AAS Computer Information Systems

Solve business information challenges with an online IT degree

Associate of Applied Science - Computer Information Systems (60 credits minimum)

Prepare to analyze business information needs and use computer systems to meet those needs with Davenport University’s associate degree in computer information systems (CIS). Your computer technology degree will qualify you for in-demand jobs in computer information systems where you’ll use advanced technology to help businesses and organizations operate at peak performance.

Enjoy the flexibility of earning your two-year computer technology degree in-person at Davenport’s campuses in Grand Rapids or Lansing — or take your CIS classes online through our Global Campus.

Develop the computer information skills you need from Davenport instructors who are experts in their field through this associate’s degree in information technology. Your professors keep CIS classes relevant in this fast-changing business environment so you’re well-prepared for a variety of jobs in computer information systems.

What is an associate degree in computer information systems?

An associate degree in computer information systems is a two-year undergraduate degree that focuses on using analysis, design, programming, testing and development techniques to serve the digital information needs within businesses and organizations.

Davenport’s online IT degree will prepare you for jobs in computer information systems with virtually any business or organization that depends on digital information for its operations.

Explore CIS classes for Davenport’s IT associates degree online

Davenport’s associate degree in computer information systems will give you a broad knowledge base on microcomputer applications, database management and operating systems in the business environment. Plus, you’ll also gain in-depth knowledge of object-oriented programming language, such as C++ or C# or Java. Your CIS classes include webpage applications, e-business technologies, server side scripting and database design, all of which are relevant in today’s jobs in computer information systems.

See Full Course List

Foundations of Excellence		22 Credits
ACES100 or OPEN	Achieving Career and Education Success or (if exempt) Open Elective ACES100 - This course presents the skills needed for university success and initiates students to career planning and development. Students evaluate their abilities and interests in order to develop career goals and align these goals with an appropriate course of study. Through a career investigation project, students are introduced to research techniques. Students also improve on academic skills necessary to successfully complete university work, such as critical thinking, study techniques, and test taking strategies. In addition, students are introduced to important dynamics of interpersonal communication and conflict resolution. The course also orients students to the University, to the Davenport University Excellence System, and to other elements of the Davenport curriculum. (This course is required for all new business and technology students, except those transferring with 30 or more semester credits.) Open Elective - Any course at the 100 level or above that is not already required in program.	3
COMM120	Presentation Techniques This course introduces and applies the theories and principles of effective communication. Students learn to organize and present clear, logical messages to specific audiences. They develop confidence in public speaking and increase their ability to inform and persuade listeners. They also implement critical thinking and listening skills. Finally, students exhibit the skills and tools necessary to construct, organize, and deliver effective speeches. Applicable Course Fees can be found at https://my.davenport.edu/financial-aid/how-much-does-du-cost/tuition-and-fees.	3
ENGL109	Composition This course introduces students to expository and persuasive writing. Employing critical thinking and the writing process, students will compose academic essays utilizing a variety of modes. They will also analyze and respond to a variety of academic and professional readings. Students will evaluate information and audience to improve form and content. Students are also introduced to the research process, including finding, evaluating, and documenting sources, to complete a short research project using the American Psychological Association Style. Note: ENGL109L is a 0 credit hour lab utilized in the Accelerated Learning Program (ALP). Applicable Course Fees can be found at https://my.davenport.edu/financial-aid/how-much-does-du-cost/tuition-and-fees. Prerequisite(s): Appropriate test scores or successful completion of ENGL021. Student must also complete a diagnostic writing sample.	3
ENGL110	Advanced Composition This course further develops the skills in expository and persuasive writing that were introduced in ENGL109, English Composition. Students develop critical thinking through the creation of essays and documents that use argumentation and persuasion. As a team, students collaborate to present a required assignment to the class. Students learn to research, evaluate, and incorporate information from both primary and secondary sources, to document secondary sources using APA format, and to analyze information and audiences to improve form and content. Applicable Course Fees can be found at https://my.davenport.edu/financial-aid/how-much-does-du-cost/tuition-and-fees. Prerequisite(s): ENGL109	3
MATH120	College Mathematics Students in this course will explore and apply college-level mathematical concepts so as to enhance their critical and creative thinking skills. This course aims to increase students' appreciation of the utility and application of mathematics. Topics will include i) problem solving, ii) set theory and real numbers, iii) linear, quadratic, exponential, and logarithmic functions, and iv) probability. Other topics of interest will be selected from graph theory, prime numbers, logic, number representation, and voting theory. Fees: Additional course fees apply. Prerequisite(s): Appropriate test scores, placement criteria, or successful completion of MATH 030	3
MATH150	Pre-Calculus This course is designed to prepare students for the traditional calculus sequence. Topics include: brief review of algebra, solving equations and inequalities, systems of linear and nonlinear equations, the properties and graphs of relations and functions (including polynomial, radical, rational, logarithmic, exponential, and trigonometric), zeros of polynomial functions, trigonometry, conic sections, polar coordinates. Applicable Course Fees can be found at https://my.davenport.edu/financial-aid/how-much-does-du-cost/tuition-and-fees. Prerequisite(s): Completion of MATH120 or MATH125 with a C or above	4
SOSC201	Diversity in Society This course introduces students to the complex issues surrounding diversity in U.S. society and to the need for understanding difference in an increasingly globalized world. Students will explore the social-historical context of multiple experiences on individual, cultural and institutional levels. They will analyze the complex interactions regarding diversity in organizations. Students will also evaluate their own thoughts, attitudes, and behaviors in order to understand their roles in a diverse society. Applicable Course Fees can be found at https://my.davenport.edu/financial-aid/how-much-does-du-cost/tuition-and-fees.	3

