Information Systems, Bachelor of Science (NEXT STEP Pathway)
VCU
Associate of Science in Business Administration
Completing the associate degree will waive VCU's general education requirements.
The Bachelor of Science in Information Systems prepares students for successful careers as information systems professionals through a curriculum that combines technical computing knowledge, skills and techniques with relevant business knowledge. The curriculum provides hands-on experience in supporting the secure delivery and management of information systems, buoys career success through rigorous academic inquiry, and supports the information systems needs of the business community-at-large throughout Greater Richmond.
REAL opportunities are found in INFO 491, INFO 492, and INFO 493.
The Bachelor of Science in Information Systems produces competitive graduates for entry-level roles in information technology (IT). Through hands-on training, alumni find positions in programming, software development, web development, networking, cyber security, and database administration. Students also build management skills and are well-suited to accept roles in management, business systems analysis, IT consulting, data analytics, and IT implementation. Departmental partnerships with private and public sector organizations allow resume- and skills-building opportunities. Our alumni are employed in all sectors of the economy including multinational companies, local small businesses, start-ups, and state and federal agencies.
- Computer and Information Systems Managers
- Computer Security Analyst
- Computer Systems Analyst
- Computer User Support Specialists
- Database Administrator
- Information Technology Project Managers
- Network and Computer Systems Administrators
- Programmer
- Systems Analyst
- Web Administrators
- Chief Technology Officer
- Cybersecurity Specialist
- Director of Information Technology
- Information Technology Auditor
Telephone: (804) 827-1349
Email: transferinfo@vcu.edu
VCCS Transfer Planning Checklist
Telephone: (804) 828-1222 or (800) 841-3638
Email: ugrad@vcu.edu
Apply Here.
Students are guaranteed admission to this degree program with:
- Completion of the associate degree
- Minimum GPA of 2.5
- All courses completed with a "C" grade or better
- MATH 200 or BUSN 212
- Natural Sciences requirement only
- No
- Yes
- 2.0+ cumulative GPA to graduate and 2.0+ major GPA to graduate
Information Systems, Bachelor of Science (NEXT STEP Pathway)
Reynolds Community College (Associate of Science in Business Administration)
| MAXIMIZE COURSE AND DEGREE PLANNING | GET CONNECTED WITH YOUR COMMUNITY | DEVELOP CULTURAL AGILITY | EXPLORE CAREERS AND DEVELOP ESSENTIAL SKILLS | PREPARING FOR LIFE AFTER COLLEGE | ||
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| Explore | Year 1 |
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| Experience | Year 2 |
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MAXIMIZE COURSE AND DEGREE PLANNING
- Register for SDV 100 or SDV 101.
- Schedule an advising appointment with your Reynolds advisor and review your Reynolds advising workbook.
- Be prepared for academic challenges in your classes and use tutoring resources to get ahead.
- Cultivate relationships with your professors.
- Explore financial aid resources and submit the FAFSA on time.
GET CONNECTED WITH YOUR COMMUNITY
- Explore the School of Business website.
- Get involved with student clubs and organizations.
- Volunteer for service learning or community service projects.
- Find out if you are eligible for the NEXT STEP VCU program.
- Learn about the transfer admission process for VCU.
DEVELOP CULTURAL AGILITY
- Attend cultural events at community college and VCU to celebrate diversity.
- Attend VCU’s annual Intercultural Festival or another community intercultural event.
- Make friends with people with diverse perspectives and join a cultural or identity-related student organization.
- Consider learning a foreign language to open doors to international organizations and future study.
EXPLORE CAREERS AND DEVELOP ESSENTIAL SKILLS
- Familiarize yourself with Handshake and explore Career Pathways on the VCU Career Services’ Website.
- Browse careers and occupations related to information systems.
- Explore iGrad to look into building a career and financial future.
- Build a LinkedIn profile.
- Take a career assessment to explore job options.
PREPARING FOR LIFE AFTER COLLEGE
- Develop personal and career goals and create SMART steps for 2-3 "dream jobs."
- Practice independent living skills (such as money management, self-care, time management, and personal responsibility).
- Create a weekly and monthly budget.
- Prepare for a career after college by creating a brand for yourself.
MAXIMIZE COURSE AND DEGREE PLANNING
- Schedule an advising appointment with your Reynolds advisor.
- Meet with your NEXT STEP advisor or submit a transfer advising request to the VCU Transfer Center.
- Research scholarship opportunities and explore your eligibility for the Two-Year College Transfer Grant.
- Be prepared for academic challenges. Use tutoring resources to get ahead.
- Submit the FAFSA on time.
GET CONNECTED WITH YOUR COMMUNITY
- Visit the VCU campus and attend a transfer admission session.
- Research housing options for next year.
- Attend a talk or other event sponsored by the VCU School of Business, consider joining a VCU club, or meeting with VCU students to make professional and personal connections.
DEVELOP CULTURAL AGILITY
- Learn about short-term, semester and year-long study abroad options.
- Check out the VCU Office of Multicultural Student Affairs (OMSA) and follow @vcuomsa.
- Attend VCU cultural events, including the monthly Global Café, VCU Diversity Scholars in Research week, or department-related events.
EXPLORE CAREERS AND DEVELOP ESSENTIAL SKILLS
- Find out about VCU REAL and learn about VCU's REAL graduation requirement.
