Main Content
Syllabus
MIS 390: Information Systems Management and Applications
Information Systems Management and Applications (3 credits): Specification, design, and implementation of information systems directed at aiding decision-making in organizations. The only prerequisite for this course is MIS 204: Introduction to Business Information Systems. The student must have a grade of D or higher in MIS 204 before taking MIS 390.
Overview
Welcome to MIS 390: Information Systems Management and Applications. This is a required course for all undergraduate business majors. The area of information systems is relevant to all functional areas of a business, such as accounting, finance, marketing, sales, management, human resource management, production, and operations. Managers and employees in all different types of organizations must understand the roles, benefits, and risks associated with the design, implementation, and use of information systems.
In this course, we focus on the use of information systems in organizations and their impact on achieving business objectives and improving decision-making by managers. You will learn about different types of information systems used by organizations, critically analyze case studies involving the use of information systems, and develop hands-on examples of information systems using spreadsheets, databases, and Web-design tools. You will also use collaboration and teamwork skills by developing a team project.
Course Objectives
Upon successful completion of this course, you should be able to do the following:
- Discuss topics and concepts related to management information systems (MIS) and information technology management.
- Describe the use of information technology applications in business.
- Discuss contemporary issues of MIS through case studies.
- Develop modern computer-based information systems in today's global business environment.
Required Course Materials
Most World Campus courses require that students purchase materials (e.g., textbooks, specific software, etc.). To learn about how to order materials, please see the Course Materials page. You should check LionPATH approximately 3–4 weeks before the course begins for a list of required materials.
Library Resources
Many of the University Libraries resources can be utilized from a distance. Through the Libraries website, you can
- access magazine, journal, and newspaper articles online using library databases;
- borrow materials and have them delivered to your doorstep—or even your desktop;
- get research help via email, chat, or phone using the Ask a Librarian service; and
- much more.
You must have an active Penn State Access Account to take full advantage of the Libraries' resources and service. The Off-Campus Users page has additional information about these free services.
Software Requirements
This course requires the use of multiple software applications, including Zoom, Microsoft Excel, Tableau, Microsoft Access, and WordPress via Sites at Penn State. Zoom, Tableau, and WordPress are available to students at no charge. Additionally, a full suite of Adobe products is also available at no additional cost via the Adobe Creative Cloud at Penn State website.
Microsoft Office via WebApps
Students using Office for Mac can use the online WebApps tool to gain access to this software. For information about how to use WebApps, please see the WebApps Tutorial from the Canvas Navigation Menu. You can also click the link in the main menu for this information.
Software Resources and Training
This section consists of additional resources that will be beneficial to students that need a basic refresher on either Microsoft Excel or Microsoft Access basics. These are short videos available through LinkedIn Learning.
Microsoft Excel
The video Excel Essential Training (Office 365) with Dennis Taylor provides review information on Excel. You are expected to have these skills prior to taking MIS 390. This training is available to students who wish to review the basics of Excel. This is an optional resource.
Microsoft Access
The video Access Essential Training (Office 365) with Adam Wilbert provides review information on Access. You are expected to have these skills prior to taking MIS 390. This training is available to students who wish to review the basics of Access. This is an optional resource.
Technical Requirements
| Operating System | Canvas, Penn State's Learning Management System (LMS), supports most recent versions of Microsoft Windows and Apple Mac operating systems. To determine if your operating system is supported, please review Canvas' computer specifications. |
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| Browser | Canvas supports the last two versions of every major browser release. It is highly recommended that you update to the newest version of whatever browser you are using. Note: Cookies must be enabled, and pop-up blockers should be configured to permit new windows from Penn State websites. |
| Additional Canvas Requirements | For a list of software, hardware, and computer settings specifically required by the Canvas LMS, please review Canvas' computer specifications. |
| Additional Software | All Penn State students have access to Microsoft Office 365, including Microsoft Office applications such as Word, Excel, and PowerPoint. |
| Hardware | Monitor: Monitor capable of at least 1024 x 768 resolution |
| Mobile Device (optional) | The Canvas mobile app is available for versions of iOS and Android. To determine if your device is capable of using the Canvas Mobile App, please review the Canvas Mobile App Requirements. |
Student Education Experience Questionnaire (SEEQ)
During the semester you will receive information for completing the Student Education Experience Questionnaire (SEEQ). Your participation is an opportunity to provide anonymous feedback on your learning experience. Your feedback is important because it allows us to understand your experience in this course and make changes to improve the learning experiences of future students. Please monitor email and course communications for links and availability dates.
