FAQs of MIS

Dear MS Aspirants,

Its really been long that I have answered any of the questions posted as comments on this portal! I really do apologize! While some of you might have already made a decision and moved on, I am more than sure that following write-up would be much useful for many others! Without wasting much time, lets move on -

1. MIS vs CS
Well yes, CS is usually hard code programming but also focussed on algorithms, trees and data structures. MIS on the other hand gives you a good comprehensive understanding of technicalities without having to dive much into the details. The basic goal of any MIS program is usually to equip you with the knowledge & skillset necessary to manage Information Systems in any given company.

2. Curriculum
Each university has its own defined period curriculum with some offering optional business courses. However, curriculum is dynamic and each university tries to re-visit its course structure every 2-3 yrs to attract the best and the brightest. I thus highly recommend you all to check and connect with students and other aspirants on edulix.com for recent developments in any particular university that you are interested.

3. Fees
In most of the universities, MIS is usually twice as costly as CS. The typical fee for MIS is $15k/sem but can greatly vary from university to university.

4. Assistantship
Again, understand that each university is different and there is no single answer to this question. While I was part of UofA, I witnessed that most of the students would have assistantship by second semester.
Assistantship (GA/TA) usually comes as either 10 hrs or 20 hrs. 10 hrs assistanship usually helps waive around 40-60% fees while 20 hrs assistantship can waive around 60-85% fees depending upon individual universities. The assistantships are usually accompanied by hourly stipend of typical $15/hr.
As an international student, you are allowed to work only 20 hrs for first 9 months of your curriculum.

5. CPT/OPT/Internship/Full Time Job
CPT is Curriculum Practical Training. Basically a legal permission that as a part of your curriculum, you are allowed to work 40 hrs a week. CPT is typically valid for 3 months but can be extended to as much as 9 months (I believe). Most students apply for CPT during summer time to work as intern in official companies. Most of the universities demand that one pays 3 credit worth fees for CPT.
Optional Practical Training (OPT) on the other hand is applied for when you have graduated. It usually is valid for 1 yr during which you should request your employer to while for H-1B visa. Many universities are trying to bring their MIS program under an umrella that allows for 17 months of OPT extension (12 + 17). Note that you do NOT pay Social Security Tax & Medicare Tax while on any of OPT or CPT.
The typical job profile after graduating with MIS is that of Analyst (business/system/technical) or consultant. The job scope of each title varies greatly from company to company.

I understand that I have only briefly touched the topics that you may be seeking an in-depth information about. Please feel free to leave sensible questions as comments and I will try to include those in this FAQ section.

Once again, good luck in your thirst for more knowledge.


Disclaimer: All the information presented above is based on limited knowledge that I possess. The information above should in NO way affect the decisions you have made and I would or should NOT be responsible for any loss of any form!

yet another beautiful day!

Ever had a morning that was set or thought of to start in a different but ended up being much nicer? Well, for me it couldn't have been any wonderful than today. The hang out till 4 am on Saturday night playing games with group of 15 friends and then yet another hang out with friends on Sunday night probably made me tired enough to get on my routine of reading a novel during the travel towards my work. I even tried to read, but since it was beginning of the new novel, I couldn't hold on to reading. The only next option available to me was just to look around for rest of my 35 minutes of my train travel. But I bet that it couldn't have been any better.

My morning started by noticing the wet roads. It probably seemed to have stopped raining since last couple of hours because while the edges of the leaves of the trees could still hold on to the drops of the rain,the roads weren't that watery! But hey, the smell was pleasant enough to penetrate my nostrils and give me that feel of getting on to the road trip rather than being bound by the four walls of office. The soothing videos through youtube kept me intact with dreamy world. I could feel that mischievous nature in little babies around trying to make fool of moms. That reminded me of my childhood when I would show no respect to Mr. Gandhiji and tear his body off whenever my dad offered me a ransom to make me quiet while being angry. The smile on the other side from charming little princess kind of swept away the feel of my existence. Its indeed wonderful at times to just float around in your own world without caring about what the others think of you...My heart couldn't stop feeling that happiness...wow! why can't I be like that always!!!

That first day of full time job...!

