Computer Information Systems
Program Description
The Business and Computer Information Division provides students with the intellectual foundations and quality business and technical education so they may assume productive careers in a dynamic and demanding world market.
The Associate of Applied Science in Computer Information Systems (Programming Emphasis) will prepare you for an entry-level position as a computer programmer, systems analyst, or database administrator. It will also prepare you for transfer to NAU-Yuma to pursue a Bachelor of Applied Science in Computer Technology. You will learn to write computer programs, do systems analysis, and use databases in a business environment.
The Computer Information Systems certificate prepares you for an entry-level position as a computer programmer, systems analyst, or database administrator. Courses may also transfer to NAU-Yuma toward a Bachelor of Applied Science in Computer Technology.
The Computer Security certificate will develop a knowledge of Information Security and methodologies that contribute to participate successfully in the Information Security and Assurance workforce. You will learn topics such as Information Technology risks, vulnerabilities, and protection requirements for new and emerging technologies.
The Networking certificate prepares you for a position relating to computer networking, managing of facilities, and network administrator responsibilities. You will develop a basic knowledge of computer networking.
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Career Outlook
Successful completion of this program can open doors to various employment opportunities, many of which require further higher education at the university level. Below are examples of related occupations and their annual mean wages in Arizona, based on career and wage data from Pipeline AZ, which utilizes government sources for its reports and forecasts.
Description
Conduct research into fundamental computer and information science as theorists, designers, or inventors. Develop solutions to problems in the field of computer hardware and software.
Duties/Tasks
- Analyze problems to develop solutions involving computer hardware and software.
- Apply theoretical expertise and innovation to create or apply new technology, such as adapting principles for applying computers to new uses.
- Assign or schedule tasks to meet work priorities and goals.
- Meet with managers, vendors, and others to solicit cooperation and resolve problems.
- Design computers and the software that runs them.
- Conduct logical analyses of business, scientific, engineering, and other technical problems, formulating mathematical models of problems for solution by computers.
- Evaluate project plans and proposals to assess feasibility issues.
- Participate in multidisciplinary projects in areas such as virtual reality, human-computer interaction, or robotics.
- Consult with users, management, vendors, and technicians to determine computing needs and system requirements.
- Maintain network hardware and software, direct network security measures, and monitor networks to ensure availability to system users.
Salary Information (AZ)
$148,090
$67,970
$141,440
N/A
$71.20
$32.68
$68.00
N/A
Typical Education Level
Bachelors Degree
Description
Plan, direct, or coordinate activities in such fields as electronic data processing, information systems, systems analysis, and computer programming.
Duties/Tasks
- Direct daily operations of department, analyzing workflow, establishing priorities, developing standards and setting deadlines.
- Meet with department heads, managers, supervisors, vendors, and others, to solicit cooperation and resolve problems.
- Review project plans to plan and coordinate project activity.
- Assign and review the work of systems analysts, programmers, and other computer-related workers.
- Provide users with technical support for computer problems.
- Develop computer information resources, providing for data security and control, strategic computing, and disaster recovery.
- Recruit, hire, train and supervise staff, or participate in staffing decisions.
- Stay abreast of advances in technology.
- Consult with users, management, vendors, and technicians to assess computing needs and system requirements.
- Manage backup, security and user help systems.
Salary Information (AZ)
$153,060
$79,840
$134,640
N/A
$73.59
$38.39
$64.00
N/A
Typical Education Level
Bachelors Degree
Description
Design and implement computer and information networks, such as local area networks (LAN), wide area networks (WAN), intranets, extranets, and other data communications networks. Perform network modeling, analysis, and planning, including analysis of capacity needs for network infrastructures. May also design network and computer security measures. May research and recommend network and data communications hardware and software.
Duties/Tasks
- Develop or recommend network security measures, such as firewalls, network security audits, or automated security probes.
- Develop disaster recovery plans.
- Monitor and analyze network performance and reports on data input or output to detect problems, identify inefficient use of computer resources, or perform capacity planning.
- Coordinate network or design activities with designers of associated networks.
- Develop conceptual, logical, or physical network designs.
- Develop and implement solutions for network problems.
- Determine specific network hardware or software requirements, such as platforms, interfaces, bandwidths, or routine schemas.
- Communicate with system users to ensure accounts are set up properly or to diagnose and solve operational problems.
- Visit vendors, attend conferences or training sessions, or study technical journals to keep up with changes in technology.
- Maintain networks by performing activities such as file addition, deletion, or backup.
