Information Systems

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Sponsored by the Office of the Provost

2026-2027

School of Business

Program description

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.

Career opportunities

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.

Change of major requirements

Students interested in changing their major to the School of Business should first review the available programs offered. Click here for a list of available programs. Then, a student must attend a School of Business-Change of Major Session. You can view the available change of major sessions by clicking here. Please note, in order for a student to be eligible to attend a change of major session, a student must (a) earned a “C” or higher in one of the following courses: MATH 129 or MATH 139 or MATH 141 or MATH 151 or MATH 200 or BUSN 212 or (b) have an active math placement score.

Bachelor-level job titles

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

Graduate and professional level job titles

Chief Technology Officer
Cybersecurity Specialist
Director of Information Technology
Information Technology Auditor

Professional associations and resources

Degree requirements in Bulletin

Information Systems, Bachelor of Science (B.S.)

Information Systems, Bachelor of Science (B.S.), accelerated Bachelor's-to-Master's

Plan of study in Bulletin

Information Systems, Bachelor of Science (B.S.)

Information Systems, Bachelor of Science (B.S.), accelerated Bachelor's-to-Master's

Requirements

Highest level of math required

MATH 200 or BUSN 212

Science required

Natural Sciences requirement only

Foreign language requirements

Additional tuition/fees

GPA requirements (to progress/graduate in the major)

2.0+ cumulative GPA to graduate, 2.0+ major GPA to graduate.

Transfer Maps

View Transfer Maps for this major

Contact information

Department name:

Information Systems

Building/room location:

Snead Hall, Room B4210

Phone:

(804) 828-1732

Email:

businfosys@vcu.edu

https://business.vcu.edu/academics/information-systems/

Campus (where 75% of courses are taken):

Monroe Park

Major map

Year 1

Explore

MAXIMIZE COURSE AND DEGREE PLANNING

Enroll in a student success course to connect with campus advisors and build community around your interests and goals.
Map out a 4-year course plan in DegreeWorks' Student Educational Planner.
Meet with a writing consultant to hone your writing skills.
Schedule an appointment with your academic advisor to start goal planning, and choose electives.
Sharpen your study skills in Peer Assisted Study Sessions (PASS) at the Campus Learning Center.
Take a virtual library tour to learn about library spaces, services, and research help.
Take 15 credits per semester and maintain a 2.5+ cumulative GPA to declare your major in 2 years and graduate in 4 years.
Take BUSN 201: Foundations of Business to explore fundamental business environments, functions, and practices.
Take the math placement assessment and register for math classes each semester until you complete calculus (MATH 200 or BUSN 212).

EXPAND YOUR COMMUNITY

Apply to live in a program-in-residence or a living-learning community.
Connect with Global Education Office to explore leadership and intercultural communication skill-building programs and review resources such as Global Learning's Major Advising Sheets, study abroad fairs or complete Rams Abroad 101. to explore studying abroad opportunities and other global learning opportunities.
Consider applying to the Honors College.
Create a profile on RamsConnect to explore student organizations and get involved, meet people, and develop your interests.
Get involved and meet new friends through the Student Government Association or one of over 450 student clubs and organizations (BSPS Student club, Chemistry, etc.)
Register to vote in Virginia and explore Richmond’s many museums and parks.

EXPLORE CAREERS AND DEVELOP ESSENTIAL SKILLS

Apply to be a Division of Student Affairs peer leader.
Attend one career event sponsored by Career Services.
Complete and activate your Handshake profile and opt-in to industry email lists.
Consider applying for a federal work-study job on- or off-campus in Handshake.
Learn more about potential careers by using Forage in the Navigate 360 app.
Review your Career Works 4 year career planning tool and start working on your milestones.
Seek research opportunities by checking out the Undergraduate Research and Creative Inquiry webpage.

PREPARING FOR LIFE AFTER COLLEGE

Access your free credit report and begin making responsible credit choices to prepare for your future.
Build a resume and LinkedIn profile with help from VCU Career Services, make at least 10 connections, and check out the VCU alumni career programs page.
Connect with the Student Alumni Council to connect to VCU alumni.
Make a 4-year affordability plan with your financial counselor.

