applicants are coming from
different fields and it is not always clear form their transcripts
what their specific knowledge or skills are in the computer
field.
To determine bridge requirements, I need the details in a resume
of experience with computers: languages, database systems,
operating systems, etc. Many courses in other fields do not make
clear what were the programming languages learned and the depth to
which the topic was taken. Please also include transcripts from
all universities and other courses of study you have taken.
For people who finished their prior degrees several years ago and
have a good deal of work experience, may be able to enter with
lower requirements than other students (e.g., undergraduate Grade
Point Average < 3.0). Please be sure to clearly explain your
intermediate experience in your statement of purpose.
- I don't have all my admissions information.
Can I apply now and send the missing information later?
If you are approaching a deadline you may send
the application earlier, and send transcripts, test scores and
financial information later. Your application will then be
processed within the current application cycle.
However, your application will *not* be processed before the full
set of materials arrives, which the Admissions Office requires.
(See the note above.)
- I'm still missing some application
materials. Can NJIT help?
NJIT cannot contact any other agencies or people on your behalf.
If you are missing any materials, such as GRE scores, you will
need to arrange for these yourself. NJIT has too many applicants
for the Admissions Office (or the degree program advisors) to
contact agencies on your behalf - sorry!
You can check the status of your
application on-line.
- Checking
the Status of My Application
The Admissions
Office has a link on their homepage for checking
the status of your application on-line.
Otherwise you can contact them by email. After you have submitted
your application and waited LONG ENOUGH for all your transcripts,
letters of recommendation, and exam results to have been sent in,
then you can email the
Admissions Office with the question:
"IS MY APPLICATION FOLDER COMPLETE AND IF NOT WHAT IS
MISSING?"
The Admissions Office is handling thousands of applications and
putting them together from different incoming material with names
that are often very similar. The above is the only question they
might have time to answer.
- Under what circumstances can I get a
"conditional admission"?
None. NJIT does not offer any conditional admission. This means
that you cannot get admitted before your GRE scores or any other
admissions package information arrives. You must have a full
admissions package by the deadlines.
It also means that you cannot be admitted with low test scores or
GPA under the condition that you do well in your courses. The same
admissions criteria will stand for everybody when we review
applications.
- Can I place my application on-hold, while I
await new test scores?
You can email the Admissions Office and ask them to place your
application on-hold for any reason. Just be explicit in your
message and ensure that they confirm it.
- GRE, GMAT or
MCAT
Applicants must take either the GRE, GMAT or MCAT if you do not
have a undergraduate or graduate degree from a United States
university. (If you do have such a degree, then you do NOT need to
take ANY exam for admissions.)
Take the general exams, not a specialized one. This is a
University requirement and a reporting requirement to various
accreditation bodies. We cannot waive these exams for anyone
without a prior U.S. degree.
We have a preference for the GRE exam for our record-keeping
systems, but it is entirely up to you which exam you take.
In general, we look for a GRE score over 1600 with scores of 1200
in the quantitative and analytical sections combined. A good exam
score, of course, is not the only criterion for admissions.
If your verbal score is under 60% we will assign you to ENG598,
a special English course, which was developed especially for IS
graduate students. We find that the verbal score correlates
accurately with how well people perform in our courses, which
involve challenging reading and writing skills.
NJIT's institution code is 2513, which you optionally can list on
your exam form. Then your results will be forwarded directly to
NJIT. You should not specify any department code, as the results
should be sent directly to the admissions office.
Note that if you need to take the GRE/GMAT/MCAT and/or TOEFL
exams, and you complete a Graduate Certificate at NJIT, you will
still need to take these exams for admissions to the MS IS
program.
- TOEFL
Those without a U.S. degree must also take the TOEFL unless it is
a degree from an English-speaking Country AND your native tongue
is English. (If you are not a native-English speaker, and you have
a degree from an English-speaking country, you still are required
to take the TOEFL exam.)
The MS IS advisors are not authorized to grant anyone an
exception. If you believe you qualify for an exception, for
example, if you have many years of work experience in the United
States, you need to email Dr.