If you need technical assistance at any point during the course, please contact the Service Desk.
For registration, advising, disability services, help with materials, exams, general problem solving, visit World Campus Student Services!
Course Requirements and Grading
| Assignment | Grade percentage |
|---|---|
| Quizzes | 30% |
| Cumulative Exam | 20% |
| Individual Assignments | 20% |
| Individual Discussion Forums | 20% |
| Team Project | 10% |
| Total for all course activities | 100% |
Letter grades will be based on the following scale:
| Letter grade | Percentage |
|---|---|
| A | 93.0%–100.0% |
| A- | 90.0%–92.9% |
| B+ | 87.0%–89.9% |
| B | 83.0%–86.9% |
| B- | 80.0%–82.9% |
| C+ | 77.0%–79.9% |
| C | 70.0%–76.9% |
| D | 60.0%–69.9% |
| F | below 59.9% |
Please refer to the University Grading Policy for Undergraduate Courses for additional information about University grading policies.
If, for reasons beyond the student's control, a student is prevented from completing a course within the prescribed time, the grade in that course may be deferred with the concurrence of the instructor. The symbol DF appears on the student's transcript until the course has been completed. Non-emergency permission for filing a deferred grade must be requested by the student before the beginning of the final examination period. In an emergency situation, an instructor can approve a deferred grade after the final exam period has started. Under emergency conditions during which the instructor is unavailable, authorization is required from one of the following: the dean of the college in which the candidate is enrolled; the executive director of the Division of Undergraduate Studies if the student is enrolled in that division or is a provisional student; or the campus chancellor of the student's associated Penn State campus.
For additional information please refer to the Deferring a Grade page.
Individual Case Assignments
With the exception of Individual Assignment 1, you will have at least three weeks to complete each individual assignment. You can submit your work at any time during the three-week period; however, assignments will only be graded after the due date.
For Individual Assignments 2, 3, 4, and 5, you will be using a company created by the instructor for the purpose of this course. The company is a dry cleaning business named Clean Clothes Company (CCC). Read the background history of the CCC below.
CCC Background
James Pantin always took pride in his appearance. He believed that a well-pressed suit was the key to good day. In 1998 he had the opportunity to purchase a small dry cleaning company from his aunt and uncle, who were retiring. For the last 17 years, Mr. Pantin has run this business. Recently, his youngest daughter, Misha has joined him to manage the business.
CCC Services
CCC is a dry cleaning business. It specializes in the professional cleaning of different types of clothing and household items, including shirts, pants, dresses, ties, coats, draperies, sheets, and comforters, to name a few. They provide services for both individual customers and other small businesses as well.
CCC Technology Landscape
When James bought the business, all processes were paper based. Since those early days, he has introduced small amounts of technology. Misha’s recent arrival to the company has sparked a new wave of excitement and enthusiasm in the business. She wants to take CCC into the 21st century. The company uses state-of-the-art equipment to clean clothing but very little for the actual management of data and resources in the business. There are many opportunities to innovate and be more competitive through the use of information systems.
Rubrics are posted at the bottom of each assignment.
Discussion Forums
Discussion forums will be posted on a weekly basis. Each discussion topic will consist of multiple questions. You must participate in at least two questions per discussion. For example, if four questions are posted under a discussion topic, you must respond to at least two of the four questions.
Select the following button to show the grading rubric for the discussion forums. Rubrics are also posted in the individual discussion forums.
Team Assignment
Team Project Goals
- Examine the real-world impact of information systems in organizations.
- Execute tasks in a collaborative group environment, emphasizing the model that is employed in many businesses today.
- Develop a prototype using Microsoft applications—PowerPoint and Access.
- Develop presentation skills.
Team Project Overview
Your course instructor will divide the course into groups of three. Each group will work on a project that examines the impact of information systems within a particular functional business area. The group selects a company and shows how it uses technology to support specific functional areas of business. The team must select a real company and do research on how the company currently uses a variety of information systems products. The project is divided into several phases. You will use a variety of tools to collect information and develop the team project. If you have preferences for team members, you may send your instructor an Inbox message in Canvas before teams have been assigned to make this request.
Select the following button to show the project sections, points, and due dates.