At once I thought the time has come that I should stop writing on this blog since the very purpose was to narrate my experiences during my masters. And the laziness and boredom convinced me to an certain extent but then, I had my energizing pack back when I good to meet my bhabhi, elder brother and close friends.
Now since that energy is injected in me, I got to mention the first day of my full time job. I always love it if my day begins by waking up early in morning. While some like twilight, I like to witness dawn (no jokes!). Today, it exactly happened that way. The alarm buzzed at 5:00am…the time around which I get the most beautiful dreams of night! I of course put that on snooze but that was just for 5 minutes! Now, if you have to travel 15 miles by public transport via a route never traveled before, you got to give up sleep…so no second snooze…Now, there is one thing that always surprises me…I always suggest people for advance planning but never do that for my own!!! As you might have guesses (hoping you are my friend :) ), I had to iron my pant, shirt and prepare my bag with all the necessary documents. And hey, I forgot the shower part! I love to take shower for minimum of 15-20 minutes…that’s when I forget about almost everything (besides my own body ;) ). Anyways, so I left at around 6:25 with all the new clothes which I just shopped yesterday (see…no planning) hoping that I will catch a train scheduled to arrive at station at 6:41 and station is 20 minutes walk from my place :) . Wait wait my friend..I didn’t mention about the free bus service here in Phoenix…man that made me reach within three minutes…that unfortunately gave me enough time to be loyal and buy a rail ticket (I miss my days in India of boarding a train without a ticket!)…hey…I think I forgot to mention about the wind of this morning and the temperature…it was such a pleasant and cool weather that I was actually convinced of walking for 20 mins till station but saw the bus following me and couldn’t deny my crying legs for relief .
The day at office started of with a very very beautiful lady (company’s HR, you can actually call her angel!)…some times you really wish that even your day dreams come true :) …don’t you ;) …anyways, so we finished everything in half an hour…and by everything, I just mean the documentation…and then I got to meet a person who inspired me the most during my internship…yes…one of my role models…and again it was a day of accumulating his acumen…his wise words…man…I just feel like listening to his advices all day long…afternoon turned out to be a little boring when I started thinking of things/ppl that I shouldn’t…so time to call loved ones…I love doing kidas while at work…and first day need not be different ;) …well…that went on for about an hour till the time when I got that email from that inspiring man walking the whole different about the tough economic phase that lies ahead of the company and what role is Manish going to play in helping the company to face that crunchy situation. Man, his words brought me to my feet and I got on track with email after email trying to catch hold of people for interviews. I finally ended the day at around 5:00pm knowing that it will take me 1 hr 30 mins to get home. I must admit that Phoenix’s light rail is awesome…I had so much fun sitting and returning in that day…I could witness the beauty of the city and surrounding areas (which I couldn’t in the morning because of the early morning’s darkness)…everything looks so beautiful when one is at very comfortable position…I could just think of myself and where am I headed in my career…
All in all….the day gave me enough reasons to keep smiling…may be I am just born to smile and make others smile…one of those beautiful days of my life…I love it being like this…more later…

Analyze the most complex thing on earth - Relationship

Duniya mein hum saare, yaadon ke hai maare...is what the title song of 'Yaadein' chimes! Isn't it true. We come on earth only to be remembered for our good deeds. And the only way to make people remember you is to make relation with them! Relation of connecting with their emotions rather than being limited by the name of the relation. How many of us try that? How many of us even try to connect with people with whom we have named relation? Lots of people say that they go beyond what is obivious to achieve results. But I have seen very few people going beyond obivious i.e. losing their egos to make someone else in the relation happy! We keep looking for problems around the world to get the recognition by providing innovative solutions, what is the solution to broken relations?

Search of a Truth...!

It probably was obivious to come! Writing after such a long time has really given me a consolidated thought process which I would like to put forth. I stand totally dis-oriented from every object, every human being and possibly everything you can think of except myself!

I don't know who I am. For one person I may be good and simulatenously for someone else, I am bad. I don't want to be recognized by any name but by my karma. But how do I justify my karma? I have senses which tell me to do not too good with someone because he/she isn't good but I also have heart which says do good to everyone without judging them! What if all the objects/people moving in front of my eyes suddenly come to dead still position. How am I supposed to react to be considered a human being? Whom do I trust or believe for there is literally no one around and thus the entire world belongs to me but with nothing in it! Whom am I supposed to love and whom am I supposed to set myself away from? I don't know! I see no one speaking the truth! All I see is people lying in one way or the other! Whom do I approach to find the ultimate truth! Truth about you, me and almost everything possible in this entire universe. Am I lost or this is the path that individual takes at some point in one's life? Do you have any clue or idea to guide me up! Please do so if you do...

On ppl being reluctant

It would be only be amazing to accept the fact that people even at masters level are reluctant to discuss believes which just have been inheritted without even questioning. I wouldn't say that masters taught me to argue but it definitely taught me to know and learn things before creating a belief which is not been tested. My recently attempt to find the existance or rather discuss the existance of god really got me in trouble. In case you are open, I would really like to discuss good & bad on earth and then the very definition of god that we have in our minds which is only supposed to yield good. Isn't it! I infact couldn't reach a conclusion on whether I should trust the very existance of something unseen or stay athiest and being devoid of social groups. I am open to discuss in case you have time :)

Emotions on Rocks...

Understanding human beings...

This blog originated from my thoughts over the category of people that we ever try to be in touch with. I was recently conversing with one of my very close friend who shared an interesting finding: Some of we US masters student don't really enjoy getting back to India because of the fear of having nothing to do at all which spins money. While in US, you get lot many opportunities to make some real money, those opportunities may still be hidden in some unknown (or not well known) streets of India. The whole point of discussion is you tend to see everything in monetary terms only. Also some of us grow so independent of relationships that we only remain in touch with people who can lead us what we want to be to attain that power. A best example to quote here is that of friends. Once you are here for around an year, you would realize that most of your time is spend with people who you think have the potential to get you closer to your objectives like going to different places, getting a good job, etc. There are some half hearted relations that you try to follow up with but don't really live it. But being in a relation where you can't live and be yourself, is to my believe of no use. Isn't it hard to sometimes completely understand human behavior?