Business Information Systems Undergraduate Major (BA, BS, HBA, HBS)

The Business Information Systems (BIS) curriculum will teach you to harness technology to help organizations achieve a competitive advantage in today's rapidly changing environment. You will gain a firm foundation in business administration and learn to architect, manage, develop and deploy information systems. Depending on your skills and interests you might become a business process analyst, IT project manager, data modeler, systems analyst, software quality tester, developer or database administrator, or you can choose from other technology-related business careers. You won't only learn theory. You have plenty of opportunities to build, troubleshoot, refine and manage information systems through targeted exercises in real-world projects and current projects sponsored by outside companies to help you learn to bring together people, business processes, and information technology. Business Information Systems (BIS) major requirements are divided into two parts. The first part (the pre-BIS major), usually taken in the first two years, must be completed before formal admission into the BIS major. The second part (Professional School) is usually taken in the last two years after formal admission into the BIS major. International Business Option The International Business option prepares students for positions in organizations engaged in international trade. Students study the economic, political, geographical, and socio-cultural factors that impact business across national boundaries. Areas of greatest opportunity for overseas assignments are with service organizations such as banks, consulting firms and accounting firms; with import/export firms; with governmental organizations; and in marketing and financial management areas of multinational firms. A career in international business can lead to exciting and rewarding opportunities abroad. Most multinational business firms, however, hire new employees first for domestic assignments in order to provide them with a thorough knowledge of the firm, its products, and its policies, or for specific assignments in one of the functional areas of the business, before providing overseas opportunities. Because the majority of employees who eventually hold high-level positions in an international business start in entry-level positions within business areas, all international business students must also complete requirements for a primary discipline within a business. These disciplines include the majors in accountancy, business administration (Entrepreneurship, General Business, and Hospitality Management options), business information systems, finance, management and marketing. Students earn this option with a minimum of one quarter term of study abroad through an international exchange or study abroad program approved by the College of Business. Students must complete a minimum of 18 quarter credits in business or business-related course work. The successfully completed course work must articulate back to OSU as courses that extend the knowledge and skills attained within the business core (that is, they cannot be used as a direct substitute for a business core course). Within the Arthur Stonehill International Business Exchange program offered through the College of Business, all courses offered by the partner schools are taught in English.