Regis announces new integrated business and information sciences college
Students will be able to stack certificates from business and computer science into one degree
Regis University will integrate its Anderson College of Business and its College of Computer and Information Sciences into one college effective May 1. The new college will incorporate important elements of both disciplines to provide graduates with fluency and skills in both business and technology in addition to a deep grounding in the Jesuit tradition of service and ethics.
In the new college, Regis students will be able to stack certificates from business, computer science and analytics into one degree.
The decision to unite the two colleges emerged as Regis undertook its recovery from a cyberattack carried out against the University last August. The attack and its aftermath clearly demonstrated the advantages of providing students with a strong foundation in both managing technology, computer science and cybersecurity along with a thorough understanding of how businesses operate and rely on data and information technology.
For example, artificial intelligence (AI) is changing the way business is conducted and will for decades, said Shari Plantz-Masters, academic dean of the College of Computer and Information Sciences who will lead the new integrated college. “Blending the expertise in AI from Regis’ Data Science program with the business expertise in the business college uniquely positions Regis to address emerging workforce needs,” she said.
In addition to continuing to offer current, successful programs, the new college will offer business programs integrating strategic technology deployment with innovative business education, and emphasize business acumen for those in the rapidly evolving computer science industry. It will serve the needs of employers who seek workforce talent that can easily navigate the complexities of technology within the business environment and are smart consumers of informatics.
The creation of a new college reflects what Plantz-Masters described as the guiding philosophy Regis adhered to when rebuilding after the cyberattack: “Don’t just get back to where you were before. Be better than you were before.”
Regis’ current College of Computer and Information Sciences’ programs include degrees in cybersecurity, computer information systems, information technology, data science, software engineering and health information management. The college will host the 2020 Rocky Mountain Collegiate Cyber Defense Competition March 5-7 in Denver.
The Anderson College of Business, which infuses students with Jesuit values of service and ethics, offers degrees in accounting, economics, finance, human resource management, marketing, organization leadership, project management and non-profit management. It also provides the only Colorado-based, full-time accelerator for start-ups via its Magis Factory, which also sponsors the annual Innovation Challenge offering winners seed money and co-working space.
“We are excited to explore adding technology applications to the Innovation Challenge, which will further align Regis with the business and tech community on the Front Range,” Plantz-Masters said.
A team will work between now and April to design the new college, emphasizing the change in curriculum, at which point the college’s name will be announced.