Masters of Information Science degree programs instruct their students in advanced topics relating to database design, analyzing existing systems, and the most effective ways to manage information with computer systems. The instruction on these topics will go into greater depth than similar courses at the undergraduate level, and students can often pursue a specialization in a particular topic, such as network security. This kind of specialization can give students an edge in their chosen area of expertise.
Like other masters degree program, MIS degrees are not cheap: They will cost the student thousands of dollars, which may cause the student to go into debt in order to finance and opt not to work while studying. This means that the money a student is forgoing by not working during this time is added to the degree's cost. Additionally, if a student goes into debt to pursue his MIS degree there will be an added urgency to quickly find a job to afford the student loan payments.
If a student is going to school full-time for his MIS degree, then the cost of not working goes beyond lost wages. When an IT professional is working, he can add entries and specific responsibilities to the "Professional Experience" line of his resume. Unlike doctors or lawyers, who must complete specific advanced degrees in order to work, an MIS is not strictly necessary in order to work for a company's IT department. When the MIS graduate goes to find jobs after he graduates, he is banking that the specific employers who are currently hiring will prefer advanced education over practical experience.
MIS degrees give their graduates advanced training in many topics relating to the use and implementation of various information systems. In a thriving economy, this means their skill set will find its natural place along side computer science majors who are programming software for these systems. In rough economic environments, however, MIS graduates could find themselves competing with computer science majors whose curriculum gave them a broader base of technological knowledge, including information systems.