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Information and Decision Sci (IDSC) Courses

Academic Unit: Info & Decision Sciences

IDSC 3001 - Information Systems & Digital Transformation [TS]
(3 cr; A-F or Audit; offered Every Fall, Spring & Summer)
Information technologies have transformed the way businesses operate and the way consumers interact with businesses. They have enabled organizations to increase efficiency, reduce costs, and reach new customers. Their impact goes beyond the business world and affects nearly every aspect of modern society. Along with the benefits they provide, technologies have created new problems around privacy, security, misinformation on social media, algorithmic bias, and potential stifling of competition and innovation. In today's digital age, it is crucial to develop an understanding of information technologies, their impact on business and society, and the challenges they pose for decision making in commercial firms, government agencies, and public policies. This course is designed to cover a broad range of information technology issues in order to prepare students for the knowledge intensive economy of the 21st century. Students will be exposed to not only the technical aspects of information technologies, but also the social, political, and economic factors that shape its development and use. Through a combination of lectures, discussions, videos, in-class exercises and talks by guest speakers, students will gain an in-depth understanding of how information technologies are shaping businesses and the society as a whole. Students will also develop critical thinking skills to analyze and evaluate the impact of technology on society. Topics include business strategy and disruptive technologies, enterprise systems such as those for Customer Relationship Management, Supply Chain Management and Human Resource Management, electronic and mobile commerce, social media applications and their social impact, cloud computing, data analytics, IT privacy and security, artificial intelligence and its social impact.
IDSC 3001H - Honors: Information Systems for Business Processes and Management
(3 cr; A-F or Audit; offered Every Fall)
Digital transformation through new technologies such as artificial intelligence, enterprise systems, electronic commerce, Internet of things, social media; IT strategy and data-driven decision making; privacy and security issues related to the Internet; a must take for Honors students who want to be prepared for the rapidly changing technological landscape as successful professionals.
IDSC 3101 - Introduction to Programming
(2 cr; A-F or Audit; offered Every Fall & Spring)
Introduction to Programming introduces students to a number of fundamental programming concepts, including: variables, decision structures, programming functions, and repetition structures. These concepts, which are widely applicable to different programming languages, are introduced using Python.
IDSC 3102 - Intermediate Programming
(2 cr; A-F or Audit; offered Every Fall & Spring)
Programming concepts to develop large, full-featured applications. Object-oriented programming, database applications, Web applications. Style, performance, UI design.
IDSC 3103 - Data Modeling and Databases
(2 cr; A-F only; offered Every Fall & Spring)
Concepts for designing, using, and implementing database systems. Normalization techniques. Structured Query Language (SQL). Analyzing a business situation. Building a database application.
IDSC 3104 - Enterprise Systems
(2 cr; Prereq-3001; A-F or Audit; offered Every Fall & Spring)
Management aspects of Enterprise Systems. Vendor/vendor management options. Technologies, organizational readiness. Hands-on access to software solutions from ERP software provider. End-to-end processes. Measurement of key performance indicators. Analytics, workflow.
IDSC 3202 - Analysis and Modeling of Business Systems
(4 cr; Prereq-3001; A-F or Audit; offered Every Fall & Spring)
Improving/automating key business processes in manufacturing and service industries. Roles of business management and MIS. Selecting business process opportunities, business process analysis, process modeling of work/data flow, decomposition, software tools. Traditional/object analysis methods.
IDSC 3511 - Pitching Business Strategy
(2 cr; Prereq-IDSc 3001 or I-Core (completed or concurrent), or Instructor permission.; A-F only; offered Every Fall)
Contemporary business strategy drives growth across industries and geographies. Thus, effectively selling an approach to an ambiguous business situation is an important skill for those entering the business world - either as a consultant or a staff member wishing to sell ideas to senior management. You will learn how to approach an opportunity and how to communicate your approach and an action plan to management with appropriate emphasis and structure. The class consists of a series of hands-on workshops and real-world, global business cases (which serve as proxies for real-life consulting and staff experiences).