Foundations of Business		6 Credits
BUSN210	Professional Ethics This course explores applied ethics, focusing on social and professional situations especially in the fields of business, law, and technology. Students learn ethical theory as they examine the complexities of ethical dilemmas. Students also compare and contrast ethical and moral systems. In addition, students apply creative and critical thinking to ethical dilemmas involving professional and social responsibility. Applicable Course Fees can be found at https://my.davenport.edu/financial-aid/how-much-does-du-cost/tuition-and-fees.	3
MGMT211	Management Foundations This course provides a foundation in basic management principles with special application and focus on the supervisory level of management. The four universal functions of management (planning, organizing, leading, and controlling) are explored. Students learn the theories and study their impact on the history of management practices. Proper case analysis process is also examined and applied through the discussion of various supervisory/managerial case situations. Applicable Course Fees can be found at https://my.davenport.edu/financial-aid/how-much-does-du-cost/tuition-and-fees. Co-requisite(s): ENGL109	3

Foundations of Technology		15 Credits
CISP111	Requirements Planning/Develop This course surveys the main components of the business systems cycle. The five phases of the systems development life cycle (SDLC) (systems planning, system analysis, systems design, systems implementation, and system operation and support) will be investigated. Students will look at how many of the typical business needs are incorporated into a business system. These may include invoicing, accounts receivable, order entry, inventory, accounts payable, payroll, manufacturing, and sales/marketing. Participation in a group project, site visit, or case study will give students a sense of group dynamics in real-world systems development projects. Applicable Course Fees can be found at https://my.davenport.edu/financial-aid/how-much-does-du-cost/tuition-and-fees. Recommended Prerequisite(s): CISP100	3
CISP220	Web Page Applications This foundational course in web page design and development provides hands-on experiences in HyperText Markup Language (HTML), Cascading Style Sheets (CSS), and JavaScript to develop, validate, link, publish, design, and maintain web pages using industry standard tools. Topics covered include HTML forms, responsive design, interactive content, media usage, cascading style sheets, and the publishing process. Applicable Course Fees can be found at https://my.davenport.edu/financial-aid/how-much-does-du-cost/tuition-and-fees.	3
CSCI231	Introduction to Programming This is an introductory course in object-oriented programming. Students learn fundamental programming concepts including structured programming, operations on data and decision-making, looping, recursion, pointers, scope and class of variables strings, numeric arrays, sorting, and an introduction to data structures. Emphasis will be placed on the design, development, and testing of programs used to solve practical problems. Note: A grade of C or better is required to take the next level of programming courses CSCI 232, CSCI 234 and CSCI239. Applicable Course Fees can be found at https://my.davenport.edu/financial-aid/how-much-does-du-cost/tuition-and-fees.	3
MATH250	Discrete Structures This course applies fundamental ideas in discrete structures and mathematical reasoning. Topics include elementary logic and set theory, functions and relations, induction and recursion, elementary algorithm analysis, counting techniques, and introduction to computability. Fundamental techniques include graph theory, Boolean algebra, and trees. Techniques and topics will form the foundation for subsequent programming language courses. Applicable Course Fees can be found at https://my.davenport.edu/financial-aid/how-much-does-du-cost/tuition-and-fees. Prerequisite(s): CISP111 and MATH130, MATH135 or MATH150	3