Year 2

Experience

MAXIMIZE COURSE AND DEGREE PLANNING

Get familiar with the research process with the VCU Libraries Research Basics Guide.
Schedule an appointment with your major advisor to explore minors, certificates, and plan your required REAL experience.
Be prepared for a challenging year of accounting, economics, and math classes by attending free tutoring sessions at the Campus Learning Center to get ahead.
Earn grades of C or higher in INFO 202 and MATH 211 as these courses are key prerequisites to core Information Systems course work. Be sure to work with your academic advisor to stay on track.
Take BUSN 301: Career and Professional Development and BUSN 325: Business Communications to help prepare you for career readiness and build your communication skills with confidence and professionalism.

EXPAND YOUR COMMUNITY

Discuss personal and professional interests with faculty.
Investigate globally-focused courses in your major by pursuing language coursework or setting language proficiency goals with advisors and faculty and apply for the Critical Languages Scholarship.
Take a service-learning class to get involved with local organizations while earning credit.
Volunteer to address a social issue and check out Hands on Greater Richmond for opportunities.
Join the Information Systems Organization (ISO) student org to get connected and stay current with the industry.

EXPLORE CAREERS AND DEVELOP ESSENTIAL SKILLS

Attend career and internship fairs and other professional development events.
Build a professional resume and upload it to Handshake.
Complete a gap analysis with your career advisor to identify key skills required for your professional field.
Pursue a digital badge to highlight the knowledge, skills, and experiences employers and graduate schools value.
Seek out practical experience through independent skill-building, internships, shadowing, or part-time work.

PREPARING FOR LIFE AFTER COLLEGE

Ask a faculty or staff member to be your academic and professional mentor and to provide future letters of recommendation.
Conduct informational interviews or shadow someone in a field of professional interest.
Connect with alumni on VCULink for career advice, industry contacts, and meaningful professional relationships.
Meet with a coach at the Financial Success Center to set financial goals, understand student loans, and create spending plans.
Information Systems internships recruit heavily in the fall of your junior year so have your resume reviewed by Business Career Services before you leave for the summer.

Year 3

Experience

MAXIMIZE COURSE AND DEGREE PLANNING

Enhance your business, software, technology, and creative skills using LinkedIn Learning.
Meet with your academic and career advisors to discuss graduation progress and career planning.
Complete INFO 350, INFO 364, and INFO 370 to meet degree prerequisites for INFO 465 to ensure you stay on track with your graduation plans.
Talk to your advisor about your eligibility for INFO 493 Internship in Information Systems, which requires 12+ credit hours in upper-level information systems classes.

EXPAND YOUR COMMUNITY

Attend civic meetings, such as school board, neighborhood association, city council, or state legislative sessions.
Build language proficiency and cultural competence by carrying out your plans for study abroad, internships, and service-learning.
Design a community-engaged research project.
Explore new cultures at one of Richmond’s wide array of festivals.
Make an appointment with the National Scholarship Office to explore post-graduate scholarship and fellowship opportunities.
Motivate your peers by presenting at Leaders Unleashed: Student Leadership Conference or at TEDxVCU.

EXPLORE CAREERS AND DEVELOP ESSENTIAL SKILLS

Apply for the Graduate School Mentorship Program to learn more about graduate school and the graduate student experience.
Take advantage of mock interview opportunities through Big Interview or meeting with a career advisor.
Update your ePortfolio.
Attend career and internship fairs and other professional development events.
Consider seeking out leadership positions in your business student organization to gain experience and build transferable skills for your resume.

PREPARING FOR LIFE AFTER COLLEGE

Have a personal statement or cover letter reviewed by Career Services or the Writing Center.
Make a plan with your academic, career, and faculty advisors for applying to graduate school or land a micro-internship.
Prepare for job offer negotiation by researching salaries, benefits, and other opportunities for flexibility.
Study for and complete any standardized exams required for graduate school the summer before senior year.
Research professional credentials like the Information Systems Analyst (ISA) certification or the Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP) licensure.
Talk to advisors, faculty, and Business Career Services about job options post-graduation.

Year 4

Excel

MAXIMIZE COURSE AND DEGREE PLANNING

Apply to graduate for your undergraduate degree.
Choose REAL electives to diversify your skillset and round out your degree.
Schedule an appointment with your academic advisor the semester before you graduate to ensure that all graduation requirements will be met.
Ace BUSN 499 Business Knowledge Exam in your final year.
Know the INFO 465 and MGMT 434 prerequisites and talk to your advisor to make sure you're on track.