IDSC 4111 - Data Engineering for Business Analytics
(2 cr; A-F only; offered Every Fall & Spring)
Equivalent courses: was IDSC 4110 until 16-JAN-24
Modern organizations increasingly base their decisions on data which is becoming more abundant each day. The first step of using data for decision making is to prepare data in a suitable format for analysis, a step commonly known as data engineering. Typical data engineering tasks may include data acquisition, parsing, handling missing data, summarization, augmenting, transformation, subsetting, sampling, aggregation, and merging. Data engineers also frequently use basic data visualization tools to detect and fix data issues. Most recently, there is increasing demand for data engineers to handle big data and unstructured data. A good data engineering process ensures quality, reliability, and usability of data. In fact, data engineering is such a critical and time-consuming step of data-driven decision making that many data scientists and analysts spend more than 60% of their time doing data engineering related tasks.
IDSC 4161 - Python for Business Applications
(2 cr; A-F only; offered Every Spring)
According to recent industry surveys, Python is a highly popular tool used by organizations for business tasks. This course is designed for students who already have an intermediate programming background such as IDSC 3101/3102 (or equivalent Computer Science programming courses) and would like to explore using Python for tasks such as text processing, data analysis, and website scraping. This course focuses on business-oriented applications of Python without requiring students to learn formal computing concepts. Participants will then learn how to apply functionality from powerful and popular libraries. We will spend most of our class time completing practical hands-on exercises.
IDSC 4204W - Strategic Information Technology Management [WI]
(4 cr; A-F or Audit; offered Every Fall & Spring)
Equivalent courses: was IDSC 4204 until 20-JAN-09
Information services as service function. Investing resources to support strategy. Managing IS resources. Project Management, Human Capital Management, Infrastructure Management. Emphasis on cloud/big data infrastructures, outsourcing.
IDSC 4210 - Interactive Data Visualization for Business Analytics
(2 cr; A-F only; offered Every Fall)
IDSC 4210 is an elective course for the undergraduate Business Analytics minor at the Carlson School of Management. It focuses on the fundamental and widely used exploratory data analysis technique of interactive visualization that is integral to modern business analytics. The key goal of this course is to prepare students for the rapidly changing digital environment faced by companies as it pertains to data-driven decisions. The students will also have hands?on experience with interactive data visualization using modern, state-of-the-art software on real-world datasets.
IDSC 4301 - MIS in Action: A Capstone Course
(2 cr; A-F only; offered Every Fall & Spring)
The course is designed for students to integrate a large number of concepts they have studied in previous course work within the department and school. The class uses a live-case/project-based design that requires students to identify and develop a detailed managerial analysis of an information technology and/or management information system (IT, MIS) project for a local corporation.
IDSC 4310 - Prescriptive Analytics
(2 cr; Prereq-IDSc 4110 & 4210 recommended.; A-F only; offered Every Spring)
Prescriptive Analytics answer the question "What should I do?" This class of analytical techniques focuses on moving beyond simply analyzing the data to providing an optimal action plan. Prescriptive techniques combine learnings from the descriptive and predictive disciplines with a new layer of insight and computer algorithms that suggests an action plan rather than just describing the data or predicting what might happen.
IDSC 4401 - Information Security
(2 cr; Prereq-3001; A-F only; offered Every Spring)
Concepts/issues of security and data integrity threats that undermine utility, robustness, and confidence in electronic technologies in facilitating business transactions.
IDSC 4411 - Information Technology Governance and Assurance
(2 cr; Prereq-3001; A-F only; offered Every Fall)
Information technology audit function, internal control, audit process, smart operations, network security, systems development life cycle, enterprise resource planning risk, compliance issues. IT governance, business continuity, frameworks/methodologies. Lectures, case studies, real-world examples.
IDSC 4441 - Electronic Commerce
(2 cr; Prereq-3001; A-F or Audit; offered Periodic Fall, Spring & Summer)
Issues/trends in applying e-commerce initiatives. Technological infrastructure, revenue models, web marketing, business-to-business strategies, online auctions, legal and ethical aspects, hardware/software, payment systems, security. Conceiving, planning, building, and managing e-commerce initiatives.
