Studies & Degrees in Computer Information Systems
Computer Information Systems Study Programs
Computer information systems (CIS) is the study of how organisations use computers to do their work. It covers programming, databases, networks and security, but from the side of the user and the organisation: what a company needs from its systems, how to design or choose them, and how to keep them running. Most programmes include business subjects alongside the technical ones.
The name is used mainly in the United States, where CIS is taught at community colleges and universities. In Spain and Latin America the same content is found in degrees in computer engineering or systems engineering and in vocational computing titles.
What students learn
Bentley University, one of the schools in the SpainExchange list, describes its Computer Information Systems major as a hands-on programme in which students analyse, design and test solutions. According to Bentley, the degree gives students knowledge and understanding of the capabilities and implications of information technology, together with the methods and tools of information systems development.
This matches the way the US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) describes the work of computer systems analysts, the occupation closest to the subject: they study an organisation's current computer systems and procedures and design improvements to them, and they consult with managers to determine the role of IT systems in the organisation.
Qualifications and levels
- Associate degrees and certificates (United States). Community colleges teach the subject at the first level of higher education. Broward College in Florida lists an Associate of Science (A.S.) degree in Computer Information Technology and technical certificates such as Information Technology Support Specialist. The Community College of Rhode Island has programmes in cybersecurity, computer support, networking technology, computer programming and web technologies, designed for transfer to a university or for direct entry to work.
- Bachelor's degree. According to the BLS, computer systems analysts typically need a bachelor's degree, and studying computer science or information systems is common, although not always a requirement. For international students in the United States, the classification of the degree can matter: Bentley states that its CIS major is STEM-designated, so that students on F-1 visas may apply for a 24-month extension of the standard 12-month Optional Practical Training (OPT) period, subject to the decision of the immigration authority.
- Spain: bachelor's degree (grado). Official bachelor's degrees have 240 ECTS credits and master's degrees 60, 90 or 120. The Grado en Ingeniería Informática of the Universitat Oberta de Catalunya (UOC) has 240 credits, is taught fully online in Spanish and in Catalan, and lets students specialise in one of five profiles, among them information systems and information technologies.
- Spain: vocational training (FP). The official title Técnico Superior en Administración de Sistemas Informáticos en Red is a higher-level cycle (grado superior) of 2,000 hours.
Where to study
SpainExchange lists 114 active schools for computer information systems. Seventy-five are in the United States, nine in Spain, six in the United Kingdom and four in Canada; France, Mexico, Zimbabwe, Greece and China have two each.
In the United States the list includes universities such as Bentley University, Ferris State University, Florida Atlantic University and the University of Miami, and community colleges such as Broward College, the Community College of Rhode Island and Alamance Community College. In Spain it includes the Universitat Oberta de Catalunya, Florida Universitària in Catarroja (Valencia) and CCC Centro de Estudios in Madrid. Elsewhere it includes Camosun College in Victoria, Canada, Deree – The American College of Greece and Africa University in Zimbabwe.
Programmes in the United States, the United Kingdom and Canada are taught in English. In Spain teaching is in Spanish, and in Catalan or Valencian at some schools.
Careers
Bentley lists the roles its CIS graduates are prepared for: systems analyst, application developer, systems integrator, IT liaison, end-user support, network manager, vendor representative and technical support specialist. In Spain, TodoFP names systems administration technician and head of IT among the jobs for holders of the vocational title in network systems administration.
The BLS projects employment of computer systems analysts in the United States to grow 8 percent from 2025 to 2035, much faster than the average for all occupations, with about 32,900 openings each year. For computer and information technology occupations as a whole it also projects growth faster than the average over the same period. The BLS adds that some firms hire candidates with a degree in business or liberal arts who have the relevant skills.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between computer information systems and computer science?
Computer science focuses on the theory and construction of software. Computer information systems focuses on applying computer systems in organisations, and usually adds business subjects to the technical ones.
Can I start computer information systems at a community college?
Yes. US community colleges such as Broward College and the Community College of Rhode Island teach associate degrees and certificates in the field, and some programmes are designed for transfer to a bachelor's degree. Ask which credits the receiving university accepts.
Can I study the subject online in Spanish?
Yes. The Universitat Oberta de Catalunya teaches its Grado en Ingeniería Informática, which has an information systems profile, fully online in Spanish and in Catalan. It is an official degree of 240 credits.
Do I need a computing degree to become a systems analyst?
Usually, but not always. According to the BLS, systems analysts typically need a bachelor's degree and many study computer science or information systems, but some firms hire graduates in business or liberal arts with relevant skills.