Salary Information (AZ)
$118,810
$77,680
$120,240
$165,470
$57.12
$37.35
$57.00
$79.55
Typical Education Level
Masters Degree
Description
Teach courses in computer science. May specialize in a field of computer science, such as the design and function of computers or operations and research analysis. Includes both teachers primarily engaged in teaching and those who do a combination of teaching and research.
Duties/Tasks
- Prepare course materials, such as syllabi, homework assignments, and handouts.
- Compile, administer, and grade examinations or assign this work to others.
- Prepare and deliver lectures to undergraduate or graduate students on topics such as programming, data structures, and software design.
- Evaluate and grade students' class work, laboratory work, assignments, and papers.
- Maintain student attendance records, grades, and other required records.
- Keep abreast of developments in the field by reading current literature, talking with colleagues, and participating in professional conferences.
- Plan, evaluate, and revise curricula, course content, and course materials and methods of instruction.
- Direct research of other teachers or of graduate students working for advanced academic degrees.
- Supervise undergraduate or graduate teaching, internship, and research work.
- Conduct research in a particular field of knowledge and publish findings in professional journals, books, or electronic media.
Salary Information (AZ)
$82,970
$48,520
$63,670
$123,630
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
Typical Education Level
Masters Degree
Description
Analyze science, engineering, business, and other data processing problems to develop and implement solutions to complex applications problems, system administration issues, or network concerns. Perform systems management and integration functions, improve existing computer systems, and review computer system capabilities, workflow, and schedule limitations. May analyze or recommend commercially available software.
Duties/Tasks
- Test, maintain, and monitor computer programs and systems, including coordinating the installation of computer programs and systems.
- Troubleshoot program and system malfunctions to restore normal functioning.
- Expand or modify system to serve new purposes or improve work flow.
- Use the computer in the analysis and solution of business problems, such as development of integrated production and inventory control and cost analysis systems.
- Consult with management to ensure agreement on system principles.
- Confer with clients regarding the nature of the information processing or computation needs a computer program is to address.
- Develop, document, and revise system design procedures, test procedures, and quality standards.
- Train staff and users to work with computer systems and programs.
- Coordinate and link the computer systems within an organization to increase compatibility so that information can be shared.
- Use object-oriented programming languages, as well as client and server applications development processes and multimedia and Internet technology.
- Review and analyze computer printouts and performance indicators to locate code problems, and correct errors by correcting codes.
- Supervise computer programmers or other systems analysts or serve as project leaders for particular systems projects.
Salary Information (AZ)
$98,470
$62,030
$99,340
$131,040
$47.34
$29.82
$47.00
$63.00
Typical Education Level
Bachelors Degree
Description
Design and develop solutions to complex applications problems, system administration issues, or network concerns. Perform systems management and integration functions.
Duties/Tasks
- Verify stability, interoperability, portability, security, or scalability of system architecture.
- Develop system engineering, software engineering, system integration, or distributed system architectures.
- Collaborate with engineers or software developers to select appropriate design solutions or ensure the compatibility of system components.
- Identify system data, hardware, or software components required to meet user needs.
- Communicate with staff or clients to understand specific system requirements.
- Research, test, or verify proper functioning of software patches and fixes.
- Provide advice on project costs, design concepts, or design changes.
- Perform security analyses of developed or packaged software components.
- Provide technical guidance or support for the development or troubleshooting of systems.
- Document design specifications, installation instructions, and other system-related information.
Salary Information (AZ)
$84,030
$38,490
$78,050
$128,880
$40.40
$18.50
$37.00
$61.96
Typical Education Level
Bachelors Degree
Description
Administer, test, and implement computer databases, applying knowledge of database management systems. Coordinate changes to computer databases. Identify, investigate, and resolve database performance issues, database capacity, and database scalability. May plan, coordinate, and implement security measures to safeguard computer databases.
Duties/Tasks
- Test programs or databases, correct errors, and make necessary modifications.
- Plan, coordinate, and implement security measures to safeguard information in computer files against accidental or unauthorized damage, modification or disclosure.
- Modify existing databases and database management systems or direct programmers and analysts to make changes.
- Specify users and user access levels for each segment of database.
- Write and code logical and physical database descriptions and specify identifiers of database to management system, or direct others in coding descriptions.
- Develop standards and guidelines for the use and acquisition of software and to protect vulnerable information.
- Review procedures in database management system manuals to make changes to database.
