Online MS in Information Systems
College of Engineering
Your gateway to being a leader in tech engineering even without previous tech experience.
100%
online
18+
Months
8
Courses
$24k
$3,000 per course
About the program
With the Online Master of Science in Information Systems (MSIS) from the College of Engineering at Northeastern University, you’ll learn how to use technology to solve complex challenges for businesses, organizations, and communities around the world.
Designed for graduates and working professionals from any background — including those without a technical degree — the MSIS equips you with practical technical skills and business management expertise to lead digital transformation. You’ll gain applied knowledge in areas like UX design, software development, data analytics, and digital business processes while building confidence in core concepts like data management, quality assurance, and agile methodologies.
You can tailor your degree with career-aligned Focus Areas in Cyber & Information Security, Software Testing & Quality Assurance, or Product Management & DevOps Leadership — each designed to match in-demand roles and skill sets employers need now.
If you’re new to advanced math or programming, you can start with our low-cost Information Systems Foundations pathway to build the basics and prepare for success in the full master’s program.
With this flexible, future-ready skill set, you’ll be positioned for diverse technical and leadership roles — from IT project manager or systems administrator to security analyst, QA engineer, or product manager — ready to help organizations innovate and grow.
Skills
- Mobile app software engineering 70%
- User experience (UX) design 60%
- Python application engineering 80%
- Information systems development 50%
- Agile software development 70%
- Business management 90%
Skip the application—let your performance pave the way
With the MSIS program’s Fast App pathway, you can skip the application process, and use your performance on two initial courses to secure your place in the MSIS program.
Complete two courses, get a ‘B’ grade or better, show proof of your bachelor's degree by the time you complete the two courses, and you’ll join the next cohort in the full master’s degree.
You can also apply to the program using the standard graduate application for direct admission consideration. Learn more about the standard application requirements at the College of Engineering graduate admissions.
How to prepare
We encourage you to review the material in the MSIS Bridge specialization, Information Systems Foundations, through Coursera, in preparation for your Online MSIS performance-based admissions pathway courses. This series of courses was created by College of Engineering faculty and is designed to equip you with essential skills and knowledge that will significantly enhance your success in the pathway courses.
College
Current Fast App dates
Missed an enrollment deadline? Use the enrollment link in your email to enroll in the available term.
| Term | Submit app by | Enroll by | Start courses |
| Spring 2026 | December 1 | December 22 | January 7 |
Fill out the Fast App to get started on your MS in Information Systems degree today.
Focus areas
The Online MS in Information Systems program offers multiple focus areas to help you align your studies with your career goals and build in-demand skills for today’s tech roles.
General Information Systems
Build broad technical and managerial skills to bridge technology and business. Ideal for flexible roles in IT operations, systems analysis, and leadership.
Cyber & Information Security
Prepare for roles like Security Analyst, Compliance Officer, or Systems Administrator. Transition your skills to safeguard data and manage risk in a digital world.
Software Testing & Quality Assurance
Master QA and software testing to advance as a QA Analyst, Automation Engineer, or DevOps Engineer. Use your problem-solving skills for quality-driven tech careers.
Product Management & DevOps Leadership
Blend technical and managerial skills to lead product development and operations. Move into roles like Product Manager, Technical PM, or DevOps Manager.
Spring 2026 pathway courses
Explore the Fast App Performance-Based pathway courses starting January 2026. Use the course outlines to start preparing in advance of the courses starting. For your performance-based pathway, you'll enroll in INFO 5100 and your choice of available elective shown below for a total of two courses.
INFO 5100: Application Engineering & Development
Note: INFO 5100 must be taken first or in combination with other available course.
Takes students in a step-by-step manner through the process of systematically combining UX techniques, business processes, and complex data models to assemble applications that are user-friendly and meet business requirements. Employs the object-oriented paradigm, visual user experience, and system design principles to put together complicated, powerful, real-world applications. The primary objective of this course is to practice social-technical software engineering methods and tools to solve real-world problems. Offers students an opportunity to learn innovative design and programming techniques to build significant business applications quickly; to practice simple and smart ways of making software construction enjoyable; and to master the art of how to systematically write software programs to solve any business problem.
DAMG 6210: Data Management and Database Design
Studies design of information systems from a data perspective for engineering and business applications; data modeling, including entity-relationship (E-R) and object approaches; user-centric information requirements and data sharing; fundamental concepts of database management systems (DBMS) and their applications; alternative data models, with emphasis on relational design; SQL; data normalization; data-driven application design for personal computer, server-based, enterprise-wide, and Internet databases; and distributed data applications.
This elective aligns with the Cyber & Information Security and the Software Testing, and the General Focus Areas
INFO 6245: Planning and Managing Information Systems Development
Provides an overview of the most popular information systems needs’ assessment methodologies including portfolio analysis, stage assessment, business systems planning, and the Alloway survey technique. Topics include utilities IS strategic plan prioritization techniques of business goal alignment, architectural compatibility, and cost/benefit and risk analysis to demonstrate how businesses match needs to budgetary constraints. Describes and evaluates options for the placement of the IS function within the organization and a variety of methods to manage the function. Introduces a generic application development and project planning methodology used as a model to facilitate the development of a four-stage project plan for a prototype project. Uses the Project Management Institute’s PMBOK and Harvard Business School case studies extensively
This elective aligns with the General, the Product Management, and the Software Testing Focus Areas
Resources
Can Online Engineering Master’s Degrees Compete with Canada’s Top Universities?
Top U.S. online engineering master’s degrees rival Canada’s best—offering equal rigor, more flexibility, and stronger return on investment.
Is a U.S. Online Degree Worth It for Canadians? What to Consider
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Inside the March 2025 Silicon Valley Immersion: Tech Leaders, Innovation, and Experiential Learning
On March 27–28, learners from Northeastern University’s Online MBA, Online MS in Information Systems, and Online MS in Data Analytics Engineering, and Online Grad Cert in AI Applications programs participated in a place-based immersion in Silicon Valley, connecting...