Major		17 Credits
CISP211	E-Business Technologies This course is an introduction to Internet and Web based technologies, and methods improving purchase and logistics activities. Main topic areas include web-based technologies used to create new business opportunities, business strategies for e-commerce, hardware and software requirements, security concerns, payment systems, MRP, ERP concepts, cloud technology. Applicable Course Fees can be found at https://my.davenport.edu/financial-aid/how-much-does-du-cost/tuition-and-fees. Prerequisite(s): CISP111	3
CISP238	Server Side Scripting I Students learn to combine front-end and back-end web development using the Model-View-Controller software pattern. Students create database-driven web pages that can retrieve and manipulate data contained in a database using an entity framework to solve specific problems. Note: This course requires a C or better grade in order to take the next course in the sequence. Applicable Course Fees can be found at https://my.davenport.edu/financial-aid/how-much-does-du-cost/tuition-and-fees. Prerequisite(s): CSCI232, CSCI234, CSCI239, or CISP242	3
CISP247	Database Design This course will examine the major types or data models of Database Management Systems (DBMS): hierarchical, network, relational, and object-oriented. The principles and problems of database design, operation, and maintenance for each data model will be discussed and compared. Topics that will be covered include design theory, query language, relational expressions, SQL, stored procedures, client-server interfaces, entity relationship diagrams, normalization, and database security. Applicable Course Fees can be found at https://my.davenport.edu/financial-aid/how-much-does-du-cost/tuition-and-fees. Recommended Prerequisite(s): CISP111	3
CISP253	Python Scripting The Python programming language is cross platform in nature and can be used on Windows, Linux/Unix and Mac OS systems. This broad-based capability makes the Python Scripting languages highly useful in the field of technology. The language is highly capable in stream editing of data, data manipulation and parsing, which are required in IT and Forensics. Applicable Course Fees can be found at https://my.davenport.edu/financial-aid/how-much-does-du-cost/tuition-and-fees.	3
GPMT287	Principles of Project Mgmt Students gain an essential understanding of the discipline and approach to the management of projects in a global environment. Topics explained include project definition, resource planning, project scheduling with Gantt charts, project control, as well as planning and scheduling with limited resources. Topics are explored from both a quantitative and qualitative perspective. Students learn and utilize project software throughout the course. Various techniques used in planning, scheduling, ROI, and controlling projects will be explored and applied through the use of simulations. Applicable Course Fees can be found at https://my.davenport.edu/financial-aid/how-much-does-du-cost/tuition-and-fees. Prerequisite(s): HLTH211, MGMT211 or CISP111	3
TECH	Technology Elective	2