Eck in the Admissions Office directly.
We require students to have a TOEFL of at least 250 (computer
test) or 600 (paper test). This is greater than NJIT's
requirements: 213 (computer) or 550 (paper). If your score is
below this level, we will assign you two additional ESL courses if
you are admitted.
Note that if you need to take the GRE/GMAT/MCAT and/or TOEFL
exams, and you complete a Graduate Certificate at NJIT, you will
still need to take these exams for admissions to the MS IS
program.
- Financial Support
There is no chance of financial support for a new international
Masters Student entering the IS program. (Most support sources are
reserved for a portion of the Ph.D. students.)
There are a limited number of special scholarships for qualified
U.S. citizens (including minorities, first-generation college
students and new Americans). Check with the Graduate Studies
Office for more details. U.S. citizens can also apply for Federal
Student Loans. Check with the Financial
Aid Office for more details.
Also see the note on Graduate
Assistantships once you have started your studies at NJIT.
- What are the application deadlines?
Application
deadlines are listed on the Admissions Office Web site. They
are strictly adhered to.
- What if I've missed the application
deadlines?
If it is too late to register for the coming semester, and you
do not wish to wait, there are several other possible options:
- (1a) Apply for the following semester. In the meanwhile you
could take up to three courses as a non-matriculated student.
Check with an MS IS Advisor to see which courses you should
take. It would be best to get your bridge courses out of the
way, if we would assign you any. Details for registering as a
non-matriculated student are on the Registrar's Web site:
http://www.njit.edu/Registrar/reg_instr/nmform.htm If you wish
to take the course in a distance learning/e-learning format,
you should use the non-matriculated application at
http://cpe.njit.edu/dl
(1b) Note that you could take many of your bridge courses
(besides CIS350, CIS465 and CIS565) at a
different college. If you do not need bridge courses, you
could also take other graduate level CIS courses at other
colleges and transfer them
in. We would advise that you check with an MS IS Advisor before
taking any course somewhere else, to ensure that it is
acceptable for our program.
(2) You could register for the Graduate
Certificate program. It has much later deadlines. Then you
could apply for the masters program in IS in your final
semester. The courses you take in several of our Graduate
Certificate programs count towards the MS IS degree, and you
can use the certificate program to complete several of your MS
IS core courses.
- Do I need to hurry? Is there a quota for
the MS IS program?
Getting your completed application submitted by the deadline is
fine. There is no quota or limit to the number of graduate
students admitted. (There are some limits to the undergraduate
programs.)
However, we recommend that you start the application process
early, as it sometimes takes time to gather all the materials, and
for items such as test scores to reach NJIT.
- NJIT's dual masters
degree program
You can get two masters degrees from NJIT, and have up to two
courses (6 credits) count towards both masters. You can do both
masters simultaneously or one following the other. To count, the
two overlapping courses must count on their own towards both
degrees, for example, as valid electives in the second degree.
You need to coordinate this with the Graduate Studies Program
*before* you finish the first masters degree.
- Can I major in another field and take a
minor in IS?
NJIT does not have minors. Your only choice would be to do a
dual masters degree.
- Transferring from other
universities
You can transfer to NJIT from other universities. You will need to
follow the full admissions process. Please include the latest
transcripts from the current university from which you wish to
transfer, as well as transcripts from all prior undergraduate and
graduate programs. Sometimes we will be able to take your current
grades into account when evaluating your record.
Note that the admissions criteria are the same for transfer
students. (For example, as per NJIT policy, students from India
with a second class degree cannot be admitted, even if they have
an excellent GPA from their current university.)
See the section on transferring
courses to possibly get partial credit for the classes you've
already taken.
- I have a MS IS from a foreign university.
May I get one at NJIT too?
No one may earn the same MS degree twice. If you have a MS IS from
another university, you cannot apply to the MS IS program at
NJIT.
You may, however, apply to the MS IS degree if you have a MS from
another discipline, including Computer Science. Be sure to include
the transcripts from that degree with your admissions package.
- How long does it take to earn the MS IS
Degree?
