Consultant's report

Ph.D. in Information Systems, NJIT

Consultant’s Report on the
Ph.D. Program in Information Systems

By Alan Dennis, John T. Chambers Chair of Internet Systems
Accounting and Information Systems Department
Kelley School of Business
Indiana University

Table of Contents

Recommendation and Summary
Objectives
Need for the Program
Educational Programs
Students
Faculty
Finances
Physical Facilities
Library
Computer Facilities
Administration
Evaluation

Recommendation and Summary

I recommend that the program be approved.

The program is a revision of a currently successful program that forms part of the Computer and Information Science Ph.D. program. The program objectives are sound and consistent with the university's mission. There is a clear and compelling need for the program given the current and projected critical shortage of information systems (IS) professionals and faculty. The program structure and modes of delivery are appropriate, admission standards are appropriate, and involvement with other academic units is well defined. The recruiting and advising of students is good. The faculty possess appropriate degrees and are research active. The library, computer facilities, administration and evaluation plans are appropriate.

Three key challenges that are well known to the Department and senior administration and are being addressed are the number of faculty, financial support, and physical facilities. These are sufficient for the current number of students, but not for the projected number of students. Either the program will have to be held at its current number of students, or these resources will need to be increased as the program size increases.

1. Objectives

A. Soundness of Program Objectives

The objective of the program is to produce graduates who possess a commanding knowledge of IS, of the applications and research on IS, and of the supporting technology in computer science. The program strives to produce graduates prepared to enter academia at either teaching or research oriented colleges and universities, or to enter industry and apply their skills and knowledge in organizations.

The objective is clearly stated and is sound. There is close interplay between research, teaching, and industry applications in the IS field. Faculty routinely consult with industry and use that knowledge to enrich their teaching and research. One program can serve these objectives.

B. Consistency with the University’s Mission

The program is consistent with the university’s programmatic mission and educational goals to provide lifelong growth through undergraduate, graduate and professional programs. It is consistent with the focus of the university on technology, including the application of computer and communications technology.

2. Need for the Program

A. Need for the Program

There is a critical need for the program. The past decade has seen an immense growth in demand for IS professionals at all educational levels. There is currently a well documented and prolonged shortage of IS professionals that is projected to last for the foreseeable future[1] . In order to meet this demand, universities have attempted to significantly increase space in their graduate and undergraduate IS programs to meet the rising demand. This in turn has created a severe shortage of Ph.D. qualified IS faculty at universities and colleges in the United States which is expected to continue for the foreseeable future[2] . For example, during the most recent recruiting year, approximately 80 Ph.D. graduates registered with the placement service run by the Association for Information Systems, the professional society for IS faculty. During this same year, approximately 300 open positions were posted on the placement service. Simply put, most universities will be unable to fill their positions.

B. Regional Employment Projections

The program is designed to serve both the local and regional markets, as well as national and international markets. The current shortage of professionals and academics provides clear evidence of a sufficient number of job opportunities.

3. Educational Programs

A. Nature and Distribution of Courses

The nature and distribution of courses are appropriate. The Department has had a successful Ph.D. program as one part of the CIS Ph.D. program. This program has a long history of success in placing its graduates in positions in industry, in regional teaching-oriented colleges and universities, and in research universities throughout the United States and overseas. The new Ph.D. program is a minor revision of the current IS track in the CIS Ph.D. program.

The program strives to serve students with three distinct career objectives: 1) those seeking positions in research universities (50% of students); 2) those seeking positions in teaching-focused universities(25% of students); and 3) those seeking positions in industry (25% of students). To do this effectively, the program must provide a solid core of required courses combined with the ability for students to specialize in areas that meet their objectives. The program does this very effectively.

The curriculum is a good mix of required core courses and electives. The 8 required core courses provide a solid foundation in information systems and computer science. Students then choose from one of four application tracks that include IS Management, IS Research Methods, Multimedia and Biomedical Informatics. These tracks enable the student to tailor the program to his or her career objectives. Students then must pass an initial qualifying exam to remain in the program.

Once the qualifying exam is passed, students take an additional 8 courses in a specialty area as designed by the student and his or her advisor. This then leads to a state of the art paper and comprehensive exam.

