COURSE CURRICULUM

The MS in Information Systems (MS-IS) at DePaul University equips students with the ability to connect business needs with modern technological solutions through a strong focus on both technical and analytical skills. A key learning outcome of the program is the ability to determine the main business impact of emerging trends in Information Systems, enabling students to evaluate how new technologies influence organizational performance, strategy, and innovation. Students also learn to describe the key outcomes of each phase in the systems development life cycle, giving them a structured understanding of how information systems are planned, designed, built, tested, and implemented within organizations. In addition, the program helps students understand the benefits and challenges of applying best practices in IS projects, preparing them to manage complexity, improve efficiency, and reduce risks in real-world technology initiatives. A strong emphasis is placed on systems analysis and design skills, where students learn to use visual modeling techniques to represent business requirements and system specifications. This includes creating diagrams such as context diagrams, data flow diagrams, use case diagrams, and entity-relationship diagrams based on real or simulated business cases. These tools allow students to clearly communicate system requirements and design structures in a professional and standardized way. Overall, the learning outcomes ensure that graduates are able to analyze business problems, design effective information systems solutions, and understand the strategic role of IT in organizations. The program prepares students for careers in systems analysis, IT consulting, business analysis, and technology management by combining technical knowledge with practical problem-solving and business-focused thinking.