Career opportunities in the IT field continue to grow and expand, both nationally and internationally. CIS graduates are well positioned to take advantage of this increased market demand for IT skills because they are well prepared with the knowledge-base and skill-sets necessary to successfully engage in an exciting, long-term, professional IT career. A career in IT will appeal to applicants who are looking for exciting, challenging, and well-compensated futures.

Types of positions:

Software Developer:

• Client Server Applications
• Enterprise Computing
• Mobile Applications
• Advanced Web Development

Systems Analyst:

• Program and application design

Database administrator:

Most graduates will integrate into their IT profession as a software developer or systems analyst. With experience and proven ability, students may advance into information technology management and/or specialized areas of technology such as database administration.

The CIS program will be applying for accreditation by the Canadian Information Processing Society (CIPS), an organization representing computing professionals in Canada. This accreditation provides graduates of the program with national recognition towards a CIPS Information Systems Professional (ISP) designation.

Learning Outcomes:

Graduates of the CIS program will possess the following skills and knowledge:

1. Analyse business problems and develop Information Technology solutions
2. Use online resources to investigate and analyse potential solutions
3. Participate in the implementation of projects individually and/or within a team environment
4. Develop and deploy desktop, web-based, mobile and distributed applications
5. Plan and navigate development processes through the software lifecycle stages
6. Develop interactive websites
7. Write SQL statements to manipulate data and databases
8. Consider the impact of network technologies on applications
9. Practice industry standard codes of conduct
10. Complete relevant documentation, activity reports, project plans, and proposals
11. Consider the international context within the work environment
12. Identify and engage in learning that is responsive to the workplace and that advances career path
13. Practice effective interpersonal communication skills in the following situations:
    • Presentation skills
    • Client Interaction
    • Conflict resolution
    • Teaching (clients and co-workers)
    • Leading small teams
    • Cultural sensitivity

Red Deer College:

Depending on electives chosen, graduates of the CIS program may apply up to 6 of 8 required courses towards a Management Certificate from Red Deer College. Required courses for the CIS program that also meet requirements for the Management Certificate program include COMM 250, ITEC 170, BADM 204, BADM 253, and two Business Options.

This Certificate is offered by the Business Administration Department at Red Deer College. Students must complete eight business courses approved by the Business Administration program Chairperson to be awarded a Management Certificate.

Please contact an academic advisor for details regarding this program and/or the Chairperson of the Business Administration Department.

Athabasca University:

Holders of a CIS diploma will be awarded 60 credits towards the 120 credit Bachelor of Science in Computing and Information Systems Degree (Post Diploma).

Graduates of the Computer Information Systems diploma may receive up to 39 credits for IT core courses. Students may also get additional credit for non-IT diploma courses. Students may apply this credit to a Bachelor of Arts - Information Systems degree or a Bachelor of Science - Computing Information Systems degree.

Students may work toward a degree through Athabasca's distance education programs. This may be done on a part-time basis.

University of Lethbridge:

Students may complete a two year (20 course) Post-Diploma B.Sc. Degree in Computer Science.

Students are eligible for admission to the Bachelor of Management Degree (25-course Post-Diploma program) with a diploma GPA of 3.0 or higher. Students with a diploma GPA of below 3.0 may be admissable, depending on individual circumstances.

NAIT/SAIT:

Graduates of the Computer Information Systems diploma may apply to complete the 2 year Post-Diploma Bachelor of Applied Information Systems Technology at NAIT or the Bachelor of Applied Technology Information Systems at SAIT.

High School Diploma with no mark below 50% in:

1. ELA 30-1
2. Mathematics 30-1

OR

50% in ELA 30-1 & 65% in Mathematics 30-2 with either Physics 30 or Chemistry 30 or Science 30 with a minimum mark of 50%.

OR

Mature Student

You must be 19 years of age or older, out of high school at least one full year before the program starts, and have a minimum mark of 50% in Mathematics 30-1

OR

a minimum mark of 65% in Mathematics 30-2 and either Chemistry 30 or Physics 30 or Science 30 with a minimum mark of 50%.

All CIS students must have a laptop computer that is using Microsoft Windows as the operating system. Please contact department Chair for minimum specifications.

Note: In addition to the program admission requirements applicants, whose first language is not English, must demonstrate English language proficiency. Refer to the Admission section of the Academic Calendar for further information. http://www.rdc.ab.ca/academic_calendar/admission/Pages/ApplicationInformation.aspx#Application

Recommendations:

Applicants are also expected to have working skill sets in at least the following areas of workstation management and operations through course work and/or industry experience:

• Word processing
• E-mail communications
• Internet research and download
• File and print management
• Basic operating systems literacy

Applicants requesting further information, skill assessment, and/or learning support courses (CMPT 083, 086, 087, or 089) should contact an academic advisor and/or the Information Technology Department Chairperson for assistance.

You must pass all courses and achieve a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.00.

Students will be required to take a College placement test before registering in a written communications course. (Students with 60% or greater in English 30 will be exempted from this test.) Students who do not achieve a satisfactory mark in this test will be required to complete COMM 150 before they can register in the required course, COMM 250. Students should take the placement test early in the event preparatory work (COMM 150) is required. Students needing to do COMM 150 will have the opportunity to complete all the Communications requirements within the two year time frame.

Program Electives:

As part of the graduation requirements for a Diploma in Computer Information Systems, students are required to pass a minimum of three different elective courses. One course must be from the Information Technology department. Two courses must be from the Business department.

With prior written approval from the department chair, a Science course may be substituted for a Business elective course.

Should a student possess any other course(s) and/or credentials not listed above for which they wish to have considered for advanced credit, please contact the Information Technology Department Chairperson.