Graduate Program FAQ

What is the difference between ITDS and BCIS and DSCI?

ITDS is the name of our department and does not appear as a course prefix. We offer a M.S. in Information Technology & Decision Sciences (ITDS) but the course prefixes are BCIS and DSCI. We also offer M.B.A. concentrations in Information Technology and Decision Sciences. We use Business Computer Information Systems (BCIS) and Decision Sciences (DSCI) as course prefixes for all 5000 level courses.)

How can I learn about your graduate programs?

See our web site (www.CoB.unt.edu/itds) for more details.

How do I apply for one of your programs?

Contact CoB Graduate Studies Office (BUSI 229) (www.CoB.unt.edu).

What is the status of my graduate application?

Contact CoB Graduate Studies Office (BUSI 229).

Will my test scores count for my application?

Contact CoB Graduate Studies Office (BUSI 229).

What computer programming course do I need to take for admission?

You need a 3-credit course, taken within the last 5 years, in one of the following languages: COBOL, Java, C/C+, Pascal, Fortran, Ada, or any .NET language. Traditional Visual Basic does not count.

Do you offer financial aid / jobs for masters students?

Very rarely. Most of what financial aid we have supports doctoral students or undergraduate majors. We would like to do more, but money is scarce.

I’m going to transfer from another school, what courses can I use?

CoB Graduate Studies Office (BLB 229) decides that for all deficiency courses except in the major. CoB can ask ITDS for a ruling on DSCI 5010 and BCIS 5090. ITDS Advising decides transfer questions concerning all major courses, but the student must supply in each case a detailed syllabus (a catalogue description is NOT enough!).

I want to take classes elsewhere; what courses will transfer?

ITDS Advising will decide these questions on a case by case basis.

Will BCIS 5800 apply on my degree plan?

BCIS 5800 will NOT count toward the MS ITDS or MBA IT or MBA DS.

I want to know what my progress is on completing my degree plan.

Make an appointment with CoB Graduate Studies Office (BUSI 229) or with the Toulouse Graduate School (ESSC 354).

I need an advising code.

ITDS does not use advising codes except for 6000-level courses, and then the student contacts the doctoral advisor.

I’m blocked from registering.

ITDS does not block students; CoB / UNT does. Contact CoB Graduate Studies Office (BUSI 229).

The course is closed.

ITDS never has a waiting list for BCIS 5090 or MSCI/DSCI 5010. If another closed course, ITDS will start a waiting list after the Registrar’s Office has purged the class rolls of those students who preregistered but did not pay their fees on time. Contact ITDS Advising either in person or by email to have your name placed on a waiting list.

The teacher said I could get in a closed class.

NO BCIS or MSCI/DSCI teacher has the authority to put any student in his/her class. Only the ITDS Department can do that, using the waiting list policy (FAQ #13).

How will you contact me?

ITDS always uses your EagleMail account.

I want to complain about a course.

ITDS follows the published UNT procedures (see course catalog or student handbook). You must first try to resolve the problem by discussing it with your instructor. You may find it easier to write an email or letter about your concern; this gives both you and the instructor time to consider carefully what to say and how to say it. If you wish to appeal the instructor’s decision, you must submit your concern in writing to the coordinator (if there is one for your course), who will require at least two business days to evaluate your request before seeing you personally. If you wish to appeal the coordinator’s decision, or if there isn’t a coordinator for your class, then you must submit your concern in writing to the ITDS Chair, who also will require at least two business days to evaluate your request before seeing you personally. UNT documentation provides for still higher levels of appeal. However, the farther away you get from the instructor-level, the more people evaluate whether everyone has followed the published appeal process and the less people investigate other matters, ex., grades.