Course Policies
The following is a list of policies and/or guidelines that govern student conduct in this course:
- All assignments must be submitted within the stated deadlines. Students who cannot submit assignments on time because of emergency, unexpected events, or extreme illness should contact the instructor before the due date (or as soon as circumstances allow) and ask for consideration. Unless arrangements are made with the instructor, late assignments will not be accepted without penalty. If a late assignment is accepted, a grade deduction of up to 10% per day may be taken, depending on the circumstances.
- Assignments will only be graded after the stated deadline.
- You are expected to carefully read all course content.
- Visit the course page regularly for any updates.
- All communication via email, message boards, and discussion forums, to both other students and instructors, must be respectful and void of profanity and derogatory, discriminatory, and/or abusive language.
- All students must adhere to appropriate communication etiquette:
- Before emailing questions, please thoroughly read the course outline, assignments, and other relevant materials to determine whether your question has already been addressed.
- Use a salutation (e.g., Dear Professor, Dear Classmate) and a closing (e.g., Regards, Student) in all your email communication.
- Allow 24–36 hours for responses to email communications.
- Do not use fonts with all capital letters in your posts to discussion forums and/or e-mails. Use full sentences, and clearly explain your ideas.
- The content provided in this course must not be stored, disseminated, copied, or in any way manipulated and used, other than for the intended instructional purpose.
Course Schedule
Note: All due dates reflect North American eastern time (ET).
The schedule below outlines the topics we will be covering in this course, along with the associated time frames and assignments, and provides you with an idea of what will be expected of you for each lesson. Each activity is identified as individual (I), team (T), graded (G), or ungraded self-study (U).
All work to be submitted is due by 11:59 p.m. (ET) on Sunday night of the week it is due, including Class Participation and Weekly Assignments.
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Note: If you are planning to graduate this semester, please communicate your intent to graduate to your instructor. This will alert your instructor to the need to submit your final grade in time to meet the published graduation deadlines. For more information about graduation policies and deadlines, please go to the Graduation Information on the My Penn State Online Student Portal.
Formal instruction will end on the last day of class. Provided that you have an active Penn State Access Account user ID and password, you will continue to be able to access the course materials for one year, starting from the end date of the academic semester in which the course was offered (with the exception of library reserves and other external resources that may have a shorter archival period). After one year, you might be able to access the course based on the policies of the program or department offering the course material, up to a maximum of three years from the end date of the academic semester in which the course was offered. For more information, please review the University Course Archival Policy.
Academic Integrity
According to Penn State policy G-9: Academic Integrity , an academic integrity violation is “an intentional, unintentional, or attempted violation of course or assessment policies to gain an academic advantage or to advantage or disadvantage another student academically.” Unless your instructor tells you otherwise, you must complete all course work entirely on your own, using only sources that have been permitted by your instructor, and you may not assist other students with papers, quizzes, exams, or other assessments. If your instructor allows you to use ideas, images, or word phrases created by another person (e.g., from Course Hero or Chegg) or by generative technology, such as ChatGPT, you must identify their source. You may not submit false or fabricated information, use the same academic work for credit in multiple courses, or share instructional content. Students with questions about academic integrity should ask their instructor before submitting work.
Students facing allegations of academic misconduct may not drop/withdraw from the affected course unless they are cleared of wrongdoing (see G-9: Academic Integrity ). Attempted drops will be prevented or reversed, and students will be expected to complete course work and meet course deadlines. Students who are found responsible for academic integrity violations face academic outcomes, which can be severe, and put themselves at jeopardy for other outcomes which may include ineligibility for Dean’s List, pass/fail elections, and grade forgiveness. Students may also face consequences from their home/major program and/or The Schreyer Honors College.
How Academic Integrity Violations Are Handled
World Campus students are expected to act with civility and
personal integrity; respect other students' dignity, rights, and
property; and help create and maintain an environment in which all
can succeed through the fruits of their own efforts. An environment
of academic integrity is requisite to respect for oneself and
others, as well as a civil community.
In cases where academic integrity is questioned, the Policy on Academic Integrity indicates that procedure requires an instructor to inform the student of the allegation. Procedures allow a student to accept or contest a charge. If a student chooses to contest a charge, the case will then be managed by the respective college or campus Academic Integrity Committee. If that committee recommends an administrative sanction (Formal Warning, Conduct Probation, Suspension, Expulsion), the claim will be referred to the Office of Student Accountability and Conflict Response.
