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Information Systems Major

Combine technical expertise in the latest information technologies with rigorous business training to prepare for management and leadership opportunities in a tech-fueled marketplace.

Zimpleman College of Business | On-Campus

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What You'll Learn

As an Information Systems major, you’ll explore how information technology streamlines operations and helps modern organizations reach their strategic goals.

The curriculum takes a balanced approach. You’ll build a solid grounding in business fundamentals like accounting and finance, so you understand where you’re needed and the support you’ll provide. You’ll also develop a set of technical skills, including database management, application development, systems analysis and design, and in-demand programming languages.

Flexible major requirements let you tailor your training and ensure you appear competitive for internships. You’ll choose courses from topics like network management, website technologies, project management, and IT laws and use three additional courses to focus on a functional business area that aligns with your career goals. Throughout, hands-on learning environments introduce you to the methodologies, tools, and applications used by Fortune 500 companies.

About the Information Systems Major

  • Develop an understanding of information technology and its roles in the modern organization's competitive strategy.
  • Learn the technical skills by which systems and their supporting databases are developed and implemented.
  • Recognize the need for data-related analytical decision-making in a wide range of business functions.
  • Build fluency in programming languages and understand their unique problem-solving capabilities.
  • Prepare for a career as an information technology leader, where you’ll identify the best applications and solutions for business challenges and use data to influence organizational processes.

Program Facts

  • On campus
  • Attend full-time or part-time
  • 120 total credits; 75-75.5 credits for the major and business core
  • Information Systems minor: 23 credits

Program Options

Examine all the ways IT enhances a company’s operations and guides its growth. Or supplement your studies in any other area with strategic technical competencies.

B.S.B.A. in Information Systems

The right software, safe networks, and accurate data all help a business run more smoothly. The bachelor’s in Information Systems program delves into this vast intersection, plus the development and implementation of systems, databases, and applications.

Information Systems Minor

Strengthen your career preparation by learning more about the place of technology in the modern workplace and developing skills in areas like Microsoft Office, database management, and information systems design.

Meet the Faculty

Understand how to design, develop, and manage information systems for organizations from faculty who’ve studied their applications and possibilities.

Malgorzata Kolotylo-Kulkarni, PhD

Malgorzata Kolotylo-Kulkarni, PhD

Assistant Professor, Information Systems and Business Analytics

Alanah Mitchell, PhD

Alanah Mitchell, PhD

Dean, Zimpleman College of Business; Aliber Distinguished Professor of Information Systems

Troy Strader, PhD

Troy Strader, PhD

Aliber Distinguished Professor, Information Systems

Danielle Edwards, MS

Danielle Edwards, MS

Assistant Professor of Practice, Information Systems

All Faculty Members

Outside the Classroom

Get practice building and managing networks, contemplate systems within a business’s strategic goals, and access mentorship opportunities that pave the way to the workforce.

Two hands shake, with one wearing a bracelet and another with a visible shirt cuff

Internships

Hone your skills and build your résumé with in-depth professional experiences. Des Moines is a hub for insurance and financial services companies—ideal placements for careers in information systems.

An assortment of fliers for clubs that might interest Drake Information Systems majors

Student Clubs

Accelerate your professional growth and start to establish your network in the Drake Association of Technology Advancement, Women in Math & Computer Science, and more than 10 other business-related student organizations interested in someone like you.

An Information Systems major, standing, discusses a math problem written on a whiteboard with a professor, who's sitting behind a desk

Research

Join a student-led research team for a project-based exploration of topics connected to your career goals. Flourish under faculty guidance and gain the chance to present or publish your findings

Two participants in Drake's Wellmark BlueX: Technology Applied Learning Program take notes while sitting near a large screen

Wellmark BlueX: Technology Applied Learning Program

Open to first-year students, this multi-year cohort-based program pairs advanced study with professional development. Participants receive mentoring, become eligible for internships and full-time employment at Wellmark Inc., and conduct cutting-edge independent research.

The logo for the Vermeer Digital Bulldogs Program, open to Drake Information Systems majors

Vermeer Digital Bulldogs Program

Start a unique career journey in your sophomore year, beginning with a mentorship program that opens future eligibility for internships and employment with global manufacturer Vermeer Corporation.

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Scholarships

100% of full-time Drake undergraduate students receive scholarship support. You may be eligible for both merit- and need-based aid to significantly offset the costs of your education.

Careers & Skills

Information technology jobs are some of the best-paying and fastest-growing available. And employers today look for candidates with a strong technical background, an idea of the roles they play within an organization, and a willingness to adapt to the field’s pace and advances.

The Information Systems major prepares you to function confidently in a range of business settings, whether you need to develop a marketing plan, create compelling data visualizations using Microsoft Office, or analyze a roadmap for technology updates. Drake students often begin their careers as application developers, IT consultants, project managers, database administrators, network administrators, business/data/systems analysts, information security leaders, or IT auditors before transitioning to managerial positions in IS or another technology-related area.

Employers

  • 3M
  • Casey’s
  • Deloitte
  • John Deere
  • Kemin
  • Wellmark Blue Cross Blue Shield
  • Wells Fargo

Skills

  • Systems analysis and design
  • Microsoft Office
  • Application development
  • Database management
  • Visual Basic + additional programming languages
  • Accounting, finance, marketing, and other business fundamentals
A Drake Information Systems major in glasses crosses their arms while standing outdoors on a sunny day

Salary & Growth Outlook

$

The average computer systems analyst salary as of 2024. (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics)

“My favorite part of the [Voice of the Young Consumer] challenge was getting to work on a real-world problem that a company is facing and then, from there, develop a solution and find a strategic way to implement it. I got to work with an amazing group of students who are studying the same subjects as me, but at the same time, all brought something to the table.”
Dustin Casey ‘18
Farmers Mutual Hail Insurance

Related Programs

Not sure if information systems is the right fit? Explore these additional majors that pair an interest in business with focus areas aligned with the demands of today’s job market.

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Take the Next Step

Prepare to identify and captivate audiences through a study spanning analytics and consumer insights to product management and content creation.

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A group of four Drake Information Systems majors leave a classroom building to walk outdoors