How long it takes to earn the degree depends on how many bridge
courses you are assigned and whether you can transfer
in any courses. Without these, the program requires 12 courses.
You are permitted to take 4 courses a semester, so you could
complete the degree in three semesters full-time. (A limited
number of courses are offered in the summer, so you can take some
courses then.) You make take up to four bridge courses in a
semester, so you need to calculate these in as well for
timing.
(back to top;
overview of table of
contents; detailed table
of contents; top of this
section: Applying to the
MS IS Program)
BS/MS Program Notes
(back to top;
overview of table of contents
)
NJIT has a BS/MS
program, allowing undergraduate students to take two graduate
courses as credit for both their undergraduate and graduate programs.
Students must first apply to the Office of Graduate Studies, as
described in the program link.
Once you are accepted into this program, an MS IS advisor will
approve your choice of each graduate course. First the undergraduate
advisor must approve it on the form. Then the MS IS advisor will
confirm that you have the proper prerequisites for it.
Once you formally begin your masters degree, please contact an MS
IS advisor, who will then notify the Office of Graduate Studies to
transfer those two graduate courses to your graduate record.
(back to top;
overview of table of
contents; top of this section:
BS/MS Program
Notes)
Taking Courses as a Non-Matriculated
Student
(back to top;
overview of table of contents
)
Admission Requirements
A non-matriculated student who wants to register for a CIS course
must satisfy the same GPA and GRE requirements that matriculated
students do. A GPA minimum of 3.0 also is required.
Note that international students (with B1, B2, F1, and possibly F2
visas) may not enroll as a non-matriculated student unless it is via
distance learning (meaning the student will remain in their own
country while taking courses).
You may not take more than 3 courses (9 credits) on a
non-matriculated basis.
Restricted Course List (Summer/Fall 2001):
The following courses were closed for non-matriculated students in
Summer/Fall 2001. You may not be able to take these in later
semesters: CIS 601, CIS 602, CIS 604, CIS 610, CIS 635, CIS 650, CIS
631.
How to register
Pick up a registration form from the Registrar's
Office. If you have satisfied all admission requirements and you
satisfy the prerequisites of the course you intend to register for,
see an Chairperson of the Computer Science Department or an MS IS
Advisor, who will review the form. The course must not be on the list
of restricted courses above. When you meet with the Chairperson or
Advisor, have transcripts and original GRE scores with you (required,
if your most recent degree is from outside the United States/Canada).
If she or he signs the form, you then go to the Academic Office
(Secretarial Office, Room GITC 4400) to put your name and desired
course on a list. If the course is open during the first week of
classes, you can register then.
(back to top;
overview of table of
contents; top of this section:
Taking Courses as a
Non-Matriculated Student)
Notes on the Ph.D. in IS
- I really want to do a Ph.D. in IS. Do I need to
get a MS IS first?
- I would like to get my Ph.D. after completing my
MS IS degree.
- Can I earn a MS IS and a Ph.D. in IS at the same
time?
- I'm in a Ph.D. program now at another university
(or at NJIT). I've decided that I'd rather do a MS degree instead.
What do I need to do to apply to the MS IS?
(back to top;
overview;
detailed table of
contents)
- I really want to do a Ph.D. in IS. Do I need
to get a MS IS first?
Outstanding students can apply directly to the Ph.D. program
without getting an MS IS first. See information at the IS
Degrees Web site for details.
- I would like to get my Ph.D. after
completing my MS IS degree.
The MS IS was designed to be a subset of the IS Ph.D. program, so
it is relatively easy to move from one to the other. If you are at
all interested, please talk with the advisor of the Ph.D. program,
who currently is Dr. Hiltz. See information at the IS
Degrees Web site for her contact information.
- Can I earn a MS IS and a Ph.D. in IS at the
same time?
You may under certain circumstances, but this will require careful
coordination between the IS department, the Registrar's Office and
the Admissions Office. Please contact the Office of Graduate
Studies as early as possible to arrange this. It is not automatic,
and will require both permission and quite likely extra work.
