Information Systems, Bachelor of Science (B.S.)

The mission of the Bachelor of Science in Information Systems is to prepare students for successful careers as information systems professionals through a curriculum that combines technical computing knowledge, skills and techniques with relevant business knowledge.

Special requirements

The School of Business has special academic policies, including policies on transfer credits, that apply to all undergraduate degrees. 

School of Business progression policy

Students enrolled in undergraduate programs of the School of Business engage in a demanding curriculum designed to set them up for success in the world of business. In order to successfully maintain progress towards graduation, students are required to meet the following criteria in order to remain in their majors:

• Students are required to pass major and ancillary requirements within two attempts. If a student withdraws from a course, it will count as an attempt. 

  • Upon the third attempt at a course, students will be placed on business probation and must pass the course successfully in that third attempt.

• Students must maintain a minimum 2.0 major GPA.

  • If a student's major GPA drops below 2.0, they will be placed on business probation and allowed one semester to raise their major GPA to 2.0. 

Upon notification of being placed on business probation, students will receive a registration hold, and must meet with their business adviser prior to the add/drop deadline of the pursuant semester in order to create an action plan to either pass the repeated course successfully, or increase their major GPA.

Students who do not meet the performance expectations of business probation in that same semester will be required to change their major prior to the start of the next semester.

Students may appeal the change of major via the associate dean of the School of Business. Students must initiate the appeal with their assigned academic adviser. The associate dean may, at their discretion, extend the time period needed to meet the requirements, generally by only one semester. A student who wishes to appeal must submit his or her appeal at least one week prior to the start of the next semester in which they register for classes.

Degree requirements for Information Systems, Bachelor of Science (B.S.)

The minimum number of credit hours required for this degree is 120.

Major electives

What follows is a sample plan that meets the prescribed requirements within a four-year course of study at VCU. Please contact your adviser before beginning course work toward a degree.

Recommended course sequence/plan of study 

Freshman year
Fall semester		Hours
BUSN 201 or BUSN 205	Foundations of Business or Introduction to the World of Business	3
UNIV 191 or UNIV 101 or UNIV 103	Student Success Special Topics or Introduction to the University or Education and Career Planning	1
UNIV 111 Play course video for Introduction to Focused Inquiry: Investigation and Communication	Introduction to Focused Inquiry: Investigation and Communication (satisfies general education UNIV foundations)	3
General education courses		6
Open elective (prerequisite to BUSN 212 suggested)		3
	Term Hours:	16
Spring semester
BUSN 212	Business Problem Solving and Analysis (satisfies general education quantitative foundations)	4
ECON 210	Principles of Microeconomics (satisfies general education course)	3
INFO 202	Introduction to Information Systems Development Technologies	3
UNIV 200	Advanced Focused Inquiry: Literacies, Research and Communication (satisfies general education UNIV foundations)	3
General education course		3
	Term Hours:	16
Sophomore year
Fall semester
ACCT 203	Introduction to Financial Reporting	3
BUSN 301	Career and Professional Development	1
ECON 211	Principles of Macroeconomics	3
INFO 360	Business Information Systems	3
SCMA 301	Business Statistics I	3
General education course		3
	Term Hours:	16
Spring semester
ACCT 204	Introduction to Managerial Accounting	3
INFO 300	Information Technology Infrastructure	3
MATH 211	Mathematical Structures	3
MGMT 303	Creativity and Ideation	3
Open elective		3
	Term Hours:	15
Junior year
Fall semester
BUSN 325	Business Communications	3
INFO 350	Intermediate Programming	3
INFO 364	Database Systems	3
SCMA 320	Production/Operations Management	3
General education course		3
	Term Hours:	15
Spring semester
INFO 320	Artificial Intelligence for Business Intelligence	3
INFO 361	Systems Analysis and Design	3
INFO 370	Network Architecture	3
MKTG 301	Marketing Principles	3
	Term Hours:	12
Senior year
Fall semester
BUSN 323	Legal Environment of Business	3
INFO 465	Projects in Information Systems	3
General education course		3
Major elective		3
Open elective		3
	Term Hours:	15
Spring semester
BUSN 499	Business Knowledge Exam	0
MGMT 434	Strategic Management	3
Major electives		6
Open elective		6
	Term Hours:	15
	Total Hours:	120

The minimum number of credit hours required for this degree is 120.

Accelerated B.S. and M.S.

The accelerated B.S. and M.S. program allows qualified students to earn both the B.S. and M.S. in Information Systems in a minimum of five years by completing approved graduate courses during the senior year of their undergraduate program. Students in the program may count up to 12 credit hours of graduate courses toward both the B.S. and M.S. degrees. Thus, the two degrees may be earned with a minimum of 139 credits rather than the 151 credits necessary if the two degrees are pursued separately.

Students holding these degrees are prepared for management-level positions in information systems and information technology. Students will focus on practical application of the knowledge gained in the classroom with an emphasis on creativity, innovation and leadership skills. 

Entrance to the accelerated program

Interested undergraduate students should consult with their adviser as early as possible to receive specific information about the accelerated program, determine academic eligibility and submit (no later than two semesters prior to graduating with a baccalaureate degree, that is, before the end of the spring semester of their junior year) an Accelerated Program Declaration Form to be approved by the graduate program director. Limited spaces may be available in the accelerated program. Academically qualified students may not receive approval if capacity has been reached.

Minimum qualifications for entrance to this accelerated program include completion of 85 undergraduate credit hours including INFO 350, INFO 361 and INFO 364 ; an overall GPA of 3.25; and a GPA of 3.25 in information systems course work. Students who do not meet the minimum GPA requirements may submit GRE scores to receive further consideration. 

Once enrolled in the accelerated program, students must meet the standards of performance applicable to graduate students as described in the “Satisfactory academic progress” section of the Graduate Bulletin, including maintaining a 3.0 GPA. Guidance to students admitted to the accelerated program is provided by both the undergraduate information systems adviser and the faculty adviser to the graduate program.

Admission to the graduate program

Entrance to the accelerated program enables the student to take the approved shared courses that will apply to the undergraduate and graduate degrees. However, entry into an accelerated program via an approved Accelerated Program Declaration Form does not constitute application or admission into the graduate program. Admission to the graduate program requires a separate step that occurs through a formal application to the master’s program, which is submitted through Graduate Admissions no later than a semester prior to graduation with the baccalaureate degree, that is, before the end of the fall semester of the senior year. In order to continue pursuing the master’s degree after the baccalaureate degree is conferred, accelerated students must follow the admission to graduate study requirements outlined in the VCU Bulletin.

Degree requirements

The Bachelor of Science in Information Systems degree will be awarded upon completion of a minimum of 121 credits and the satisfactory completion of all undergraduate degree requirements as stated in the Undergraduate Bulletin. This is one additional credit hour than required for the standalone Bachelor of Science in Information Systems due to the inclusion of INFO 493 which is required for accelerated B.S. to M.S. students.  

A maximum of 12 graduate credits may be taken prior to completion of the baccalaureate degree. These graduate credits substitute for required major elective courses or open elective credits for the undergraduate degree. These courses are shared credits with the graduate program, meaning that they will be applied to both undergraduate and graduate degree requirements.

The graduate information systems courses that may be taken as an undergraduate, once a student is admitted to the program, are:

Recommended course sequence/plan of study

What follows is the recommended plan of study for students interested in the accelerated program beginning in the fall of the junior year prior to admission to the accelerated program in the senior year.