Course Descriptions
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Catalog Index Course Descriptions
Search the 1997-1998 Catalog: |
Associate Professors: Ammann, Baum, Motro, Offutt
Assistant Professors: Bose, Brodsky, Wang
Research Professors: Armour, Bechtold
Adjunct Professors: Alexander, Dinh, Fuller, Hanratty, Krishnan, Malaga, McDermott, Mills, Napoliello, Nguyen, Rao, Redwine, Scime, Seligman, Waisanen
The M.S.I.S. program is unique in two respects: 1) it provides a balance between the technical and management aspects of information systems, and 2) it accepts students with baccalaureate degrees in disciplines such as business, arts and sciences, computer science, and engineering.
The M.S.I.S. student studies the core topics of computer organization, programming languages, operating systems, operations research and management, database management, computer communication networks and distributed applications, systems analysis and design, and information systems policy and administration.
Through elective courses the student acquires knowledge and skills in the areas of office information systems, secure information systems, software systems engineering, information systems engineering, data engineering, knowledge engineering, information retrieval, decision support systems, user interface design, artificial intelligence, network management, and object-oriented analysis, design, and programming.
An M.S.I.S. graduate may pursue a career in areas such as database administration, management and engineering, database application programming, systems analysis and design, information engineering, knowledge engineering, network design and administration, systems integration, and the management of information systems.
The program is offered by the faculty of the Department of Information and Software Systems Engineering (ISSE). All classes are scheduled in the late afternoon and early evening to accommodate the professionally employed student.
Foundation Requirements
The M.S.I.S. program prepares students for research and practice in information systems. The program emphasizes a balance of technical and management skills. To ensure that students have an adequate background in mathematical methods, computer technology, and business knowledge, the program requires four foundation courses.
These foundation courses are the following three George Mason University courses, or equivalent:
INFS 501 Discrete and Logical Structures for Information Systems
INFS 515 Computer Organization
INFS 590 Program Design and Data Structures and one of the three courses listed below:
ACCT 600 Accounting and Reporting
MGMT 600 Organizational Behavior and Development
MKTG 650 Marketing Management
When a prospective student applies to the M.S.I.S. program, he or she is asked to fill out a departmental self-evaluation form, indicating whether previously taken courses may satisfy these foundation requirements. Upon acceptance, the student is advised of the necessary foundation courses to be satisfactorily completed, as articulated courses, to meet this requirement. Foundation courses do not earn credit toward the M.S.I.S. degree; however, they must be successfully completed with a grade of B or better before enrolling in the core curriculum.
Students may take courses through the Commonwealth Graduate Engineering Program. Appropriate courses may be transferred, with adviser approval, into this George Mason degree program.
Admission Requirements
Applicants for the M.S.I.S. program should meet the following minimum entrance requirements:
Advising
Before the beginning of each semester, the Information and Software Systems Engineering (ISSE) Department holds an orientation meeting to advise newly admitted and continuing students. Members of the faculty are present to answer questions and to offer advice concerning programs of study. Course registration forms are signed at this time; however, a student may enroll ahead of the orientation meeting with departmental approval and signature.
The department also provides an advising function to students, as outlined in the Student Advising Form available from the department. Each student is assigned a faculty adviser with whom the student may confer on matters related to degree requirements. A Plan of Study form for the M.S.I.S. degree should be completed and submitted by the student soon after admission to the program. The plan serves as a planning guide for the student.
Degree Requirements
Completion of the M.S.I.S. program requires a minimum of 30 approved graduate semester hours (10 courses). This requirement is satisfied by the following.
Required Courses
To provide a common background in the fundamentals of information systems, the following five courses are required of all students:
OR 540 Management Science
INFS 601 Operating Systems Theory and Practice
INFS 612 Data Communications and Distributed Processing
INFS 614 Database Management
INFS 622 Information Systems Analysis and Design
Students must also take one of the following two courses:
INFS 790 Information Systems Policy and Administration
INFS 798 Research Project
The research project is intended for research-oriented students who have discussed a project with a graduate faculty member who has agreed to supervise the project.
Electives
In order for students to pursue their individual interests, they may elect four courses. Guidelines for selecting elective courses are available from the department office. A thesis option is available; students may elect to complete a thesis for up to six hours of elective credit.
Students may earn a certificate in Software Systems Engineering by replacing the INFS 622 core course with SWSE 620, and by taking the following SWSE courses as electives:
SWSE 619 Software Construction
SWSE 621 Software Design
followed by two of the following as the remaining two electives:
SWSE/CS 623 Formal Methods and Models in Software Engineering
SWSE/CS 625 Software Project Management
SWSE 630 Software Engineering Economics
SWSE/CS 631 Object-Oriented Software Development
SWSE/CS 632 Use interface Design and Development
SWSE 637 Software Testing and Quality Assurance
SWSE/CS 706 Concurrent Software Systems
SWSE/CS 720 Advanced Software Requirements
SWSE/CS 721 Advanced Software Design Methods
SWSE/CS 735 Concurrency
SWSE 763 Software Engineering Experimentation
Note: SWSE 620 should not be taken as an elective unless the student is replacing INFS 622 as a part of the Software Systems Certificate program. Credit will not be given for taking both INFS 622 and SWSE 620; only three hours of credit will be awarded.