At this point the student is admitted to candidacy and begins working on a dissertation. This begins with a proposal and proposal defense, followed by the dissertation and dissertation defense.

This structure is similar to other IS Ph.D. programs in the United States, such as those at Indiana University, Claremont Graduate University, and the University of Arizona.

B. Instructional Modes and Credit Distribution

The instruction modes and credit distribution is appropriate. The program is very innovative in that it provides all required core courses via traditional face-to-face courses and simultaneously via distance learning courses. The distance learning courses enable students to participate in class exercises and online discussions at times and places of their choosing. This is important in meeting the needs of the part-time students whose work schedules require flexibility.

C. Curriculum

The curriculum is a suitable approach to professional study. See Section A above.

D. Certification/Accreditation

There is no certification or accreditation of IS Ph.D. programs at this point.

E. Admission Requirements

The requirements for admission are clearly defined and appropriate for the degree. The program is designed to meet the needs of individuals with prior IS experience, as well as those talented and motivated students who lack a prior IS background. Students without a background are required to take one or more courses from a comprehensive set of bridging courses; students take only those courses required to fill the holes in their background.

The admission standards are slightly higher than the current standards for other NJIT programs. This is appropriate given the current demand for the program and size of faculty. The challenge is to balance the competing needs of accepting students who are clearly qualified to successfully complete the program and rejecting students who have potential but who have not yet have clearly demonstrated an aptitude for IS doctoral work. The stated philosophy of admission is one of openness: to not accept those with little chance of completing the program but to take chances on students with clear potential who may lack solid evidence. By being inclusive it is an expectation that 20% of the students who are accepted will leave the program prior to completing coursework. I believe that this is an appropriate balance given the mission and objectives of NJIT and the doctoral program.

F. Standards for Completion

The standards for completion are clear and consistent with the program objectives. Like all Ph.D. programs, this program requires the completion of a dissertation that is a contribution to knowledge.

G. Transfer Students

Transferring into a Ph.D. program is extremely unusual. The program will accept some transfer course credit and has handled this process on a case-by-case basis, which is appropriate.

H. Role of Other Academic Units

Some of the elective courses in the IS management and biomedical informatics tracks are outside of the program, being offered by the NJIT School of Management, the Rutgers School of Management, and The University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey. The current Ph.D. program and the current faculty have long and deep relationships with these other academic units and these other units have committed to support the program. In most cases, NJIT Ph.D. students are given priority in registration over masters students at these institutions when enrollment limits are reached.

4. Students

A. Student Recruiting

The recruiting process is appropriate. The Department has a history of producing successful Ph.D. graduates as part of other programs, so the program is already well-known in the United States and abroad. However, like most Ph.D. programs, attracting sufficient qualified students is challenging. The program is pursuing a good strategy of a providing a Web presence, maintaining listings in guides to Ph.D. education, and using contacts (faculty, friends, and current students) to attract students. A Ph.D. program is a very personal experience, so the current approach of following up inquiries with personal contact via e-mail, phone, and invitations to attend on-campus events is excellent. This personal contact provides a competitive advantage over competing programs that do not do this.

B. Counseling and Advisement

The current counseling and advisement procedures which will continue in the new program are excellent, and once again are very personal. Upon entry into the program students are provided with a clear roadmap to follow in completing their degree, which although being traditional in undergraduate programs, is less common in Ph.D. program which by their nature tend to be less structured. The Ph.D. Associate Chair routine meets with and encourages student progress through the program. This proactive assistance is invaluable.

5. Faculty

A. Faculty Credentials

The faculty possess the appropriate degrees and credentials to provide a high quality program. To be successful, a Ph.D. program requires faculty with extensive academic backgrounds and solid research activity. Most of the current faculty, including those hired this year, possess terminal degrees from some of the best universities in the United States and abroad. The senior and mid-career faculty have extensive research experience suitable for mentoring students through the dissertation process. Most of the faculty have degrees in information systems and related areas, but the Department has been creative in addressing the national faculty shortage by recruiting faculty with IS research interests from disciplines outside of IS (e.g., recruiting an expert on computer-based instruction from a School of Education). These faculty, while nontraditional, bring additional strengths to the interdisciplinary program of the department and provide synergy with the existing faculty. This approach, used to enrich and augment the core IS faculty, is excellent.

