About the Computer Information Systems Program
University of Houston-Clear Lake (UHCL) introduced the Computer Information Systems (CIS) program within the Department of Computing Sciences in 1978. The program offers a Bachelor of Science and a Master of Science. In 2006, the Bachelor of Science plan earned accreditation from the Accreditation Board of Engineering and Technology (ABET) under its Information Systems (IS) curriculum guidelines. ABET is the nationwide accreditation body which certifies computing, information systems, and engineering programs in colleges and universities across the United States. In December 2006, UHCL's CIS program was the only IS program in Texas accredited by ABET. Currently, there are only 20 programs in the U.S. accredited by ABET under its IS curriculum.
Both the undergraduate and the graduate CIS programs prepare students to be productive, efficient workers and life-long learners in their professional fields. CIS graduates succeed because the curricula and individual courses balance the core knowledge (theoretical background in computing and information systems) with practical, leading-edge computer technology.
The CIS instructors cultivate state-of-the-art and emerging technologies and have incorporated many of them into the curriculum, including Java, J2EE, ASP, C#, .NET, XML, CGI-Perl, Web services, and Cryptography. They also oversee a large collection of "practical" courses covering a wide range of computing fields, such as Web development, E-Commerce, network programming, .NET development, advanced Java development, design patterns, systems administration, Web security, and network security.
The CIS faculty members maintain a reputation for high-quality teaching. Several excel in information systems and computer science education, publishing technical papers in several respected journals. Many CIS instructors take part in national and regional teaching conferences, bringing new teaching philosophy and techniques from other disciplines into the program. Some have won a UHCL teaching award, including the Distinguished Teaching Award and the Minnie Stevens Piper Professor Award. Many other faculty members are finalists for those honors.
Faculty members also distinguish themselves in scientific research in system analysis and design, data science, machine learning, data mining, and information systems security. They incorporate their research into their coursework and have co-authored papers with students in several high-technology disciplines.
University of Houston-Clear Lake is a close neighbor of the NASA Johnson Space Center (JSC) in Clear Lake, which boasts the highest density of astronauts and high-technology professionals in the United States. In fact, Clear Lake came into being in the 1960s to support JSC. Over the years, many high-tech companies have sprung up around the university campus. Some of these high-tech companies sponsor research projects, mentor student projects, and hire our students. Highly qualified professional scientists and engineers from some of these companies serve as adjunct faculty members in our programs.
University of Houston-Clear Lake is about 30 minutes southeast of downtown Houston by freeway. Houston is the fourth-largest city in the United States. It is renowned as a world capital of energy, aerospace, and medical research and development.