CSYS 210: Fundamentals of Information Systems
Fall 2016

Instructor: / Babatunde Alaofin, Ph.D.
Office: / Science Bldg 17B
Phone: / 301-891-4566
E-mail: /
Office Hours: / TTH 9:00 - 10:00am.
Location: / Science Bldg 210
Time: / TTH 1:00 - 2:20pm.
Hours: / 3
Prerequisite: / CPTR 150
I. / Course Description
Information systems are an integral part of all business activities and careers. This
course is designed to introduce students to contemporary information systems and
demonstrate how these systems are used throughout global organizations. The focus of
this course will be on the key components of information systems—people, software,
hardware, data, and communication technologies—and how these components can be
integrated and managed to create competitive advantage. Through the knowledge of
how IS provides a competitive advantage students will gain an understanding of how
information is used in organizations and how IT enables improvement in quality, speed,
and agility. This course also provides an introduction to systems and development
concepts, technology acquisition, and various types of application software that have
become prevalent or are emerging in modern organizations and society.
II. / Course Objectives
A. Gain knowledge on why information systems are used organizations and governments today
B. Understand how information systems are enabling new forms of commerce
C. identify the technology, people, and organizational components of information systems
D. Describe how businesses can use information systems for competitive advantage
E. Evaluate and determine value of information systems investments for business organization
III. / Student Learning Outcomes
A. Ability to identify the major components of an information systems infrastructure
B. Ability to describe the emerging technologies that enable new forms of collaboration
C. Ability to classify various types of IS to support the decision making for organization
IV. / University Policies
A. Statement on Integration of Faith and Learning:
The WAU School of Health Professions, Science and Wellness (SHPSW) seeks inspiration and guidance in assisting students in the learning process. Because the highest individual development is based on moral and ethical codes, this course will be conducted in accordance with WAU's Statements of Mission, Objectives, and Community.
B. Statement on Disabilities:
Any student who may need accommodations as the result of the impact of a disability should make an appointment to speak with the instructor privately. Please also contact Mr. Fitzroy Thomas in the Office for Disability Services at 301-891-4115 to coordinate reasonable accommodations for documented disabilities. The Office of Disability Services is located in the Betty Howard Center for Student Success, Wilkinson Hall, Room 133.
V. / Course Requirements
A. Textbooks: /
  1. Ralph M. Stair & George W. Reynolds "Fundamentals of Information Systems”, 8th ed., Cengagebrain , 2016.

B. Academic Integrity: /
  1. The University is governed by the WAU Academic Integrity Policy in the latest WAU Bulletin. The University also adheres to the WAU Code of Ethics found in the Policy Handbook for Administration and Faculty.
  2. As an institution of higher education rooted in the Seventh-day Adventist tradition, WAU is committed to the search for truth. This commitment to truth assumes that each member of the campus community adhere to the highest standards of honesty and integrity in the completion of his or her academic requirements.
  3. You are expected to do your own work at all times.
  4. If you are found to be cheating, you will receive, at a minimum, a zero for the work on which you cheated. The Computer Science faculty reserve the right to expel you, permanently, from the Computer Science Department, for cheating of any kind.
  5. If someone else in the class is helping you cheat they will also receive, at a minimum, a zero on the work for which they helped you cheat. The Computer Science faculty reserve the right to expel, permanently, from the Computer Science Department, anyone helping someone cheat in any manner.
  6. Neither you nor anyone helping you cheat will be allowed to make-up the work on which you/they cheated.
  7. You and anyone helping you cheat will be reported to the proper school authorities and prosecuted to the full extent that school policy allows.

C. Exams: /
  1. There will be one midterm exam and one final.
  2. Exams will cover:
  3. Text material whether or not that material was covered in class.
  4. Class material that may or may not be in the text.
  5. Any outside readings assigned.
  6. Homework assignments.
  7. Projects and lab assignments.
  8. Exam answers should be coherent and legible. You will be expected to use correct grammar and spelling. You may lose points for incorrect content, incoherence, illegibility, incorrect spelling, and poor structure.
  9. Exams can be made-up provided the criteria for Make-up Work (given below) are met.
  10. The final can be rescheduled if you have three or more exams on the scheduled exam day, or if you have a medical problem (see Make-up Work below). However:
  11. You must speak to the instructor, in person, PRIOR to the scheduled exam day, to make arrangements for rescheduling.
  12. The final exam must be rescheduled for a time within the official final exam week and at the instructor's, not your, convenience.
  13. The instructor reserves the right to give you a final exam that is different in content and format from that given to the rest of your classmates during the regular exam time.
  14. If you should miss the final exam, for any reason, the instructor may, but is not required to, give you a make-up exam. If you are allowed to make-up the final exam, your final exam grade will be docked 20%.
  15. During exam times the following policy holds:
  16. Once you have entered the room you cannot leave.
  17. If you do leave the room, FOR ANY REASON, during the exam time, your exam will be considered completed. Hand in your exam, to the proctor, as you leave the room.
  18. If you do not hand in your exam, it will be picked up by the proctor, and WILL NOT be returned to you, even if you later return to the room.
  19. Missing any exam without an official note (including a phone number for verification) will result in a zero.

D. Assignments: /
  1. There will be several assignments throughout the semester which will generally be completed as part of the laboratory exercises for the course.
  2. Lab work will be distributed during lab sessions. Therefore, if you know you will miss a lab session it is your responsibility to get a copy of the lab work and turn it in on time.
  3. Files for all lab assignments MUST be submitted on time using the appropriate submission method. Assignments WILL NOT be accepted if you use any submission method other than what is specified.
  4. Late work WILL NOT be accepted.