B. Faculty Involvement

Faculty involvement is excellent. Almost all of the faculty -- including those in administrative positions -- are research-active, meaning that they are at the current state of the art. This focus on research is what separates a merely adequate Ph.D. program from a successful program. Several of the faculty, including those hired this year, are well known in the community and have extensive experience in working with Ph.D. students

C. Number of Faculty

The number of faculty is an important issue in establishing and maintaining a successful program. Ph.D. education is in many ways an apprenticeship, requiring extensive one-on-one mentoring and learning by example. The current plans call for a target of 50 full time students and 50 part time students from the current 15 full time and 25 part time students; that is, tripling the full time population and doubling the part time population.

Faculty in Computer Science and other departments at NJIT can serve on and chair dissertations in IS, which means there are more faculty available to participate in the program than raw numbers would suggest. Nonetheless, in my opinion, the current ten faculty cannot successfully serve a program of 100 students. This issue has been recognized. The department has hired five new faculty this year and plans to continue hiring new faculty. The ability to grow the Ph.D. program to these targets in dependent upon the ability to hire and retain additional faculty. I estimate that a minimum of 20-25 faculty would be required to support the target of 100 Ph.D. students. As mentioned in the summary, the alternative is to keep the program at a smaller size.

6. Finances

The university's commitment to providing necessary resources is adequate. NJIT is one of the most wired universities in the United States. This is evident in the technology support available to faculty and students. The library resources are appropriate. See Section 8 below

7. Physical Facilities

A. Laboratory Facilities

The laboratory facilities are appropriate for the current size of the program. As the program grows additional facilities will be required to support the increase in faculty and Ph.D. students.

B. Classroom Facilities

The classroom facilities are appropriate for the current size of the program. As the program grows additional facilities will be required to support the increase in faculty and Ph.D. students.

C. Adverse Effects

No adverse effects are anticipated.

8. Library

The library holdings are appropriate for the program. The library provides access to traditional paper journals and books, but also has subscriptions to the leading digital libraries provided by IEEE, ACM, and other providers such as ProQuest, LEXIS-NEXIS, and Ebsco. These resources are available on campus and also off-campus via the NJIT VPN. NJIT students also have access to libraries at Rutgers and UMDNJ which are close to campus.

9. Computer Facilities

The computer facilities are appropriate for the program. NJIT is one of the most wired universities in the United States. This is evident in the technology support available to faculty and students. The IS department has established a new Ph.D. computer facility and is planning for additional facilities as the number of faculty and Ph.D. students grows

10 Administration

A. Administrative Structure

The administrative structure is appropriate for the program. An Associate Chair is responsible for all aspects of the Ph.D. program and is provided with a 25% reduction in other duties. The Associate Chair reports to the IS Department Chair.

B. Inter- and Intra-Institutional Cooperation

11. Evaluation

The program has an appropriate formal evaluation plan that focuses on two stages of the program. During the first stage (IS and CS required courses, this track ending with qualifying exams) the focus is on acquiring the fundamental knowledge needed by an IS Ph.D. This will be measured by the successful completion of courses and passing of the qualifying exam. The goal is for 75% of admitted students to pass the qualifying exam. The second stage is graduation after admission to candidacy. The goal is for 80% of students admitted to candidacy to graduate. These percentages are consistent with other Ph.D. programs at NJIT. Additional evaluation measures will be also be used at this stage, including having 50% of the dissertations result in a peer reviewed publication, placing all students in industry (25%) or academic (75%) positions and conducting surveys of departing graduates.

[1] For example see: U.S. Department of Commerce, "America's New Deficit: The Shortage of Information Technology Workers," http://www.ta.doc.gov/reports/itsw/itsw.pdf and U.S. Department of Commerce, "Update: America's New Deficit," http://www.ta.doc.gov/PRel/ANDII.PDF

[2] Lee A. Freeman, Sirkka L. Jarvenpaa, and Bradley C. Wheeler, "The Supply and Demand of Information Systems Doctorates: Past, Present, and Future," MIS Quarterly, 24:3, September 2000 355-377.