IDSC 4444 - Descriptive and Predictive Analytics
(2 cr; A-F only; offered Every Spring)
Descriptive and Predictive Analytics exposes students to a number of data mining and machine learning methods, including: exploratory methods (such as association rules and cluster analysis), predictive methods (such as K-NN and decision trees), and text mining methods. The course combines theoretical lectures with lab lectures, where the methods are practically implemented using the software R. prereqs: IDSC 3001; non-MIS majors also need IDSC 4110
IDSC 4471 - Agile Methods
(2 cr; Prereq-IDSC 3001; A-F only; offered Every Spring)
With the changing landscape of MIS methodologies, it is important to prepare for the future. This course will cover modern lightweight, and interactive IT development practices. Topics will include methodologies (RUP, Scrum, Kanban, and others); requirements gathering processes (Epics, User Stories); tools (burn-down chart, Kanban visualization); and leadership concepts (Scrum master, team member, sponsor). This class is appropriate for those with project-oriented career goals, in IT organizations as well as consulting roles.
IDSC 4491 - Independent Study in Information Systems (independent study)
(1 cr [max 4]; Prereq-instr consent; A-F only; offered Periodic Fall, Spring & Summer; may be repeated for 8 credits; may be repeated 2 times)
Independent study in informations systems.
IDSC 4493 - Directed Study
(1 cr [max 4]; Prereq-Instrutor consent; Student Option; offered Every Fall, Spring & Summer; may be repeated for 12 credits; may be repeated 3 times)
Student-initiated project or directed study to be completed with a faculty member.
IDSC 4504 - Machine Learning and Responsible AI for Business Applications
(4 cr; Prereq-BA 3551; A-F only; offered Every Fall & Spring)
Businesses nowadays increasingly make decisions based on data analytics with machine learning (ML) and artificial intelligence (AI) tools and techniques. As such, the abilities to identify analytics problems, collect/process data, and formulate and deliver solutions are important skills of next-generation business professionals. This course offers an introduction to advanced ML/AI topics for business applications. The course builds on top of basic ML/AI concepts and covers more advanced topics in predictive modeling. In addition, this course also teaches topics related to responsible ML/AI, including algorithmic bias and fairness, transparency and explainability, as well as regulatory and privacy issues. Each topic will be introduced with a combination of theoretical intuition and understanding, case studies and hands-on practice. As a part of the course, students will also work in teams on analytics project ideation and solution formulation.
IDSC 4521 - Business Analytics in Action
(2 cr; A-F only; offered Every Spring)
Students in this capstone put their analytics acumen to practical use as data analytics consultants. They will work on real analytics projects from real client companies. The capstone project will challenge students to be effective analytics professionals who can think critically, apply analytics techniques, manage projects from beginning to end, and communicate results to business stakeholders.This program equips students with the tools required to put analytics to practical use and solve specific business problems, the language and intuition to help generate business value from data, and the necessary insights for leveraging analytics to accelerate growth and increase efficiency and productivity.prereq : MKTG 3005, IDSC 4111, IDSC 4444
IDSC 4590 - Business Analytics Special Topics (Topics course)
(2 cr; A-F only; offered Every Spring; may be repeated for 6 credits; may be repeated 3 times)
Discussion and analysis of current topics and developments in business analytics.
IDSC 6003 - Accounting and Information Systems
(2 cr; A-F only; offered Periodic Fall & Spring; may be repeated for 4 credits)
IS/IT infrastructure assessment methods, technology solutions, management issues. Digital data sources. Systems design in accounting and financial reporting information systems. Internal control requirements of Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002. Experiential learning, hands-on use of accounting enterprise software other packages.
IDSC 6041 - Information Technology Management
(2 cr; A-F only; offered Every Fall, Spring & Summer)
Equivalent courses: was IDSC 6040 until 06-SEP-22, MBA 6241 (starting 20-JAN-15, ending 20-JAN-04, starting 03-SEP-02, was MBA 6240 until 06-SEP-22)
Management of information systems, information technology (IT) in global organization. Strategic uses of IT. Alignment of IT, organizational strategy, internet/Web technologies, e-commerce customer services. Integration of e-business applications, interorganizational systems, systems implementation. Management of information as resource. Lecture, case analysis, classroom discussion. Prereq MBA student.
