INSTRUCTOR:

Prof. Paul Licker
 

PHONE:

EMAIL:
 

248-370-2432

licker@oakland.edu 

OFFICE / HOURS:
 

348 Elliott Hall   MW 11 am to 1 pm  or by appointment

CLASS TIMES:

PLACE (both sections)

Section 40304  MWF 9:20-10:10
Section 45272  MWF 1:20-2:10
ODH 108
Lab sessions have been scheduled for tutorial.  Labs are on Fridays and one Wednesday in EH 202.  See calendar view of schedule.

TEXTS:

(Lecture) Fundamentals of Information Systems, Third Edition
By Ralph M. Stair and George W. Reynolds.
(Tutorials) Microsoft Access 2003, Comprehensive Edition.  Second Edition
By Joseph J. Adamski and Kathleen T. Finnegan.
ISBN 1 4188 9116 9

Available as a package from the Oakland University bookstore.

SUPPLEMENTARY
MATERIALS:

All other required materials are available through the course website 

OVERVIEW:

MIS 300 is an introduction to the concepts, methodologies and tools for Management Information Systems (MIS) seen from the perspective of a business user. We will focus on the role of Information Technology (IT) as an enabler of business processes.
 

Information Technology is playing an ever-increasing role in business and it is important for all business students to have an understanding of how they may interact with Information Technology as a user, developer, analyst, entrepreneur, customer or manager.  In MIS 300 we will explore business processes, database technology, systems analysis, hardware, software, networks, system development, business analysis, and global and ethical issues related to Information Systems in business today and tomorrow.

(Prerequisite: CSE 125 or MIS 200 and Junior Standing)
 

METHODS:

The course involves lecture-discussion, classroom exercises, small-group teamwork, electronic communication, individual exams, and task assignments.

TUTORIALS:

Many sessions have a tutorial assigned from the Access workbook (Adamski and Finnegan). These will acquaint you with Access and provide some of the skills needed to complete the homework exercises efficiently and effectively. They are designed to take about 45 minutes to complete.  You should work through them, as they will make the homework easier. There is important conceptual material in the Access workbook that is extremely helpful for understanding database concepts.  There are eight tutorials. Seven are graded.  Only your best six will count.
 

HOMEWORK EXERCISES:

Most of the homework exercises will be done in groups (consisting of approximately 5 people). Whether it is a group or individual assignment will be specified in advance. The thing about software technology is that it is useful to work in groups in order to share brainpower and reduce learning time. 
 

SUBMITTING HOMEWORK:

Tutorial assignments are submitted via email to the tutorial assistant, who will also be available during scheduled labs.  For the "Subject", specify which Homework Assignment is being submitted ("Survey", "Tutorial 2", "Tutorial 3", etc.).  Be sure to include the names and e-mail addresses of everyone in the group who participated in the homework assignment in your email (it is best to copy ALL group members on the email so that everyone has a copy of what was submitted.  See "Policies" on student responsibilities for group work submitted).  Because the files will be quite large, you should “zip” your files.  You may “zip” your files using WinZip.  Finally, CHANGE THE EXTENSION FROM ".zip" to ".txt", because the OU email clients will not accept attachments named "*.zip". As the Answer Key will be posted on the due date of the assignment, no late assignments can be accepted. Homework assignments are all due at 9:20 am on the due date, which, for the Tutorials will be the Monday after the associated lab date.  A schedule of all due dates is available on the course website. 

Non-tutorial homework assignments are to be emailed directly to the course instructor.

EXAMS:

There will be a mid-term and a final exam concerning the concepts of Management Information Systems covered in the readings, exercises, tutorials and the class discussions. The exam format will be multiple choice. For both the Mid-Term and Final Exams, you will need Scantron Form No. 882-ES, which is available at the bookstore in the Oakland Center. You will also need a #2 pencil (bring a spare, too) for filling out the form during the test.  Make-up exams will not be given, except in extenuating circumstances. 
 

GRADING:

Homework Assignments
Mid-Term Exam
Final Exam
 

40 % (8 @ 5% each)
20 %
40 %

We will use the tenth-of-a-point grading system and the overall class median will likely be approximately in the 2.7 - 2.9 range. Individual grades will be based on the overall distribution of scores in the class.   Grades will not be "curved". 

GRADE CONVERSION:

Score

Grade

Score

Grade

Score

Grade

 Lower limit:

0.986

4.0

0.966

3.9

0.786

2.9

0.686

1.9

0.946

3.8

0.776

2.8

0.676

1.8

0.926

3.7

0.766

2.7

0.666

1.7

0.906

3.6

0.756

2.6

0.656

1.6

0.886

3.5

0.746

2.5

0.646

1.5

0.866

3.4

0.736

2.4

0.636

1.4

0.846

3.3

0.726

2.3

0.626

1.3

0.826

3.2

0.716

2.2

0.616

1.2

0.806

3.1

0.706

2.1

0.606

1.1

0.796

3.0

 0.696

2.0

0.596

1.0

ACADEMIC CONDUCT:

University policies related to proper Academic Conduct will be followed. For more details on those policies, click here. 
Attendance is  noted and an attendance sheet will be circulated at each class for you to initial.  If you miss more than four classes without documentation (such as a doctor's note, for example), the instructor will speak with you and in the absence of mitigating circumstances, will reduce your grade by 0.1 for each class missed beyond four.  Please note that signing the attendance sheet is part of proper academic conduct, too.

For course policies, check the course webpage.

PROFESSIONAL CONDUCT:

Student communications to and with the instructor shall at all times be conducted in a professional and courteous manner.  Student communications with one another shall also be professional, courteous and in the spirit of learning.