Information Systems and Business Analytics (ISBA), Bachelor of Science (B.S.) Degree

Objectives

The Bachelor of Science (B.S.) degree in Information Systems and Business Analytics (ISBA) is designed to prepare students for careers in the Information Systems and Business Analytics fields and provide students opportunities to develop analytic skills and learn how to apply latest information technology tools to solve business problems at the operational, technical, and strategic levels. Students will acquire foundational programming skills, learn to use various development tools, and acquire critical data management skills and competencies. They will understand how organizational processes interact with IS/IT and learn how to design systems and analytic tools to support these processes. The major will provide students critical skills necessary to continuously adapt to the ever-changing field of IT and business applications. The ISBA B.S. degree aims to provide more technical depth in programming area to the students pursuing the degree compared to the students in the regular ISBA B.B.A. major. Additionally, current methods and tools deployed in the data analytics area demand understanding of the mathematics behind those tools for their effective learning and deployment. Students in the ISBA B.S. degree program, therefore, are required to take non-business courses from the Computer Science department and a possible Deep Learning or Machine Learning course from the Mathematics department in the Frank R. Seaver College of Engineering to acquire such depth.

General CBA Undergraduate learning outcomes:

All CBA Undergraduate Majors have the following common learning goals and learning outcomes:

Learning Goal 1: Students will demonstrate the ability to be ethical leaders, who reflect the tenets of corporate social responsibility as it applies to economic, social and environmental performance in the global community.

LG1-A. Students will be able to explain the interaction and importance of social, economic and environmental forces within and upon business and society.
LG1-B. Students will be able to identify and resolve ethical dilemmas in business situations.
LG1-C. Students will be able to identify and analyze opportunities and challenges faced by organizations in a global marketplace.

Learning Goal 2: Students will use creative and critical thinking skills to adapt to change and solve problems in transdisciplinary ways.

LG2-A. Students will be able to identify problems and apply creative problem-solving skills to address them.
LG2-B. Students will demonstrate critical thinking skills by defining, modeling, analyzing and evaluating complex business problems.
LG2-C. Students will be able to integrate core concepts from different disciplines and apply them to a business situation.

Learning Goal 3: Students will acquire and develop technical, communication and interpersonal skills.

LG3-A. Students will communicate effectively on business topics in written and oral form.
LG3-B. Students will demonstrate effective interpersonal skills in teamwork settings.
LG3-C. Students will describe principles of leadership skills, effective teams and self-discipline.
LG3-D. Students will be able to apply information technology to solve business problems.
LG3-E.  Students will be able to frame a business problem and collect, organize and analyze qualitative and quantitative data to report and communicate insights for decision-making.

Learning Goal 4: Students will demonstrate knowledge of fundamental business concepts.

LG4-A. Students will be able to create, read and use financial reports for decision-making.
LG4-B. Students will describe corporate structures and legal responsibilities for different business frameworks.
LG4-C. Students will be able to analyze and evaluate companies within their industries based on their unique value proposition/competitive advantages.
LG4-D. Students will be able to analyze business processes to better serve stakeholders.

ISBA (B.S.) specific learning outcomes

1. Utilize competencies gained from hands-on experience in core information technologies that include programming languages, database management systems, web development tools, spreadsheets, and other data analysis tools
2. Identify, structure, and solve business problems by proposing an IS, IT, and/or analytics solution
3. Plan, manage, develop, and describe how to implement information systems in business and organizational settings
4. Apply critical thinking and problem-solving skills when analyzing business problems
5. Effectively communicate complex technological and or analytical concepts through oral, visual, and written communication
6. Develop proficiency in at least one mainstream programming language, such as Java, JavaScript, C++, or Python

Core, Major, and Elective Information Systems and Business Analytics Courses (B.S. degree)

¹

e.g., BCOR 3750 Analytics in Operations and Supply Chain Management

²

e.g., BCOR 3860 International Business

³

e.g., BCOR 4970 Strategic Management

Note:
Students electing the B.S. in ISBA degree must complete all the requirements of the Information Systems and Business Analytics (ISBA), Bachelor of Business Administration (B.B.A.) Degree. In addition, students pursuing a B.S. in ISBA must take at least 12 units of Computer Science courses. The combination of courses must include at least one programming course. Since the B.S. ISBA major will be fulfilling the programming requirement though the courses in the Computer Science department, students must take three additional 4-semester-hour ISBA electives in addition to the required ISBA 3710 Database Management Systems and ISBA 4797 Capstone Project.

ISBA Major Course Requirements

Note:

All upper division ISBA courses must be taken in residence at LMU. A cumulative GPA of C (2.0) must be achieved in the core requirements (all business, economics, and mathematics courses).

For purposes of meeting the requirements for the Information Systems and Business Analytics major, an overall cumulative grade point average of at least a C (2.0) must be obtained in all courses required in the major.

Model 4-Year Plan–Bachelor of Science–Information Systems and Business Analytics Major Curriculum

The following curriculum represents the order of sequence in which it is expected that students will take the various courses required for the B.S. (Information Systems and Business Analytics major) degree.

Electives and some University Core courses may vary in terms of the number of credits granted. The total number of semester hours required is 128 for graduation, which assumes that each course will be 4 semester hours. If less, compensatory credits may be required to reach 128. Some of the CMSI electives are 2 units. An ISBA B.S. major can take these courses to fulfill the CMSI requirements as long as the total number of CMSI units adds up to 12.

Model 4-Year Plan–Bachelor of Business Administration–ISBA Major Curriculum–Math placement MATH 101

¹

Roughly half of students will take BCOR 1910 in the fall semester of their first year. The other half will take it in the spring semester of their first year.

²

Roughly half of students will take ECON 1050 in the fall semester of their first year, and the other half will take it in the spring semester of their first year.

³

if not taking ISBA 3720 Systems Analysis and Design

Model 4-Year Plan–Bachelor of Business Administration–ISBA Major Curriculum–Math placement MATH 110

¹

Roughly half of students will take BCOR 1910 in the fall semester of their first year. The other half will take it in the spring semester of their first year.

²

Roughly half of students will take ECON 1050 in the fall semester of their first year, and the other half will take it in the spring semester of their first year.

³

if not taking ISBA 3720 Systems Analysis and Design

Model 4-Year Plan–Bachelor of Business Administration–ISBA Major Curriculum–Math placement MATH 112

¹

Roughly half of students will take BCOR 1910 in the fall semester of their first year. The other half will take it in the spring semester of their first year.

²

Roughly half of students will take ECON 1050 in the fall semester of their first year, and the other half will take it in the spring semester of their first year.

³

if not taking ISBA 3720 Systems Analysis and Design