IDSC 6051 - Information Technologies and Solutions
(2 cr; A-F only; offered Every Fall & Spring)
Equivalent courses: was IDSC 6050 until 06-SEP-22
Current/emerging technologies in modern Net-enhanced organizations. Internet/Web technologies, including Internet fundamentals, Web communications, Web 2.0/social media, information security, cloud computing, IT-driven innovation, emerging IT trends.
IDSC 6421 - Financial Information Systems and Technology
(2 cr; Prereq-MBA student; A-F only; offered Every Spring)
IT-focused business models of financial firms. Industry/firm technology infrastructures, applications, and in-firm control technologies. IT in financial markets and investment management. E-brokerage, digital quote vendors, Web-based IPOs. Web-based and home banking systems, traditional/Internet-based e-payment solutions, e-bill payment/presentment. Hands on experience with software.
IDSC 6423 - Enterprise Systems
(2 cr; A-F only; offered Every Fall & Spring)
Enterprise Systems are the information core of diverse organizations and play a major role in their management and performance. This course provides the context of Enterprise Systems role in organization's journey of Digital Transformation. It examines Enterprise System's structural aspects such as governance, program & change management, sourcing, development (programming), testing, operations, and regulatory compliance. Business cases provide real world examples across these subjects and focus on specifics such as labor multi-sourcing and A/B testing strategies.
IDSC 6444 - Business Analytics for Managers I
(2 cr; Prereq-[IDSC 6041 or IDSC 6051 or MBA 6241], MBA student; A-F only; offered Every Spring)
Use of information technologies to organize and analyze data to help managers make decisions about their business and the way they serve customers. Focused on data mining, the course also provides an orientation to statistical modeling, programming, and the design and testing of prototype systems and evaluation models, and an introduction to basic techniques in visualization, association rules, clustering, classification, regression, and elementary natural language processing.
IDSC 6446 - Business Analytics for Managers II
(2 cr; A-F only; offered Every Spring)
This course builds upon IDSC 6444 ?Business Analytics for Managers I? course. While IDSC 6444 focuses on the fundamental and most widely used data mining/analytics techniques, IDSC 6446 ?Business Analytics for Managers II? delves into a number of other current and emerging data mining/analytics areas that are becoming increasingly important for modern organizations. Such areas include advanced elements of predictive modeling process, cost-aware data mining/analytics, mining text and Web data, advanced data mining techniques, and other advanced topics. This course promotes practical data-analytic thinking and decision making, covers a number of fundamental issues, and introduces students to a number of analytics techniques in the aforementioned areas. The students will be able to apply these techniques to design and test data mining models in different settings, using real world datasets. This course will also discuss the value of advanced data mining/analytics in a variety of organizational contexts and business applications.
IDSC 6465 - Emerging Technologies and Digital Transformation: Changes to Work, Capability Sourcing and Innovatio (interactive TV)
(4 cr; Prereq-[IDSC 6041 or IDSC 6051 or MBA 6241], MBA student; A-F only; offered Every Spring)
Outsourcing IT and IT enabled services. Sourcing business/knowledge processes: finance/accounting, human resources, engineering services, data analytics. Strategic global sourcing planning/implementation. Managing offshore service relationships.
IDSC 6490 - Advanced Topics in MIS (Topics course)
(2 cr; A-F only; offered Periodic Fall & Spring; may be repeated for 10 credits; may be repeated 5 times)
Discussion and analysis of topics and developments in managing information systems.
IDSC 6491 - Independent Study in Information Systems (independent study)
(1 cr [max 4]; Prereq-instr consent; A-F only; offered Periodic Fall, Spring & Summer; may be repeated for 8 credits; may be repeated 2 times)
Independent study in Information Systems.
