IS and MIS: a compromise?

The information manager today is usually educated in a college of business with curriculum requirements guided by the DPMA guidelines for the management information systems, MIS, degree or in a computer science department with curriculum requirements guided by the ACM curriculum for information systems. There is considerable feedback to educators that such people although talented and well trained have enough flat sides in their background to make it necessary to expend considerable resources to make them useful to the organization as a well rounded and well grounded information analyst or manager. The complaint is heard that the MIS types are not technically oriented enough and the IS types are not management oriented enough. The authors undertook a study of the complaints, the suggestions, the current curriculum guidelines and the existing programs. Out of this study emerged a proposal for a degree which blends the current ACM and DPMA guidelines, adds new requirements and suggests different teaching methodologies. The proposal has the potential to address many of the current deficiencies perceived by employers of MIS and IS graduates but it has other problems including acceptance within a traditionally organized and funded university. This paper addresses our solution, its merits, and shortcomings.