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Use this site to learn about what ISOM (formerly DMIS) has to offer. You can explore:
Description of the Major
Skills Needed
Sample Occupations
What some typical ISOM graduates are doing in their careers
ISOM prepares you for the Business World
Organizations that have employed Mason ISOM graduates
Professional Associations
Student Clubs
SOM Career Library Resources
Description of the Major
ISOM students acquire a solid foundation in the management of both business operations and information technology. The ISOM curriculum emphasizes business-relevant concepts of information technology and the design and management of technology-driven business solutions. The major teaches students to leverage their knowledge of Information Systems, Operations Management, and business fundamentals to design, improve, and manage business processes.
The BS in ISOM prepares students for a wide range of career options that intersect management of people, processes, and technology. ISOM graduates typically fill organizational roles that require them to solve business problems by identifying suitable process improvements and accompanying technological solutions. Our recent graduates work in major organizations where they define business requirements, identify and design suitable IT-driven business solutions, and support the management of complex technology projects.
The job responsibilities of ISOM majors include:
- Applying information technology to deliver a business capability
- Assisting in making appropriate corporate investments into business technology
- Documenting, modeling and analyzing business processes for automation and improvement
- Identifying requirements for business process improvements and technological solutions
- Planning and designing IT-driven business solutions
- Quality management and control
- Testing and evaluating existing and new operational and information systems
- Managing operations in a supply chain
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Skills Needed
- Interest in use of technology by business and government
- Keen eye for problem identification
- Interest in designing innovative technological solutions
Skills Gained in the Major
- Understanding of business and technological fundamentals
- Innovative thinking - Identifying opportunities for innovative business applications of existing and emerging technologies
- Modeling and analyzing business operations and processes
- Gathering and analyzing business and user requirements for technology solutions
- Maximizing business value of technology through improved management of business operations and business processes
- Analytical abilities and problem solving - identifying business technology capabilities and requirements needed to solve business problems
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Online Resources for Career Research
Sample Occupations
(Connected to the Bureau of Labor and Statistic’s online Occupational Outlook Handbook)
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What some typical ISOM graduates are doing in their careers (in their own words)
- “I do functional tasks - everything from writing requirements and documents to a lot of testing and verifying information in our database”
- “I am assisting Senior Program Managers get a better understanding on how processes work. Scheduling and budgeting are a big part in this role. Also, understanding how technology can impact our business.”
- “I am currently supporting a project to modernize the client’s Financial Management System.”
- “Design and developing Geo-Spatial Information System(GIS) mapping applications, data analysis, software testing, engineering databases, and project management”
- “Functional/Technical analysis for delivery support of financial program(s).”
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ISOM prepares you for the Business World
- “The ISOM major gave me a solid foundation to build my career upon. ..There was a perfect balance of theory and real-life implementation” -Dave Waddelove, General Dynamics (ISOM Spring 2007)
- “ISOM is a great major, most of the things that were taught in class are things I either use today or are used by the professionals around me. ISOM gives chance to mix both IS and Business to an ultimate hybrid of both. Having a business base and an IS specialty is highly demanded in today''s work force”-Amir Edjlali, Northrop Grumman (ISOM Spring 2008)
- “This degree can take you anywhere. Specialized degrees in IT pigeon hole you into certain bodies of knowledge, but this degree allows you to walk in a management role… ISOM majors are much more marketable” - Rose Nowrey, Project Performance Corp. (ISOM Fall 2007)
- “ISOM has opened up many opportunities for me in both the business world, and in personal development. It has given versatility within the field of business by being able to have the insight in both the functional and technical aspects of business” - Thanit Baker, CGI Federal (ISOM Spring 2008)
- “ISOM is a well rounded major that includes the business aspect combined with technology. I felt this major became more and more useful as I began to move up in the IT field because most of the courses taught management materials like project management, database design ...” - Sean Kwok, L3 Communications (ISOM Fall 2007)
- “If you''re interested in current and emerging technology, and you always want to be employable, choose an ISOM major over other engineering majors. Engineering majors are worthwhile programs of study (my first two years were in engineering), but business will always need technology, and nobody understands the technology business needs better than an ISOM major” - John Eisenschmidt, Entrepreneur –consulting National Cancer Inst. (ISOM Summer 2008)
- “Many of the business managers recognize and appreciate ISOM program’s focus on both business and technology” - Elizabeth Finegan, CGI Federal (ISOM Spring 2008)
- “ISOM major prepares you for any type of analytical and project management career paths that require knowledge of both business and technology” - Heather Hudson, Freddie Mac (ISOM Spring 2008)
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Organizations that have employed Mason ISOM graduates
Accenture, Akamai Technologies, Alion Science and Technology, AmCad, Booz Allen Hamilton, CACI, Centre Consulting, CGI Federal, City of Alexandria, Defense Intelligence Agency, Deloitte, Department of Agriculture, EDS, Ernst & Young, Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, General Accounting Office, General Dynamics Network Systems, KPMG, Nortel Government Solutions, Northrup Grumman, Raytheon Systems, SAIC, SRA International, Verizon, VISA Corp and World Bank
Sample Professional Associations and Publications
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Student Clubs
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Sample SOM Career Services Library Resources
- Ace the IT Resume
- Resumes that Knock ‘em Dead
- eResumes: Everything you need to know about using electronic resumes.
- Get your IT Career in Gear
- Guide to Internet Job Searching
- Best 109 Internships
- Big Book of Jobs (03-04)
- Networking Survival Guide
- WetFeet Insider Guide to Careers in Information Technologies
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