Grad school-MIS Masters (Advice/Input)

[Raoul-Duke]

Hello everyone, I was wondering if I could pick some of your brains.

 

I'm 25 and a finance major, I am currently working as a transfer agent analyst at a private investment firm for about one year now after college.

 

However, I am looking to go back to school for my Master's and would like to go into MIS.

 

With having a finance background I am wondering will I be able to do the work that is required in the curriculum?

 

I have had some MIS classes before. Also have any of you heard of people with accounting/finance undergrads doing this before? Were they successful? Is it a desired combination?

 

I just want to make sure I'm not spending thousands of dollars on nothing. I really want this degree to make me desirable in the job market.

This is my main goal!! http://www.computerforums.org/forums/images/smilies/new/thumb.gif

 

 

Finance is great but I really want to mainly work in IT. I find it so much more interesting. I hope I can achieve this with this Master's in MIS.

 

 

Please feel free to give any feedback/advice/input/past experience, it is greatly appreciated! http://www.computerforums.org/images/smilies/smile.gif

[elsiegee40]

Hello and welcome. There's no need to post two identical threads here, answers just get spread out. I've removed one to avoid confusion.

[Raoul-Duke]

Hello and welcome. There's no need to post two identical threads here, answers just get spread out. I've removed one to avoid confusion.

 

Sounds great! Thank you very much!

 

I understand, I won't be doing it again.

[CAM]

I assume you mean student grade tracking, attendance/conduct reporting and wrangling the swathes of government red tape from the DofE? At least that's what it means to be a data manager in the UK.

 

I'm not sure it works in the US but the UK you need some basic office skills and the ability to get to grip with your school's MIS of choice fast and know where to look for help (here!). I'd say these are important skills for a data manager:

 

Really easy and important groundwork...

- Excel Basics like how to use it, formulae and number formatting

- Problem Solving

- Ability to quickly learn how to use a new software package as I doubt many start with a degree in a MIS package!

- Basic understanding of mail merge

- Ability to pull data out of the MIS with the built-in interface

- Data Protection Act and data security/confidentiality good practice (ESSENTIAL!)

 

And to make your life much easier....

- Advanced Excel Knowledge (PivotTables, VLOOKUP, Macros, etc)

- Advanced mail merge (labels, IF conditions, etc)

 

For the super advanced data manager who is probably bored of just merging documents or analysing figures by this stage...

- Ability to use SQL to pull data out (but not essential and banned in some MIS packages)

- Office Interoperability to re-use one source of data over many applications or uses

- In-depth knowledge of school improvement plans and frameworks.

- Knowing what makes SLT tick so you can anticipate what they need before they even know they need it! My prediction for the next big thing in the UK is August-Born student tracking so time to make sure DOB follows students around on their tracking documents.

 

The more networks you can build as a data manager the better. We generally hide in our schools getting work done, but contacts can take you places or give you ideas you never thought of. A bit of back scratching can pay dividends down the line when you save a beleaguered data manager from yet another awkward census affecting everyone!

[Raoul-Duke]

I assume you mean student grade tracking, attendance/conduct reporting and wrangling the swathes of government red tape from the DofE? At least that's what it means to be a data manager in the UK.

 

I'm not sure it works in the US but the UK you need some basic office skills and the ability to get to grip with your school's MIS of choice fast and know where to look for help (here!). I'd say these are important skills for a data manager:

 

Really easy and important groundwork...

- Excel Basics like how to use it, formulae and number formatting

- Problem Solving

- Ability to quickly learn how to use a new software package as I doubt many start with a degree in a MIS package!

- Basic understanding of mail merge

- Ability to pull data out of the MIS with the built-in interface

- Data Protection Act and data security/confidentiality good practice (ESSENTIAL!)

 

And to make your life much easier....

- Advanced Excel Knowledge (PivotTables, VLOOKUP, Macros, etc)

- Advanced mail merge (labels, IF conditions, etc)

 

For the super advanced data manager who is probably bored of just merging documents or analysing figures by this stage...

- Ability to use SQL to pull data out (but not essential and banned in some MIS packages)

- Office Interoperability to re-use one source of data over many applications or uses

- In-depth knowledge of school improvement plans and frameworks.

- Knowing what makes SLT tick so you can anticipate what they need before they even know they need it! My prediction for the next big thing in the UK is August-Born student tracking so time to make sure DOB follows students around on their tracking documents.

 

The more networks you can build as a data manager the better. We generally hide in our schools getting work done, but contacts can take you places or give you ideas you never thought of. A bit of back scratching can pay dividends down the line when you save a beleaguered data manager from yet another awkward census affecting everyone!

 

Hello and thanks for the response!

 

Yes I am from the U.S.

 

I have taken a few basic intro MIS courses when studying for my undergrad but it was back in 2009-2010.

 

I am a lil rusty on the subject I am sure.

 

I'm trying to mainly figure out what good concentrations to study in regards to what is desirable in the job market out there these days/future.

 

I have a few to choose from:

 

Accounting and Financial Systems

Business Administration

Health Administration

Information Systems Security

Integrated Marketing Communications

Management and Organizational Behavior

Professional Internship

Project Management

 

From the full detailed descriptions, I like:

 

Accounting and Financial Systems

Health Administration

Information Systems Security

Project Management

 

But I know in this field there are niches, I want to be in a well off niche that will better me in life. I'm not trying to spend all this money for nothing.

Edited May 10, 2013 by Raoul-Duke