EXPAND YOUR COMMUNITY

Attend professional association conferences that offer student rates or scholarships.
Carry out globally-oriented research projects with multilingual faculty and international partners.
Read scholarly articles about internationalization in your field.
Serve in a leadership role on campus in a local community organization.

EXPLORE CAREERS AND DEVELOP ESSENTIAL SKILLS

Apply for post-graduation programs like Peace Corps, Literacy Lab, or AmeriCorps.
Meet with your academic or professional mentor and identify examples of your experiential learning to share with employers.
Publish your original research in Auctus: The Journal of Undergraduate Research and Creativity.
Talk to your information systems professors about ways to get connected in DevOps.
Update your business resume to include new experiences you have gained and skills you have developed and meet with a Career Coach in Business Career Services.

PREPARING FOR LIFE AFTER COLLEGE

Connect with the Office of VCU Alumni Relations at Grad Fair, Grad Bash, and the VCULink Industry Network or alumni chapter.
Fill out VCU’s First Destination Survey.
Prepare for graduation by making a plan to complete licensing exams, applications, and self-marketing activities.
Single out prospective employers and create a job or graduate school search strategy at least 8 months before graduation.
Have a personal statement or cover letter reviewed and do a mock interview through InterviewStream or with a career advisor.

Visit majormaps.vcu.edu for the online version with links.
Sponsored by the Office of the Provost