- I'm in a Ph.D. program now at another
university (or at NJIT). I've decided that I'd rather do a MS
degree instead. What do I need to do to apply to the MS
IS?
Generally NJIT will permit U.S. citizens to "drop down" from a
Ph.D. program into a MS program. However this option is rarely if
ever available to international students. Please contact the
Office of Graduate Studies to discuss your case *before*
you begin the application process to see if you would be eligible.
Very very few people will be granted permission to do this.
(back to top;
overview of table of
contents; detailed table
of contents:
top of this section: Notes
on the Ph.D. in IS)
Co-Op Program
- What is a Co-op?
- What requirements must I complete to become
eligible for a Co-op?
- How many courses can I take when I am doing my
Co-op program?
- Can I take another Co-op in a subsequent
semester?
- I'm having problems with my Co-op. What do I
do?
(back to top;
overview of table of
contents; detailed table
of contents)
- What is a Co-op?
A Co-op is a semester-long internship with a company. See the
Co-op
program's Web site for details and to sign up for a Co-op.
- What requirements must I complete to become
eligible for a Co-op?
By the time your Co-op begins, IS students will need to have
fulfilled the following requirements:
- You must have completed your ESL and bridge requirements,
each with a "B" or better.
- You must have completed at least two of the CIS core
courses (CIS 663/673, 675 and 677), each with a "B" or better,
and be enrolled in the third during your co-op period.
- You must have (and keep) a 3.0 GPA.
- You must have completed 4 graduate courses by the time your
Co-op begins.
Note that all Co-op registrations are conditional upon you
maintaining these requirements, both at the time of application
and at the time your Co-op actually begins. If you fall below
these requirements after applying, you will not be permitted to
begin your Co-op.
We are quite serious about these requirements. When you go into a
company as an Co-op student, you are representing the IS
Department. We want to ensure that you are well-qualified (through
having the appropriate coursework and a successful academic
record).
- How many courses can I take when I
am doing my Co-op program?
You may take up to two courses at NJIT during the semester while
you are doing your co-op.
- Can I take another Co-op in a subsequent
semester?
As long as you passed the first co-op (with a grade of "S" for
"satisfactory"), you may continue your co-op with the same company
or find a one in the following semester. Be sure to keep the
Co-op
Office up-to-date regarding your plans.
- I'm having problems with my Co-op. What do
I do?
Occasionally students to have problems with the Co-op situation,
ranging from the job drying up, to not being paid, to personal or
legal conflicts, to things just not working out. If you have any
problem whatsoever, or anticipate one arising, please contact the
Co-op
Office. They have the experience to help out.
(back to top;
overview of table of
contents; detailed table
of contents; top of this section:
Co-Op
Program)
Other Information
- Graduate Assistantships
(Financial Support)
- What if I missed the Graduation
Deadline?
- Cheating & Plagiarism Policies
- Changing graduate programs at NJIT
- Can I take a leave-of-absence for a few
semesters?
(back to top;
overview of table of
contents; detailed
table of contents)
- Graduate
Assistantships (Financial Support)
There are some, but not many chances for financial support for
masters students. Also, there is no centralized place where
assistantships are posted. Certain professors may have positions
available. Certain offices may hire students. Under limited
circumstances, masters students may act as graders.
A masters student who is already at NJIT and has proven his or her
ability in various courses, so that a faculty member feels they
can recommend them, might have a chance at some part-time hourly
employment after the initial semester. There are faculty who may
have external research funds who need to hire students to do such
things as programming. These might be in other departments as well
as IS and Computer Science. You will have to ask individual
professors specifically whether they have any openings. Visit them
during office hours with a resume. Be sure to highlight your
skills and experience. The vast majority will not have any
positions open. Many faculty wishing to employ a Masters student
will also want them to do a project course with them so that it is
clear they can give the student a grade and have some assurance
the student will finish the job they started.
Master's students are at the University for a short time and as a
result involving them in a research project is difficult because
it takes six months to a year for a student to really become
knowledgeable enough to contribute. Only those students with prior
relevant work experience are likely to get involved in such
projects.