- Revise company definition of data as defined in data dictionary.
- Train users and answer questions.
- Select and enter codes to monitor database performance and to create production database.
Salary Information (AZ)
$93,990
$49,100
$98,320
$129,620
$45.19
$23.61
$47.00
$62.32
Typical Education Level
Bachelors Degree
Description
Design strategies for enterprise databases, data warehouse systems, and multidimensional networks. Set standards for database operations, programming, query processes, and security. Model, design, and construct large relational databases or data warehouses. Create and optimize data models for warehouse infrastructure and workflow. Integrate new systems with existing warehouse structure and refine system performance and functionality.
Duties/Tasks
- Design databases to support business applications, ensuring system scalability, security, performance, and reliability.
- Develop database architectural strategies at the modeling, design and implementation stages to address business or industry requirements.
- Collaborate with system architects, software architects, design analysts, and others to understand business or industry requirements.
- Develop data models for applications, metadata tables, views or related database structures.
- Set up database clusters, backup, or recovery processes.
- Create and enforce database development standards.
- Develop and document database architectures.
- Design database applications, such as interfaces, data transfer mechanisms, global temporary tables, data partitions, and function-based indexes to enable efficient access of the generic database structure.
- Document and communicate database schemas, using accepted notations.
- Identify, evaluate and recommend hardware or software technologies to achieve desired database performance.
Salary Information (AZ)
$108,660
$48,490
$103,010
$163,450
$52.24
$23.31
$49.00
$78.58
Typical Education Level
Bachelors Degree
Description
Develop and execute software tests to identify software problems and their causes. Test system modifications to prepare for implementation. Document software and application defects using a bug tracking system and report defects to software or web developers. Create and maintain databases of known defects. May participate in software design reviews to provide input on functional requirements, operational characteristics, product designs, and schedules.
Duties/Tasks
- Identify, analyze, and document problems with program function, output, online screen, or content.
- Document software defects, using a bug tracking system, and report defects to software developers.
- Develop testing programs that address areas such as database impacts, software scenarios, regression testing, negative testing, error or bug retests, or usability.
- Design test plans, scenarios, scripts, or procedures.
- Document test procedures to ensure replicability and compliance with standards.
- Provide feedback and recommendations to developers on software usability and functionality.
- Install, maintain, or use software testing programs.
- Test system modifications to prepare for implementation.
- Create or maintain databases of known test defects.
- Develop or specify standards, methods, or procedures to determine product quality or release readiness.
- Monitor bug resolution efforts and track successes.
Salary Information (AZ)
$80,490
$37,680
$79,860
$124,200
$38.70
$18.11
$38.00
$59.71
Typical Education Level
Bachelors Degree
Description
Develop and implement websites, web applications, application databases, and interactive web interfaces. Evaluate code to ensure that it is properly structured, meets industry standards, and is compatible with browsers and devices. Optimize website performance, scalability, and server-side code and processes. May develop website infrastructure and integrate websites with other computer applications.
Duties/Tasks
- Write supporting code for Web applications or Web sites.
- Design, build, or maintain Web sites, using authoring or scripting languages, content creation tools, management tools, and digital media.
- Back up files from Web sites to local directories for instant recovery in case of problems.
- Select programming languages, design tools, or applications.
- Evaluate code to ensure that it is valid, is properly structured, meets industry standards, and is compatible with browsers, devices, or operating systems.
- Develop databases that support Web applications and Web sites.
- Perform Web site tests according to planned schedules, or after any Web site or product revision.
- Perform or direct Web site updates.
- Maintain understanding of current Web technologies or programming practices through continuing education, reading, or participation in professional conferences, workshops, or groups.
- Analyze user needs to determine technical requirements.
Salary Information (AZ)
$66,970
$37,170
$61,150
$101,730
$32.20
$17.87
$29.00
$48.91
Typical Education Level
Bachelors Degree
Contact Information
Faculty/Staff Contact(s)
| Name | Title | Phone | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stuart Gibson | Dean of Business, Education, Social and Behavioral Sciences | (928) 317-6417 | Stuart.Gibson@azwestern.edu |
| Bradley Baird | Professor of Business and Computer Information Systems | (928) 344-7781 | bradley.baird@azwestern.edu |
| Amanda Smith | Professor of Computer Science | (928) 344-9521 | amanda.smith@azwestern.edu |
| Salil Dhawan | Professor of Computer Information Systems | (928) 317-7675 | Salil.Dhawan@azwestern.edu |