2026-2027

Information Systems

School of Business

		MAXIMIZE COURSE AND DEGREE PLANNING	EXPAND YOUR COMMUNITY	EXPLORE CAREERS AND DEVELOP ESSENTIAL SKILLS	PREPARING FOR LIFE AFTER COLLEGE
Explore	Year 1	Enroll in a student success course to connect with campus advisors and build community around your interests and goals. Map out a 4-year course plan in DegreeWorks' Student Educational Planner. Meet with a writing consultant to hone your writing skills. Schedule an appointment with your academic advisor to start goal planning, and choose electives. Sharpen your study skills in Peer Assisted Study Sessions (PASS) at the Campus Learning Center. Take a virtual library tour to learn about library spaces, services, and research help. Take 15 credits per semester and maintain a 2.5+ cumulative GPA to declare your major in 2 years and graduate in 4 years. Take BUSN 201: Foundations of Business to explore fundamental business environments, functions, and practices. Take the math placement assessment and register for math classes each semester until you complete calculus (MATH 200 or BUSN 212).	Apply to live in a program-in-residence or a living-learning community. Connect with Global Education Office to explore leadership and intercultural communication skill-building programs and review resources such as Global Learning's Major Advising Sheets, study abroad fairs or complete Rams Abroad 101. to explore studying abroad opportunities and other global learning opportunities. Consider applying to the Honors College. Create a profile on RamsConnect to explore student organizations and get involved, meet people, and develop your interests. Get involved and meet new friends through the Student Government Association or one of over 450 student clubs and organizations (BSPS Student club, Chemistry, etc.) Register to vote in Virginia and explore Richmond’s many museums and parks.	Apply to be a Division of Student Affairs peer leader. Attend one career event sponsored by Career Services. Complete and activate your Handshake profile and opt-in to industry email lists. Consider applying for a federal work-study job on- or off-campus in Handshake. Learn more about potential careers by using Forage in the Navigate 360 app. Review your Career Works 4 year career planning tool and start working on your milestones. Seek research opportunities by checking out the Undergraduate Research and Creative Inquiry webpage.	Access your free credit report and begin making responsible credit choices to prepare for your future. Build a resume and LinkedIn profile with help from VCU Career Services, make at least 10 connections, and check out the VCU alumni career programs page. Connect with the Student Alumni Council to connect to VCU alumni. Make a 4-year affordability plan with your financial counselor.
Experience	Year 2	Get familiar with the research process with the VCU Libraries Research Basics Guide. Schedule an appointment with your major advisor to explore minors, certificates, and plan your required REAL experience. Be prepared for a challenging year of accounting, economics, and math classes by attending free tutoring sessions at the Campus Learning Center to get ahead. Earn grades of C or higher in INFO 202 and MATH 211 as these courses are key prerequisites to core Information Systems course work. Be sure to work with your academic advisor to stay on track. Take BUSN 301: Career and Professional Development and BUSN 325: Business Communications to help prepare you for career readiness and build your communication skills with confidence and professionalism.	Discuss personal and professional interests with faculty. Investigate globally-focused courses in your major by pursuing language coursework or setting language proficiency goals with advisors and faculty and apply for the Critical Languages Scholarship. Take a service-learning class to get involved with local organizations while earning credit. Volunteer to address a social issue and check out Hands on Greater Richmond for opportunities. Join the Information Systems Organization (ISO) student org to get connected and stay current with the industry.	Attend career and internship fairs and other professional development events. Build a professional resume and upload it to Handshake. Complete a gap analysis with your career advisor to identify key skills required for your professional field. Pursue a digital badge to highlight the knowledge, skills, and experiences employers and graduate schools value. Seek out practical experience through independent skill-building, internships, shadowing, or part-time work.	Ask a faculty or staff member to be your academic and professional mentor and to provide future letters of recommendation. Conduct informational interviews or shadow someone in a field of professional interest. Connect with alumni on VCULink for career advice, industry contacts, and meaningful professional relationships. Meet with a coach at the Financial Success Center to set financial goals, understand student loans, and create spending plans. Information Systems internships recruit heavily in the fall of your junior year so have your resume reviewed by Business Career Services before you leave for the summer.
Experience	Year 3	Enhance your business, software, technology, and creative skills using LinkedIn Learning. Meet with your academic and career advisors to discuss graduation progress and career planning. Complete INFO 350, INFO 364, and INFO 370 to meet degree prerequisites for INFO 465 to ensure you stay on track with your graduation plans. Talk to your advisor about your eligibility for INFO 493 Internship in Information Systems, which requires 12+ credit hours in upper-level information systems classes.	Attend civic meetings, such as school board, neighborhood association, city council, or state legislative sessions. Build language proficiency and cultural competence by carrying out your plans for study abroad, internships, and service-learning. Design a community-engaged research project. Explore new cultures at one of Richmond’s wide array of festivals. Make an appointment with the National Scholarship Office to explore post-graduate scholarship and fellowship opportunities. Motivate your peers by presenting at Leaders Unleashed: Student Leadership Conference or at TEDxVCU.	Apply for the Graduate School Mentorship Program to learn more about graduate school and the graduate student experience. Take advantage of mock interview opportunities through Big Interview or meeting with a career advisor. Update your ePortfolio. Attend career and internship fairs and other professional development events. Consider seeking out leadership positions in your business student organization to gain experience and build transferable skills for your resume.	Have a personal statement or cover letter reviewed by Career Services or the Writing Center. Make a plan with your academic, career, and faculty advisors for applying to graduate school or land a micro-internship. Prepare for job offer negotiation by researching salaries, benefits, and other opportunities for flexibility. Study for and complete any standardized exams required for graduate school the summer before senior year. Research professional credentials like the Information Systems Analyst (ISA) certification or the Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP) licensure. Talk to advisors, faculty, and Business Career Services about job options post-graduation.
Excel	Year 4	Apply to graduate for your undergraduate degree. Choose REAL electives to diversify your skillset and round out your degree. Schedule an appointment with your academic advisor the semester before you graduate to ensure that all graduation requirements will be met. Ace BUSN 499 Business Knowledge Exam in your final year. Know the INFO 465 and MGMT 434 prerequisites and talk to your advisor to make sure you're on track.	Attend professional association conferences that offer student rates or scholarships. Carry out globally-oriented research projects with multilingual faculty and international partners. Read scholarly articles about internationalization in your field. Serve in a leadership role on campus in a local community organization.	Apply for post-graduation programs like Peace Corps, Literacy Lab, or AmeriCorps. Meet with your academic or professional mentor and identify examples of your experiential learning to share with employers. Publish your original research in Auctus: The Journal of Undergraduate Research and Creativity. Talk to your information systems professors about ways to get connected in DevOps. Update your business resume to include new experiences you have gained and skills you have developed and meet with a Career Coach in Business Career Services.	Connect with the Office of VCU Alumni Relations at Grad Fair, Grad Bash, and the VCULink Industry Network or alumni chapter. Fill out VCU’s First Destination Survey. Prepare for graduation by making a plan to complete licensing exams, applications, and self-marketing activities. Single out prospective employers and create a job or graduate school search strategy at least 8 months before graduation. Have a personal statement or cover letter reviewed and do a mock interview through InterviewStream or with a career advisor.