There are also occasions where the CCS college might hire an
outstanding masters student as a grader in an undergraduate
version of a graduate course they did very well in.
- What if I missed the graduation
deadline?
NJIT has exact deadlines for submitting your graduation
application. If you miss these then you will need to wait until
the next graduation cycle before graduating formally (January, May
or October). However you can still attend the graduation ceremony,
even though you won't get your actual diploma until the following
graduation cycle. We also can supply a letter stating that you
have completed all requirements for graduation and will be getting
your diploma at the next formal date.
(See this note for information on getting your
graduation form signed without waiting in line.)
- Cheating & Plagiarism Policies
Integrity and honesty are crucial requirements for a successful
career in Information Systems. Successful designers are often
those that are universally trusted by the people they design
before and who must often negotiate compromises out of conflicts
among users and organizational units. Any incident of cheating
indicates you are not suited for the field, and likely could
result in expulsion. We have failed and expelled students for
cheating.
Copying any material from the Web, papers, or other students and
using it in homework, projects, or exams without specifying it is
a quote and the source is plagiarism, a serious form of cheating.
A person giving material to another to use is just as guilty as
the person using it.
Taking answers from others or giving answers to others on a exam
is also cheating, as is using unauthorized notes or materials.
If you are caught cheating by a faculty member that faculty member
should give you an immediate F in the course and report you to the
Dean of Students Office. Most likely, if it is a first time
offense, you will be put on probation, which means that the next
time you are caught cheating you will be expelled form NJIT. This
becomes part of your permanent record. Even the "F" on your record
for the first time event is a signal to others looking at your
transcript of something possibly being wrong.
It may seem easy to cheat and it might seem the probability is low
of getting caught; however, the risk you are taking is to destroy
your professional future and that is a very high risk to be
taking.
There is a major crackdown on cheating at NJIT and many other
universities. There are a number of Web sites for faculty that do
rather specialized and exhaustive searches of the Web for material
that the faculty member thinks might have been copied from the
Web.
Most regular faculty will not forgive any cheating and we are
trying hard to make sure that attitude extends to adjuncts and
instructors as well. Every NJIT student should review the code of
ethics on cheating that they are given upon entry to NJIT.
The assignment of collaborative projects to groups of students and
to the class as a whole by the instructor are not considered
cheating. Also it is perfectly fine for students to have study
groups to work together on learning material in the course. (In
courses using the conferencing technology you can ask your
instructor to set up a private conference for a study group that
wants to meet electronically.)
- Changing graduate programs at NJIT
Some graduate programs are easier to get into than others at NJIT.
As a result a number of people have entered in one program and
then the first semester sought to transfer into one of the harder
programs.
NJIT's policy is that you must spend a full academic year in the
graduate program you enter in before the Admissions Office will
consider forwarding your application to a different NJIT office.
Furthermore since CS and IS have many courses in common an IS
major must take CIS 677 followed by CIS 675 the first academic
year before we will consider a transfer.
To transfer degree programs, you must make a formal application
through the NJIT Admissions Office and pay the application fee.
You generally will need over a 3.0 Grade Point Average, with very
good grades (B+) in any CIS courses. It is often more difficult to
transfer to IS than getting into IS originally.
Note that only permitted electives (listed elsewhere on this page)
will count towards the MS IS degree. Many courses from other
majors are not eligible for credit in the MS IS program.
- Can I take a leave-of-absence for a few
semesters?
A leave of absence is possible. Please contact the Graduate
Studies Office for details.
Note: You will need to pay a matriculation fee (currently $50 per
semester) to keep your status active. Otherwise you will need to
reapply for admission when you return to NJIT.
(back to top;
overview of table of
contents; detailed
table of contents; top of this
section: Other
Information)
This page: http://is.njit.edu/msis/msis-faq.html
To comment on the MS IS program, please contact the Associate Chair,
Professor Whtiworth, at msis
@ oak.njit.edu
To comment on this Web site, please contact the Webmaster
(isweb
@ oak.njit.edu)
This page was last updated on:
8/10/2003