Colorado State University has partnered with study abroad platform Leap Scholar to create a unique hybrid learning program that allows students in India to complete a master’s degree in computer information systems at a much lower cost.
This program will train workers for careers in on-demand fields ranging from cybersecurity to data analytics – filling an important need in Northern Colorado and beyond.
“After these students graduate, they will fill a much-needed niche,” said Leo Vijayasarathy, the chair of the Department of Computer Information Systems in CSU’s College of Business. “Clearly tech jobs are plentiful, so producing business graduates coming out of a STEM program is definitely beneficial to the economy.”
The MCIS program will allow students to complete their first semester in India before coming to Colorado for their final two semesters on campus in Fort Collins, saving them approximately $25,000 over the course of the program.
The MCIS program from CSU’s College of Business is unique in that it caters not just to students with a technology background but also to those who would like to shift into this type of career from another field.
“What I love about this degree is I feel like it’s opened up, in terms of a job perspective, all of these options,” said graduate Mary Kincannon. “There are literally hundreds of jobs now in this state that I could apply for that I couldn’t have applied for before I got this degree, that I wouldn’t have been qualified for, wouldn’t have even gotten an interview, and that’s huge.”
The first class of students from India will begin the MCIS program in August. Vijayasarathy said many of these students have had previous experience working with global tech companies like Amazon or Accenture, meaning they’ll already be acclimatized to how businesses in the U.S. operate before they start at CSU.
The program allows international students to receive up to three years of practical training authorization to work in the U.S. after graduation.
“One of the University’s goals is to have a diverse population of students, and that’s what we’re trying to do here: make our program attractive, affordable and accessible,” Vijayasarathy said.
Earlier this year, U.S. News and World Report ranked CSU’s Online MCIS program No. 21 among public school programs nationwide. It also received recognition as one of the top 20 programs for veterans in the country.
If the launch of the program in India is successful, Vijayasarathy said the College of Business could begin offering it to students throughout southeast Asia and the Middle East, truly making the mission of “Business for a Better World” a global endeavor.
“Whether it’s international students or domestic students, we want to make sure that we provide access to a high quality degree for everyone interested in a CSU education,” he said.
About CSU’s College of Business
The College of Business at Colorado State University is focused on using business to create a better world.
As an AACSB-accredited business school, the College is among the top five percent of business colleges worldwide, providing programs and career support services to more than 2,500 undergraduate and 1,300 graduate students. Faculty help students across our top-ranked on-campus and online programs develop the knowledge, skills and values to navigate a rapidly evolving business world and address global challenges with sustainable business solutions. Our students are known for their creativity, work ethic and resilience—resulting in an undergraduate job offer and placement rate of over 90% within 90 days of graduation.
The College’s highly ranked programs include its Online MBA, which has been ranked the No. 1 program in Colorado by U.S. News and World Report for five years running and achieved No. 16 for employability worldwide from QS Quacquarelli Symonds. The College’s Impact MBA is also ranked by Corporate Knights as a Top 20 “Better World MBA” worldwide.
