What’s Different about Geneva’s Newest Undergraduate Major?


Dr. Gordon RichardsWith the addition of the Computer Information Systems (CIS) program at Geneva College, students now have an option to develop a solid grasp on both the technical skills of programing and networking and the practical acumen needed in business.

“The program is a blend between traditional computer science information courses and business,” says Professor of Computer Science Dr. Gordon Richards. “There is a large need for people who possess skills in both of those areas, and because of that need we added the program here at Geneva.”


The Computer Information Systems program is a blend between traditional computer science information courses and business.”
― Dr. Gordon Richards


“Much of what programmers do is solve business problems using technology,” says Richards. “In order to be able to solve a business problem, you have to understand business. In the CIS program, students learn disciplines like marketing, accounting and management, as well as the technical skills like programing and networking.”

Most students who graduate with a computer science degree do not start their careers in areas where they are doing solely computer science — they go into fields involving information systems. Richards says aligning Geneva’s offering with the know-how needed by students in their early careers is another reason the program was added.

Still, Richards says computer science will probably be the entry point for most. “When students in high school are looking at computers and looking at what they want to do, Computer Science is the program that immediately comes to mind, not Computer Information Systems,” he says. However, since many of them start in information systems, Geneva now provides a more practical way for students to channel their passion.

Programming and system development are generating demand in the job market today. Many of the students coming out of the Computer Information Systems program will start as business analysts where they will determine requirements and develop specifications for systems, or they may start out testing software in quality assurance and move into software development, systems analysis and design activities as they gain experience. The CIS program is perfectly positioned to help them.

One of the main differences between the CIS program and other programs at Geneva is the degree of math required. “We have Computer Engineering, which includes the full suite of all the math classes,” says Richards. “We also have Computer Science, which doesn’t have calculus but requires discrete math and statistics. Now students can choose the Computer Information Systems program and work in applied statistics. So, it doesn’t have the same math component as a computer science degree.”


In the CIS program, students learn disciplines like marketing, accounting and management, as well as the technical skills like programing and networking.
― Dr. Gordon Richards


Richards and team were able to develop the new major from courses that already exist in the catalog – no new classes needed. The curriculum consists of business and computer science courses arranged to provide students with a number of in-demand skills.

Bolstering the capacity and expertise of the Computer Science department, Professor Paul Poteete recently joined Geneva’s faculty. Poteete most recently worked for an information security firm, studied at the Naval Postgraduate School and is currently working towards a doctorate at the University of Pretoria in South Africa. He will teach computer science courses and contribute to the Computer Information Systems program.

The computer information systems program is expected to draw new students, but Richards says current students might also find it interesting. “We will discuss the options with students who are early in their degree progress and those who will be coming with us in the future,” says Richards. “A student who completed their first year here, or maybe even a year and a half, can still look in the direction of the Computer Information Systems major.”


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June 2017

Geneva College Introduces Computer Information Systems Degree Program
ACADEMICS
Geneva College Introduces Computer Information Systems Degree Program
Geneva College introduces a new undergraduate degree program in Computer Information Systems, which is immediately accepting new and transfer students for the fall 2017 semester.
Geneva’s Online HR Program Recognized on Top 20 List
ONLINE EDUCATION
Geneva’s Online HR Program Recognized on Top 20 List
Geneva College's online bachelor’s degree program in Human Resources was recognized by AffordableColleges.com as one of the top 20 most affordable in the nation.
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INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS
Geneva College Begins International Freshman Program in Shanghai
Innovative program designed to bring Chinese students to Beaver Falls campus

"Leaders fill a role, they love people in the process and people look up to them–that is why I want to be a better leader." ...Read more

- Lynsey Auell Organizational Leadership


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3200 College Ave.
Beaver Falls, PA 15010
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