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Studies & Degrees in Information Systems Engineering

Information systems engineering is the part of computing that deals with the systems an organisation runs on: its databases, business applications, networks and the processes built around them. The focus is less on building hardware or writing software for its own sake and more on fitting technology to what a company or public body needs.

Spain's official guidelines for computer engineering degrees give a useful definition. They list information systems as one of five specific technology areas, next to software engineering, computer engineering, computing and information technologies. Its core competence is the ability to integrate information and communication technology with business processes to meet the information needs of organisations. Graduates are expected to act as a link between the technical and the management sides of an organisation.

What students learn

Programmes combine a computing core with management subjects. The curriculum of the Grado en Ingeniería de Sistemas de Información at Universidad CEU San Pablo in Madrid is a typical example. It includes programming, databases, computer networks, operating systems and software engineering. It also includes analysis of financial statements, financial management, information systems for strategic management, and IT security and data protection. The degree has 6 ECTS credits of compulsory work placement.

Qualifications and levels

  • Spain, bachelor's degree (grado): official bachelor's degrees have 240 ECTS credits. Under the guidelines for degrees linked to the profession of technical computer engineer, the plan has 60 credits of basic training, 60 credits common to computing, a 48-credit block for each specific technology and a final project of 12 credits. The CEU San Pablo degree has 240 ECTS credits over four years, is taught on campus in Spanish or in English, with 40 places in each language, and has been authorised by the Madrid region since the 2010-11 academic year.
  • Spain, other names: many universities teach this content inside a general degree in computer engineering. The engineering school of the Universidad de Huelva, for example, offers a Grado en Ingeniería Informática and an official Máster en Ingeniería Informática. Official master's degrees in Spain have 60, 90 or 120 ECTS credits.
  • Latin America: the closest degree is often called Ingeniería de Sistemas. At the Universidad de Antioquia in Medellín, Colombia, it lasts 10 semesters, leads to the title Ingeniero/a de Sistemas and is offered on campus and in a virtual mode. In Mexico, the Universidad de Sonora lists an Ingeniería en Sistemas de Información at its Hermosillo campus.
  • English-speaking countries: the subject is usually taught as information systems or management information systems, at bachelor's or master's level.

Because the name of the degree changes from country to country, compare the curriculum and not only the title.

Where to study

SpainExchange lists 22 active schools for information systems engineering. Chile and Spain have five each, Ecuador three, Colombia, Mexico and the United Kingdom two each, and the United States, Brazil and Argentina one each. Examples in Chile are the Universidad Técnica Federico Santa María in Valparaíso, the Universidad de Concepción and the Universidad Diego Portales in Santiago. In Ecuador the list includes the Escuela Superior Politécnica del Litoral (ESPOL) in Guayaquil and the Escuela Politécnica Nacional in Quito. In Spain it includes Universidad CEU San Pablo, the Universidad de Huelva, the Universidad Católica de Ávila and Universidad Alfonso X el Sabio.

Most of these programmes are taught in Spanish. Some private universities in Spain also have an English-taught group, as CEU San Pablo does.

Costs

Fees depend on the country and on whether the university is public or private. As one example of a private university in Spain, CEU San Pablo publishes for 2026-27 a price per credit of €175 in the Spanish-taught group and €200 in the English-taught group. For a year of 60 ECTS credits that is €10,500 or €12,000, and the university also lists an enrolment fee of €1,500.

Careers

Typical roles, as listed by CEU San Pablo for its graduates, are software and application developer, information systems engineer or analyst, IT support technician, project and technology manager, technology consultant, security engineer and IT auditor.

Official figures for the United States give an idea of demand. The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) describes computer systems analysts as professionals who study an organisation's computer systems and procedures and design improvements to them. They typically need a bachelor's degree, and the BLS projects their employment to grow 8% from 2025 to 2035. Employment of computer and information systems managers is projected to grow 16% over the same period. These posts typically require a bachelor's degree plus related work experience.

Frequently asked questions

How is information systems engineering different from software engineering?

Software engineering concentrates on developing and maintaining software. Information systems engineering concentrates on integrating technology with business processes so that an organisation gets the information it needs. In Spain both are specific technology areas of the computer engineering degree.

How long does the degree take?

In Spain a bachelor's degree has 240 ECTS credits, taken over four years. In Colombia, the Ingeniería de Sistemas degree of the Universidad de Antioquia lasts 10 semesters.

Can I study information systems engineering in English in Spain?

In some universities, yes. CEU San Pablo offers its degree in Spanish or in English, with 40 places in each language.

What jobs can graduates do?

Graduates work as systems analysts, developers, IT consultants, project managers, security specialists and IT auditors, in companies and in the public sector.