For those interested in information technology, the wealth of concentrations in the field can be a bit confusing. Two of these concentrations, computer information systems (CIS) and management information systems (MIS), sound similar but play different roles in the information technology field.
There are numerous programs to explore if you want to pursue one of these areas of study. For instance, Florida Institute of Technology offers several online CIS programs designed to meet the needs of working adults. These include the Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration – CIS program, Bachelor of Science in CIS program and Associate of Science in CIS program. Through gaining an understanding of both CIS and MIS, you can find the concentration and type of degree program that is right for you.
Computer Information Systems
Computer information systems is a concentration that has a lot in common with the traditional study of computer science. CIS emphasizes the technical side of an organization’s information systems. CIS professionals provide expertise in installing, maintaining and troubleshooting computer and network infrastructure. They learn to diagnose system flaws, upgrade hardware and software, create and manipulate databases, and optimize computer security. In all cases, the CIS professional works to ensure that an organization has the networked computer infrastructure needed to support modern and effective information systems.
A comparison between CIS and MIS becomes one of emphasis. Imagine a spectrum in an IT department with technical support on one end and managerial support on the other. A CIS professional’s duties are more on the technical side. Yet the study of CIS typically ranges from coverage of computer science applications to maximizing efficiency and profit for a business or other organization.
Hence, there is room for management within the CIS sphere; CIS professionals may indeed rise to oversee their departments. When CIS professionals do obtain management positions, their focus is usually internal — based on their particular department and the actual organization network infrastructure.
Management Information Systems
CIS and MIS certainly overlap, but they also differ notably. Where CIS focuses more on the technical side of the organization, MIS emphasizes the management- or decision-oriented business side. An MIS professional focuses on how computer information can facilitate decision-making among an organization’s managers. Rather than examining information specific to a single department, MIS professionals examine data that is organization-wide.
For example, an MIS professional might uncover how information can improve the performance of an organization or how to improve the organization of information itself. In terms of data expertise, an MIS professional may be responsible for illustrating how sales information corresponds to overall business aims and performance or whether current data systems are sufficient to support informed management policies. The tendency for an MIS professional to focus on the reliability of system information, data analysis and improving information technology to better support decisions is a defining contrast between MIS and CIS.
As with CIS professionals, the focus of MIS professionals on management is a matter of degree. As a part of the information technology department, an MIS professional must still understand how the technical components of a system come together to provide information to decision-makers. However, an MIS professional may not be the first on call to provide technical support in the event of system failure.
Yet, interestingly, the term management information systems also refers to the technical set of systems that support MIS activities, as well as the academic study of people, technology and information management. Thus, MIS can mean quite a few different things, depending on the use case and context.
The Bottom Line Between CIS and MIS
The difference between CIS and MIS can be subtle, particularly since there is substantial overlap in the background knowledge that CIS and MIS professionals must have. The decision to pursue one concentration over the other lies primarily in whether you would prefer to focus on technical issues or management-level data- and decision-support.
Both CIS and MIS professionals operate as part of the information technology department (or specialized sub-departments) and typically support each other in their responsibilities. If you decide that CIS or MIS is your primary interest, formal education like Florida Tech’s online CIS programs can provide the training and credentials necessary to help professionals advance in the field.
Learn more about Florida Tech’s online Computer Information Systems programs.