Admission Requirements
Applicants to the INFE certificate program must meet the same minimum entrance requirements as those listed for the M.S. degree program in Information Systems.
Each applicant must possess knowledge equivalent to that provided by the following courses:
INFS 501 Discrete and Logical Structures for Information Systems
INFS 515 Computer Organization
INFS 590 Program Design and Data Structures
Certificate Requirements
To obtain the certificate, candidates must complete the following set of courses, achieving a grade of B or better in each, for a total of 15 credits:
INFS 612 Data Communications and Distributed Processing
INFS 614 Database Management
SWSE 620 Software Requirements and Prototyping
SWSE 621 Software Design
and one of the following:
SWSE 625 Software Project Management
or
INFS 770 Methods for Information Systems Engineering
Admission Requirements
Admission into the certificate program in Software Systems Engineering is identical to that of the master's degree in Software Systems Engineering. Each applicant must possess knowledge equivalent to the following undergraduate courses: structured programming in a modern programming language, data structures, discrete mathematics, and machine organization. The level of knowledge may also be achieved by taking the following George Mason University courses, which are referred to as the SWSE foundation courses:
INFS 501 Discrete and Logical Structures for Information Systems
INFS 515 Computer Organization
INFS 590 Program Design and Data Structures
In addition, it is desirable, but not necessary, for applicants to have at least one year of appropriate work experience in building and/or modifying software systems.
Applicants are required to submit a brief (one- to two-page) statement of educational and work experience in the computing field that includes a statement of career goals in software systems engineering. Applicants also need to complete a self-assessment form, which can be obtained from the ISSE Department. This form provides summary information concerning background and preparation for the program.
For those students not enrolled in a graduate degree program at George Mason, application for the certificate program is made through the Graduate Admissions Office of the university. Students enrolled in a graduate degree program at George Mason should apply to the ISSE Department for admission into the certificate program.
Certificate Requirements
Certificate candidates must complete five courses, with an average grade of B or better, for a total of 15 credits of graduate study. To obtain the certificate, a student needs to complete the following:
Software systems engineers are in demand in every segment of society affected by computing technology. Typical employers include companies that build and sell computers, software companies, research and development laboratories, aerospace contractors, banks, insurance companies, and manufacturing organizations. The master's program is concerned with both technical and managerial issues, but primary emphasis is placed on the technical aspects of building and modifying software systems.
Foundation Requirements
Students entering the M.S.-S.W.S.E. program must have course work or equivalent knowledge in the following areas: a modern, block-structured programming language such as Ada, C, or Pascal; data structures and algorithms; machine organization (e.g., as given in computer system architecture or assembly language courses); and topics in discrete mathematics including sets, relations, functions, trees, graphs, and inductive proofs. The level of knowledge required in these areas is equivalent to that taught in undergraduate courses in the indicated topics, and may also be achieved by taking the following George Mason University courses, which are referred to as the SWSE foundation courses:
INFS 501 Discrete and Logical Structures for Information Systems
INFS 515 Computer Organization
INFS 590 Program Design and Data Structures
In addition, it is desirable, though not required, that entering students have at least one year of work experience in building and/or modifying software systems.
Admission Requirements
In addition to the general admission requirements of the university, applicants to the M.S.-S.W.S.E. program must meet the following minimum entrance requirements:
Advising
Before the beginning of each semester, the ISSE Department holds an orientation meeting to advise incoming and continuing students. Members of the faculty are present to answer questions and to offer advice concerning programs of study. Course registration forms are signed at this time; however, a student may enroll ahead of the orientation meeting with departmental approval and signature.
The department also provides an advising function to students, as outlined in the Student Advising Form available from the department. Each student is assigned a faculty adviser with whom the student confers on matters related to degree requirements. A Plan of Study form for the M.S.-S.W.S.E. degree should be completed and submitted by the student soon after admission to the program. The plan serves as a planning guide for the student.
Degree Requirements
The M.S. in Software Systems Engineering requires a minimum of 30 semester hours of graduate-level courses. The following six core courses (18 semester hours) are required:
SWSE 619 Software Construction
SWSE 620 Software Requirements and Prototyping
SWSE 621 Software Design
SWSE 623 Formal Methods and Models
SWSE 625 Software Project Management
SWSE 626 Software Project Laboratory
and either the professional track, consisting of four electives, or the research track, consisting of two electives and a six-semester-hour thesis, which is primarily intended for students planning to pursue a Ph.D. degree with emphasis on software systems engineering.
Electives
Electives provide students the opportunity to gain in-depth knowledge in a selected area, to gain breadth of knowledge, or, by careful selection, to complete some of the core course requirements for the Ph.D. program. A listing of preapproved qualified electives is available from the department office. However, students may choose other electives from offerings within SITE with the consent of the faculty adviser.