All Penn State colleges abide by this Penn State policy, but review procedures may vary by college when academic dishonesty is suspected. Information about Penn State's academic integrity policy and college review procedures is included in the information that students receive upon enrolling in a course. To obtain that information in advance of enrolling in a course, please contact us by going to the Contacts & Help page .
Academic dishonesty of any type will result in a grade of F for the exam or assignment, a possible F for the course, and possible dismissal from the University.
Accommodating Disabilities
Penn State welcomes students with disabilities into the University's educational programs. Every Penn State campus has resources for students with disabilities. The Student Disability Resources (SDR) website provides contacts for disability services at every Penn State campus. For further information, please visit the SDR website.
In order to apply for reasonable accommodations, you must contact the appropriate disability resources office at the campus where you are officially enrolled, participate in an intake interview, and provide documentation based on the documentation guidelines. If the documentation supports your request for reasonable accommodations, your campus's disability resources office will provide you with an accommodation letter. Please share this letter with your instructors and discuss the accommodations with them as early in your courses as possible. You must follow this process for every semester that you request accommodations.
Additional Policies
For information about additional policies regarding Penn State Access Accounts; credit by examination; course tuition, fees, and refund schedules; and drops and withdrawals, please see the World Campus Student Center website.
Counseling and Psychological Services
If you have a crisis or safety concern, mental health services are available to you as a Penn State student. Crisis and emergency contacts are available, no matter where you are located:
- Anywhere in the United States: Call the Penn State Crisis Line at 1-877-229-6400 or text LIONS to 741741. You can also contact your local crisis services or hospital for emergencies.
- Outside the United States: Please contact emergency services in your current location. You can also use the International Crisis and Emergency Services listings.
- At University Park: Assistance is available at Counseling & Psychological Services (CAPS) locations on campus.
- At a Penn State branch campus: You can search for counseling information at your campus.
Veterans and Military Personnel
Veterans and currently serving military personnel and/or dependents with unique circumstances (e.g., upcoming deployments, drill/duty requirements, VA appointments, etc.) are welcome and encouraged to communicate these, in advance if possible, to the instructor in the case that special arrangements need to be made.
Privacy Notice
In order to protect your privacy, course access is limited to those individuals who have direct responsibility for the quality of your educational experience. In addition to the instructor, a teaching assistant or college administrator may be provided access in order to ensure optimal faculty availability and access. World Campus technical staff may also be given access in order to resolve technical support issues.Student Responsibilities and Conduct
- Students are responsible for online course content, taking notes, obtaining other materials provided by the instructor, taking tests (if applicable), and completing assignments as scheduled by the instructor. As a general rule, students should plan on logging into the course at least three times per week and spending at least three hours per course credit per week on the course, e.g., if the course is three credits, the student should plan on spending at least 9-12 hours per week on the course, just as they would in a residence course.
- Students are responsible for keeping track of changes in the course syllabus made by the instructor throughout the semester.
- Students are responsible for monitoring their grades.
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Students must contact their instructor (and teammates when working on any collaborative learning assignments) as soon as possible if they anticipate missing long periods of online time due to events such as chronic illnesses, death in the family, business travel, or other appropriate events. The instructor will determine the minimal log on time and participation required in order to meet course responsibilities. In the event of other unforeseen conflicts, the instructor and student will arrive at a solution together.
- Requests for taking exams or submitting assignments after the due dates require documentation of events such as illness, family emergency, or a business-sanctioned activity.
- Conflicts with dates on which examinations or assignments are scheduled must be discussed with the instructor or TA prior to the date of the examination or assignment.
- Students are responsible for following appropriate netiquette (network etiquette) when communicating with their instructor and classmates. For reference, see the Academic Success Kit.
- Behaviors that disrupt other students’ learning are not acceptable and will be addressed by the instructor.
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For severe and chronic problems with student disruptive behavior, the following will be applied for resolution:
- Senate Committee on Student Life policy on managing classroom disruptions: Office of Student Accountability and Conflict Response.
- Penn State Principles
Report Bias
Penn State takes great pride to foster a diverse and inclusive environment for students, faculty, and staff. Acts of intolerance, discrimination, or harassment due to age, ancestry, color, disability, gender, gender identity, national origin, race, religious belief, sexual orientation, or veteran status are not tolerated and can be reported through Educational Equity via the Report Bias webpage.
Disclaimer: Please note that the specifics of this Course Syllabus are subject to change; you will be responsible for abiding by any such changes. Your instructor will notify you of any changes.