Educational Opportunities

Information Systems students have many ways to enhance their undergraduate experience, both inside and outside the classroom.

Teamwork, Professional Communications and Project Management
In our team-based project courses, students gain valuable experience in leadership, peer collaboration, project management, accountability, and cross-cultural communication.  Students lead in a number of roles, including quality control, client advocacy, technology, design, documentation, and team management.

Real World Projects
In the capstone project course, student teams design and deliver systems for real client organizations from the non-profit, charitable or education sector.  While many projects are locally based, student teams now work often with clients and teammates in other states or other countries.  Students valuable gain real world experience managing client relationships, expectations, quality and schedules - all while working under realistic challenges and constraints of time, budget, changing expectations and organizational styles.

Additional Major or a Minor
An additional major or a minor may be taken to complement the Information Systems major.  While not required, most Information Systems students graduate with one or the other.  A wide range of Carnegie Mellon majors and minors are open to Information Systems students.  Typically, a second major will require completing eleven to thirteen courses approved by the home department, while a minor will typically require six approved courses.  Popular choices include Business Administration, Human-Computer Interaction, Economics and Computer Science.

Research
Opportunities to conduct research of your own through “independent study” with a faculty member are abundant.  Professors in many departments throughout the university regularly sponsor student research and students from freshman through senior are encouraged to pursue opportunities of interest. 

Internships
Summer internships offer students the opportunity to put their skills into practice.  The employers who hire Information Systems graduates often also hire students for summer work.  The Information Systems advisor and the Carnegie Mellon career center offer guidance and will have listings of current opportunities.

Study abroad
Many Carnegie Mellon students complete a semester abroad to study the expanding opportunities in global business, software systems, services, design and product development.  Developing global perspectives and practice in cross-cultural communications are increasingly valued professional skills.  Students can study abroad at one of Carnegie Mellon's many established university exchanges, such as Singapore Management University or Carnegie Mellon’s Qatar campus – or may choose to go elsewhere for immersion in another country’s language, culture, and history.