NATCHITOCHES – Northwestern State University’s computer information systems program has been ranked as the number five program in the nation by thebestschools.org. The ratings are available at thebestschools.org/rankings/best-online-bachelors-computer-information-systems-degree-programs/. This is the fourth time in 2017-18 an education website has ranked the program as one of the best in the country.
“We are glad to be consistently ranked among the top programs in the country,” said Curtis Penrod, coordinator of the computer information systems program. “Our faculty and students work to maintain high standards. The fact that our graduates are hired by leading national and international companies shows that we are preparing students for the workforce.”
Enrollment in the CIS program has gone up by 77 percent since 2014-2015 while the number of degrees awarded has more than doubled. During that period, new concentrations in application development, networking and systems management, web development and core programming have been implemented. Penrod said additional concentrations are being considered.
In 2015, the program entered into a collaborative endeavor agreement with Louisiana Economic Development and CSRA. This agreement supplied funds to hire new faculty/staff, provide student scholarships, update equipment, expand marketing and recruiting efforts. This partnership allowed NSU to work closely with CSRA to ensure the curriculum aligned with the company’s needs. CSRA brings speakers to classes, provides internship opportunities to students and provide a meaningful real-world perspective.
Recent graduates have gained jobs with firms including Real Vision Software, State Farm, WalMart, CenturyLink, CGI and USAA.
Students in the program have placed first at the Association of Information Technology Professionals (AITP) National Collegiate Conference 17 times in the last 18 years.
For more information on Northwestern State’s program in computer information systems, go to nsula.edu/computer-information-systems.
