2022 EDSIG Proceedings: Abstract Presentation

Defining and Describing Information Systems Degree Programs: Challenges and Opportunities

Katarzyna Toskin
Southern Connecticut State University

One of the challenges with Information Systems (IS) degree programs is the lack of a common and succinct definition. As stated by Alter (2008, p. 448), this is “…one of many obstacles troubling the academic information systems discipline”. This issue persists till the present day and becomes especially prominent during student recruitment events where a clear and noncomplex definition is key to capturing prospective students’ attention and interest in the field. Likewise marketing materials and other resources about the IS degree programs rely on a clear explanation so that students develop an understanding of the IS field and whether they should pursue a degree in the discipline.

A sample of 73 IS program definitions from distinct universities was collected to investigate the common definition elements and keywords. The text analysis revealed a wide variance between how each school defined their programs. In addition, the program names varied across the institutions despite significant overlap in the curriculum which further complicates the common understanding of the IS field.

There are reasons why creating a simple definition is not easy. Information Systems is a complex and broad field that encompasses multiple subdisciplines and specializations, which makes the succinct definition hard to compose. In addition, Information Systems uses a nomenclature that is unique and therefore difficult for most people to understand without having some degree of training, background, or exposure to the IS field.

Nonetheless, the demand for IS professionals is expected to continue to grow over the next several years (Manyika et al., 2017) and it will be important to describe IS programs in ways that provide insight, spark interest, and ultimately attract students to the field. Perhaps defining the IS field is an ongoing process to reflect the rapidly changing nature of the field. Since the computing field evolves rapidly, the IS curricula need to be updated frequently as well to remain effective (Davis et al., 1997, Leidig & Salmela, 2020). Therefore, defining Information Systems might require a continuous effort.

References: Alter, S. (2008). Defining information systems as work systems: implications for the IS field. European Journal of Information Systems, 17(5), 448-469.
Davis, G. B., Gorgone, J. T., Couger, J. D., Feinstein, D. L., & Longenecker Jr, H. E. (1997). Model curriculum and guidelines for undergraduate degree programs in information systems. ACM.
Leidig, P., & Salmela, H. (2020). IS2020 A Competency Model for Undergraduate Programs in Information Systems: The Joint ACM/AIS IS2020 Task Force.
Manyika, J., Lund, S., Chui, M., Bughin, J., Woetzel, J., Batra, P., ... & Sanghvi, S. (2017). Jobs lost, jobs gained: Workforce transitions in a time of automation. McKinsey Global Institute, 150.

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