IDSC 8511 - Conceptual Topics and Research Methods in Information and Decision Sciences
(3 cr; Prereq-instr consent; Student Option; offered Every Fall)
Relationships to underlying disciplines; major research streams; seminal articles, survey literature, and major researchers. Provides framework for organizing knowledge about information and decision sciences.
IDSC 8521 - System Development
(3 cr; Prereq-Business admin PhD student or instr consent; Student Option; offered Spring Even Year)
Why it is hard to develop efficient/effective information systems, what can be done to improve situation. Defining efficiency/effectiveness in development process and in systems. Producing/evaluating artifacts (constructs, models, methods, tools) that enable more efficient/effective information systems to be developed.
IDSC 8531 - Organizational Theory and Research in Information Systems
(3 cr; Prereq-PhD student in Business Administration; A-F only; offered Spring Even Year)
Introduction, adoption, use/exploitation of information systems in organizations. Critically examine empirical work. Formulate research questions. Conduct research.
IDSC 8541 - Introduction to Economics of Information Systems
(3 cr; Prereq-PhD student in Business Administration or instr consent; A-F only; offered Spring Odd Year)
Classical research questions. Methods/findings that form backbone of economics of IS. Online auctions, electronic markets, offshoring, human capital issues.
IDSC 8620 - Data Mining and Personalization
(3 cr; A-F only; offered Spring Even Year)
IDSC 8620 is intended primarily for research-oriented graduate students who are interested in learning about current data mining / machine learning methodologies and how to use them in research. The course will provide a comprehensive overview of the exploratory and predictive analytics techniques, focusing on the fundamentals but covering a number of advanced issues as well, and will demonstrate how these techniques can be applied various application areas (including the increasingly important areas of text analytics and recommender systems). The course puts significant emphasis on practical, hands-on experience applying data mining techniques in different settings using real-world datasets, but will also discuss the use and value of data mining in a variety of research contexts.
IDSC 8631 - Emerging Technologies: Artificial Intelligence, Blockchain, & Virtual Reality
(2 cr; A-F only; offered Spring Odd Year; may be repeated for 3 credits)
Equivalent courses: was IDSC 8630 until 05-SEP-23
This course covers the latest research on emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence, blockchain, metaverse, and social media. Example topics include AI transparency, AI aversion, human-robot interactions, designs and mechanisms of blockchain, the impact of augmented reality and virtual reality, peer production, and online social networks. We will be reading and discussing book chapters and articles from multiple disciplines including but not limited to information systems, human-computer interaction, management, communication, and computer science.
IDSC 8721 - Behavioral Decision Theory
(3 cr; Prereq-Business admin PhD student or instr consent; offered alt yrs; Student Option; offered Periodic Fall & Spring)
Traditional/current research. Major models/methodologies. Issues of preference, judgment, and choice under conditions of certainty/uncertainty. Seminar format.
IDSC 8800 - Research Seminar in Information and Decision Sciences
(4 cr; Prereq-Business admin PhD student or instr consent; Student Option; offered Periodic Fall & Spring; may be repeated for 20 credits; may be repeated 5 times)
Topics, which vary by semester, are selected from new areas of research, research methods, and significant issues.
IDSC 8801 - Research Seminar in Information and Decision Sciences (Topics course)
(2 cr; Prereq-Business Admin PhD student or instr consent; Student Option; offered Every Spring; may be repeated for 20 credits; may be repeated 10 times)
New areas of research, research methods, issues.
IDSC 8892 - Readings in Information and Decision Sciences
(1 cr [max 8]; Prereq-Business admin PhD student or instr consent; S-N only; offered Every Fall, Spring & Summer; may be repeated for 16 credits; may be repeated 16 times)
Readings useful to a student's individual program and objectives that are not available through regular courses.
IDSC 8894 - Graduate Research in Information and Decision Sciences
(1 cr [max 8]; Prereq-Business admin PhD student or instr consent; Student Option; offered Every Fall, Spring & Summer; may be repeated for 16 credits; may be repeated 16 times)
Individual research on an approved topic appropriate to student's program and objectives.

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