An Excerpt by: Dimple Mehta MIS ’22
My decision to pursue Master’s in Management Information System at University at Buffalo was influenced by a multitude of aspects. Most importantly the opportunity to complete the coursework in 10-12 months from the #1 ranked business school in SUNY. Also, the UB School of Management is ranked at the top 10% of an elite group by Bloomberg Businessweek, Forbes, U.S. News & World Report. These accreditations were enough to persuade me to enroll in this university. The MIS degree at UB helps you enter the job market quickly which is a great advantage compared to other universities where the course length is 18-24 months.
Below is a brief on factors that helped me shape my decision:
STEM
UB’s MS in MIS qualifies as a STEM program, which provides an additional 24-month Optional Practical Training (OPT) for F1-visa holders which is a great reason for international students to pursue this course. As OPT is one of the best ways to earn a work visa or even possible U.S. citizenship. Hence, a STEM-approved education opens the door to a variety of exciting prospects in the United States.
Curriculum
There is a broad range of possibilities open to you with the UB MIS curriculum. The curriculum here offers excellent job opportunities in a variety of fields like Data Analyst, Business Analyst, Data Engineer, Cybersecurity, Information Assurance, Audit, Product or Program Management, Management Consulting and Strategy, and more. It’s difficult to find a program with a curriculum as diversified as UB and this gives UB an edge over other universities.
There are subjects like Tech Consulting for Social Impact and experiential IT projects that give you a platform to apply your conceptual skills in industry-relevant projects. The university also follows an ISACA-approved curriculum for students interested in auditing portfolios. These options help students to transition from a technical to a managerial-oriented role.
Diversity
The entire cohort for MIS is highly diversified in terms of the countries students are coming from and the experience these students bring to the class. It’s great to collaborate with such a variety of mindsets in projects and activities.
Career Resource Center (CRC)
UB Career Resource Center (CRC) is committed to providing you with all the support you need during your career development and job search process. Melissa Ruggiero, the Senior Associate Director, along with her team, oversee the CRC’s services for graduate students. Together, they will help you prepare for jobs in information technology. They provide guidance with interview preparation, LinkedIn profile building, and other activities related to career development.
Bizlink and Handshake are great places to apply for jobs and get information on upcoming career fairs. Bizlink also gives you an option to connect with our Alumni and understand the job process and requirements.
Blackstone Launchpad
The University offers support to students who are interested in building entrepreneurial skills through Blackstone Launchpad. They also help student ventures in a variety of domains. The Innovation Hub is one such movement by the University to connect aspiring entrepreneurs to resources. They have created an ecosystem to provide students with growth opportunities. They conduct pitch competitions, accelerator programs, fintech design challenges, and various other activities to provide students the platform they need to pursue their interests. There are mentors, advisors, clubs co-working spaces, venture capitals, and numerous opportunities to engage students and support them.
Student Clubs
There are various student organizations offered by the School of Management to help you connect with students, alumni, faculty with similar interests and create meaningful connections with them. They help you network with a wide array of industry professionals which helps during your job search processes as well. A few popular clubs here are Management Information Systems Association (MISA) a club that introduces you to careers in Management Information Systems, Product at UB (PUB) for product enthusiasts, UB ISACA for students interested in areas like Information Assurance and Auditing, UB Data Analytics for data enthusiasts and many more. At UB, you have ample opportunities to build your profile.
With all this, I believe you need not give the MS MIS program at UB a second thought. The University and the Program speak for itself.
About Dimple -
Dimple is a graduate student pursuing MS in Management Information Systems from University at Buffalo. She is an international student from India, and before coming to UB, worked with Gartner in the Data Science team. She is passionate about sustainability and CSR and was part of the Gartner CSR Community where she volunteered in donation drives and organized virtual sessions for the organization’s partner NGOs. More recently, she was the Regional Ambassador at HackMakers #WorldInnovationDay Hackathon 2021. She loves playing football and table tennis and enjoys exploring new places, eating different cuisines, and meeting new people.