- Use Handshake to explore jobs and internships that match your interests and skills.
- If your GPA is 3.5 or higher, consider applying for the VCU Honors College.
- Conduct informational interviews or shadow someone in a field of career interest.
PREPARING FOR LIFE AFTER COLLEGE
- Using LinkedIn, connect to at least 10 people. Check out the VCU alumni page in My Network.
- Use the cost calculator to estimate your tuition/fees as an upperclassman at VCU.
- Explore the types of aid available at VCU.
- Consider who you would like to have serve as professional and academic references for future letters of recommendation.
Information Systems, Bachelor of Science (NEXT STEP Pathway)
Reynolds Community College (Associate of Science in Business Administration)
| Course | Title | Equivalent course | Credits | Requirements |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | ||||
| SDV 101 | Orientation to Business | UNIV 101 | 1 | Elective |
| ENG 111 | College Composition I | UNIV 111 | 3 | General education |
| BUS 100 | Introduction to Business | BUSN 201 | 3 | Major |
| ECO 201 | Principles of Macroeconomics | ECON 211 | 3 | Major |
| History | UCGS History elective | HIST | 3 | General education |
| MTH 161 | Precalculus I | MATH 141 | 3 | General education |
| BUS 240 | Introduction to Business Law | BUSN 323 | 3 | Major |
| ENG 112 | College Composition II | UNIV 200 | 3 | General education |
| ECO 202 | Principles of Microeconomics | ECON 210 | 3 | Major |
| CST 100 OR CST 110 | Principles of Public Speaking or Introduction to Human Communication | SPCH 221 OR SPCH 121 | 3 | General education |
| Transfer elective | VCU equivalent | 3 | Elective | |
| Year 2 | ||||
| MTH 261 | Applied Calculus I | BUSN 212 | 3 | Major |
| Approved humanities.fine arts elective | VCU equivalent | 3 | General education | |
| ACC 211 | Principles of Accounting I | ACCT 203 | 3 | Major |
| Business core elective (select one of the following: BUS 200, BUS 270, BUS 274, BUS 280, ITE 140, MKT 201) | VCU equivalent | 3 | Elective | |
| BUS 224 | Business Statistics | SCMA 301 | 3 | Major |
| Approved humanities, literature or fine arts elective | VCU equivalent | 3 | General education | |
| ACC 212 | Principles of Accounting II | ACCT 204 | 3 | Major |
| Business core elective (select one of the following: BUS 200, BUS 270, BUS 274, BUS 280, ITE 140, MKT 201) | VCU equivalent | 3 | Elective | |
| BIO 106 OR GOL 105 | Life Science or Physical Geology | BIOL/Z 101 OR ENVS/Z 105 | 4 | General education |
| Approved transfer elective: Recommended course: MTH 288 Discrete Mathematics (fulfils lower-level prerequisite needed for upper-level Information Systems courses at VCU) | MATH 211 | 3 | Major | |
| Reynolds credits transferred to VCU | 62 | |||
| Course | Title | Credits | Requirements |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year 3 | |||
| INFO 202 | Introduction to Information Systems Development Technologies (take in first semester at VCU) | 3 | Major |
| MATH 211 | Mathematical Structures (take at VCU unless MTH 288 is taken at Reynolds) | 0 to 3 | Major |
| BUSN 301 | Career and Professional Development | 1 | Major |
| BUSN 325 | Business Communications | 3 | Major |
| INFO 300 | Information Technology Infrastructure (concurrent prerequisite = INFO 202) | 3 | Major |
| MKTG 301 | Marketing Principles | 3 | Major |
| INFO 360 | Business Information Systems | 3 | Major |
| INFO 361 | Systems Analysis and Design | 3 | Major |
| MGMT 310 | Managing People in Organizations | 3 | Major |
| INFO 350 | Intermediate Programming (prerequisites = INFO 202 and MATH 211) | 3 | Major |
| INFO 364 | Database Systems (prerequisite = INFO 202) | 3 | Major |
| INFO 370 | Fundamentals of Data Communications (prerequisites = MATH 211 + INFO 300) | 3 | Major |
| SCMA 320 | Production/Operations Management | 3 | Major |
| Year 4 | |||
| INFO | INFO major elective | 3 | Major |
| FIRE 311 | Financial Management | 3 | Major |
| INFO 320 | Artificial Intelligence for Business Intelligence | 3 | Major |
| MGMT 303 | Creativity and Ideation | 3 | Major |
| BUSN 499 | Business Knowledge Exam | 0 | Major |
| INFO 465 | Projects in Information Systems | 3 | Major |
| MGMT 434 | Strategic Management | 3 | Major |
| Major electives | 6 | Major | |
| Credits completed at VCU | 58 to 61 | ||
| Minimum credits required for bachelor's degree | 120 | ||
| The accelerated B.S. and M.S. program allows qualified students to earn both the B.S. and M.S. in Information Systems in a minimum of five years by completing approved graduate courses during the senior year of their undergraduate program. Minimum qualifications for entrance to this accelerated program include completion of 85 undergraduate credit hours including INFO 350, INFO 361 and INFO 364 ; an overall GPA of 3.25; and a GPA of 3.25 in information systems course work. | |||