E. Quizzes: /
  1. Quizzes may be given at any time during the class period. They will generally be short and are primarily intended to get quick feedback on how well the material is understood by the students.
  2. These quizzes can only be taken during the specified time and cannot be made-up for any reason. This means that if you show up late for class (or leave early) you have less time, or no time, to work on the quiz.
  3. During quiz times the following policy holds:
  4. Once you have entered the room you cannot leave.
  5. If you do leave the room, FOR ANY REASON, during quiz times, your quiz will be considered completed. Hand in your quiz, to the proctor, as you leave the room.
  6. If you do not hand in your quiz, it will be picked up by the proctor, and WILL NOT be returned to you, even if you later return to the room.
  7. Depending on how many quizzes are given, one or more quiz scores may be dropped. If you take all the quizzes, the instructor will automatically drop your lowest quiz grade(s) as appropriate.

F. Attendance: /
  1. Timely and alert attendance of all class periods is required. Your mere bodily presence in class is not sufficient. If you plan to nap, read the paper, write letters, chat with your friends, prepare for other classes, be rude to the instructor or your classmates, or in general not participate in the class, do not bother to attend. You are expected to come to class with your homework and reading assignments done, and prepared to actively and intelligently discuss the topic for the day.
  2. You may lose points if you miss any portion of the class period, regardless of whether you miss the beginning, middle, or end of a class period.
  3. Engaging in the undesirable activities listed above, or any other disruptive activities, may result in a zero attendance grade for the day, and your dismissal from the class. You may not make up any work missed during such a dismissal period.

G. Make-up Work: /
  1. Giving extra credit assignments is contrary to the instructor's assumption that a course grade should reflect your mastery of important course content. Therefore, NO extra credit will be given beyond what is included in the standard class assignments.
  2. Permission to make-up missed assignments or exams is ALWAYS at the discretion of the instructor, not the student.
  3. You MAY NOT make-up the following:
  4. Class attendance
  5. Class quizzes
  6. Homework for which answers have already been given
  7. If the necessary conditions are met, you MAY (and should) make-up the following:
  8. Homework for which answers have not been given
  9. Exams
  10. Final
  11. The necessary conditions for all make-up work are:
  12. If the assignment or exam is missed because of an authorized school activity, the instructor must receive official notification of the school activity and your participation in it from a WAU faculty or staff member PRIOR to the class(es) you will miss.
  13. If the assignment or exam is missed because of a court appearance, the instructor must receive a copy of your summons to appear in court PRIOR to the relevant court date.
  14. If the assignment or exam is missed because of a family emergency or your own illness, you must notify the instructor, PRIOR to the class session, that you will not be able to attend during the scheduled time, as well as your reason for missing class. The instructor reserves the right to define what is meant by a family emergency or an illness. However, illness should not be defined as not feeling like coming to class or having a routine doctor's appointment. Illness means that you are too sick to do well on an exam, or you are likely to infect the rest of us. When you return to class you must bring a note, on letterhead (if an official source), from your doctor, the school's health service, your dorm dean, or legal guardian, that states the medical or family emergency reason for your missing the assignment or exam.
  15. You must arrange with the instructor, immediately upon your return to class, to make up the assignment or exam within TWO days of your return to class.
  16. The rescheduled make-up assignment or exam time will be at the instructor's, not your, convenience.
  17. The instructor reserves the right to give you an assignment or exam that is different in content and format from that given to the rest of your classmates during the regular class time.
  18. Violation of any of the conditions listed above forfeits any right you may have thought that you had to make up the assignment or exam.

VI. / Evaluation and Grading Policy
  1. Points will be calculated based on the following breakdown:

Midterm 20%
Final 20%
Quizzes 10%
Teamwork / Project 15%
Participation 10%
Homework / Assignments 25%
B. Final grades will be assigned based on the following scale:
A / 93-100%
A- / 90- 92%
B+ / 87- 89%
B / 83- 86%
B- / 80- 82%
C+ / 77- 79%
C / 73- 76%
C- / 70- 72%
D / 60- 69%
F / 0- 59%

VII.Class Schedule

Tue Aug 30Chapter 0:Introduction & Background

Thu Sep 1

Tue Sep 6Chapter 1:Fundamentals of Information Systems

Thu Sep 8

Tue Sep 13Chapters 1:Information Systems in Organization

Thu Sep 15

Tue Sep 20Chapter 2:Managerial Overview Computer Hardware & Software

Thu Sep 22

Tue Sep 27Chapters 3:Database Systems & Applications

Thu Sep 29

Wed Sep 28 Service Day

Tue Oct 4Chapter 4:Telecommunication and Networks

Thu Oct 6

Tue Oct 11

Thu Oct 13MIDTERM

Tue Oct 18Chapter 5: Electronic & Mobile Commerce and Enterprise Systems

Thu Oct 20

Tue Oct 25Chapter 6:Information & Decision Support Systems

Thu Oct 27

Tue Nov 1Chapter 7:Knowledge Management and Specialized Information Systems

Thu Nov 3

Tue Nov 8Chapter 8:Systems Development

Thu Nov 10

Tue Nov 15Chapters 8:Case Studies in Information Systems

Thu Nov 17

Tue Nov 22

Thu Nov 24*** Thanksgiving Holiday ***

Tue Nov 29Chapter 09:The Personal & Social Impact of Computers/Technology

Thu Dec 1

Lab 12:Access Exam

Tue Dec 6Chapter 15:Capstone Presentations

Thu Dec 8

Lab Final

Thu Dec 15FINAL EXAM 1:30 - 3:15pm