An Analysis of Undergraduate Information Systems Curricula: Adoption of the IS 2010 Curriculum Guidelines

The IS 2010: Curriculum Guidelines for Undergraduate Degree Programs in Information Systems were published as a model to help academic IS programs establish a consistent curriculum that meets the needs of a global information economy. However, to-date, no study has examined the degree to which the IS 2010 model curriculum is being adopted and utilized in contemporary IS curricula. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the level of program adoption of the IS 2010 curriculum guidelines. Curriculum data were collected from 127 AACSB-accredited undergraduate information systems programs across the United States via a direct survey and interviews with department heads and undergraduate program directors. These data were then compared with the IS 2010 recommendations. Results indicate that: (1) IS programs exhibit a wide range of adherence to the IS 2010 core curriculum guidelines; (2) perceived adherence to IS 2010 guidelines among program administrators is higher than calculated adherence; (3) several non-IS 2010 core topics are still included as required components in many IS programs; (4) although few IS programs have formally implemented IS 2010 career tracks, perceptions of career tracks are generally favorable; (5) resource constraints and program enrollments/class sizes are commonly described barriers to developing career tracks