Choose one of the following:		(3) Credits
CSCI232	Object-Oriented Program w/ C++ This course is a continuation of object-oriented programming utilizing C++. Students learn to design, code, test, and debug programs using object-orientated techniques. Emphasis is placed upon topics such as problem solving, programming structure, arrays, strings, pointers, classes, inheritance, polymorphism, constructors, copy constructors, destructors, overloading operators, virtual functions, I/O file streams, and data files. Students learn how to strengthen problem solving skills and analytical techniques as they apply to their programs a variety of data types, input/output, operators, decisions, looping, and functions. Applicable Course Fees can be found at https://my.davenport.edu/financial-aid/how-much-does-du-cost/tuition-and-fees. Prerequisite(s): CSCI231 completed with a grade of C or better	3
CSCI234	Object-Oriented Program w/ C# This continuing course in object-oriented programming exposes students to C# programming and object-oriented analysis and design techniques. Students will design, develop, and test applications used to solve practical problems. Topics explored include classes, inheritance, polymorphism, interfaces, database access, extensible markup language, and network programming. Applicable Course Fees can be found at https://my.davenport.edu/financial-aid/how-much-does-du-cost/tuition-and-fees. Prerequisite(s): CSCI231 completed with a grade of C or better	3
CSCI239	Object-Oriented Program w/Java This course investigates advanced topics in object oriented programming using the Java programming language. Data structures, Trees, Linked Lists, Abstract Data Types, Binary Trees, Graphs, Searching and Sorting Algorithms are covered. Applicable Course Fees can be found at https://my.davenport.edu/financial-aid/how-much-does-du-cost/tuition-and-fees. Prerequisite(s): CSCI231 completed with a grade of C or better	3

Which class should I take? When should I take it?

See our Recommended Program Sequences:

$74,378

Earn a average salary of $74,378 working in IT

22%

Learn software development, a field with a 22% growth rate

Take a minimum of 60 credits to earn your associates in CIS

100%

Take your CIS classes 100% online through our Global Campus

Why pursue a computer technology degree at Davenport?

With this Davenport computer technology degree, you’ll develop the ability to analyze data, develop software, manage databases and run operating systems in a business environment. Stand out from your competition for jobs in computer information systems by also learning essential non-computer skills through CIS classes, such as presentation techniques, composition and management foundations.

In addition to in-person classes at three Davenport campuses, you can take CIS classes 100% online through Davenport’s Global Campus and network with other students who are earning their IT associates degree online. Davenport also makes it easy for you to get involved through student clubs, such as Business Professionals of America (BPA) and SkillsUSA.

Experience the Davenport difference:

Real-world faculty expertise

Advance your computer knowledge through CIS classes taught by faculty who are actively engaged in their respective tech fields.

Advanced computer labs

Learn in labs that align with standards and certifications, such as Microsoft Certified Professional and Sun Java Certified Associate.

Hands-on experience

Gain experience through a computer technology degree with hands-on projects in your CIS classes and student competitions.

Credit for existing certifications

Receive course credit toward your online IT degree for your qualifying certifications, such as CompTIA and Cisco Corporation.

Get started on your IT associates degree online

Explore the admissions requirements and then take the next step toward earning your IT associates degree online at Davenport.

Talk to an admissions advisor

Davenport’s admissions team is here to answer your questions. Please call us at 800.686.1600 or email us at info@davenport.edu.

Apply now or request more information

Start on the road to jobs in computer information systems. Request more information or begin your application now.

Programs related to the online IT degree

Associates in Health Information Technology

Bachelor’s in Computer Information Systems

Computer Information Systems Certificate

About Davenport University

Davenport is a private, not-for-profit university with more than 150 years of experience preparing students for successful careers.

Offering over 80 degree and certificate programs, we align with top employers to design degree programs that help you gain the skills and real-world experience you need to rise above the rest. With small class sizes and campuses across Michigan or online, you’ll earn a quality education on your schedule at Davenport University.*

Additional resources

Young woman with red headphones looking at laptop

4 trends that are emerging right now

Crises like the pandemic reveal how certain occupations better fit the needs of society during times of change. Among today’s most resilient jobs are jobs in computer information systems.

Davenport CIS student 3D prints N95 masks for hospitals

While Josh McCurry advances his career by pursuing a Davenport computer technology degree, he’s also taken innovative steps to help advance pandemic protections in hospitals.

Some programs require a student to complete a portion of their degree plan off-campus.
View a full list of those programs and courses

Sources:

U.S. Dept. of Labor
Bureau of Labor Statistics
Davenport University, 2023/2024 Catalog

Associates in Computer Information Systems