Identifying MIS Majors to Increase Enrollments

Roger Blake, University of Massachusetts - Boston
Paul Mangiameli, University of Rhode Island

ABSTRACT
Although recently leveling off, the enrollments in the Management Information Systems (MIS) major continues to be a significant concern. Several theoretical models have been proposed to explain what influences students to choose MIS, however, these most often are aimed at validating these models and influences on an aggregate basis and do not examine how those models could be further developed to predict the choice of major for individual students.

Our research extends a theoretical model based on participation in a program of co-curricular activities, which are factors not considered in prior work. Our research demonstrates a predictive model that can determine which students are more likely to major in MIS, and do so using only information observed during their first two semesters. This model can lead to more targeted approaches and offer more effective means to increase the number of students choosing MIS as their major.

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Updated 03/19/2014