Welcome to the Master of Information Systems (MIS) Program! This website is a compilation of answers to questions commonly asked by prospective students. This will help you decide to pursue the program and apply for admission.

About the Program

The Master of Information Systems (MIS) Program of the University of the Philippines Open University is designed for professionals in the Information Technology industry who would like to develop advanced training in planning, designing, implementing, and managing production-grade information systems.

The program requires students to seek depth in their education by undertaking 18 units of Information Systems courses, taking a comprehensive examination, and completing four (4) units of Information Systems Capstone Project. The program also requires students to seek breadth in their education by allowing them to choose nine units of elective courses that encourage exploration and broaden their exposure to different domain applications for systems development.

UPOU employs the distance education (DE) mode of teaching and learning. The key features of DE as practiced at UPOU are:

• Students and teachers are physically separated from each other. They do not meet face-to-face in a physical classroom.
• Students undertake guided independent study of carefully selected and specially designed learning materials in various media, print, video, and multimedia.
• Interaction between teachers and students, and among students, takes place through online tutorials in a virtual classroom. Email, text, and videoconferencing are the other forms of communication between teacher and student.
• Final examinations are conducted face-to-face at the designated learning centers or online. All exams are proctored.

MIS students who have completed 18 units of Information Systems major courses with a general weighted average (GWA) of 2.00 or better and completed a satisfactory proposal presentation of their IS 295a project are qualified to take the comprehensive examination. After taking and passing the comprehensive exam, students can now take IS 295b (Information System Project Implementation).

A student must earn 31 academic units and a GWA of 2.00 to graduate. Students who are unable to meet the grade requirement may apply to be granted the Certificate of Completion of Studies in Information Systems.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Who is eligible to apply for the program?

Applicants with a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science, Diploma in Computer Science, or other IT-related courses with a general weighted average (GWA) of 2.00 or better are qualified for admission.

All other applicants must satisfy the following qualifications:

• a Bachelor’s degree in any field from any recognized institution with a GWA of 2.00 or better;
• proficiency in at least one programming language;
• two years of work experience related to Information Systems development.

Applicants who did not meet the above requirements will be advised to apply to the Diploma in Computer Science program.

2. What are the requirements for application?

• Print a copy of the accomplished online application form or apply online.
• Original and photocopy of valid Transcript of Records (TOR) from all schools attended. The TOR should bear the school dry seal and imprint, and the Registrar’s signature in ink, and with acceptable remarks (view the List of Remarks in a TOR that will make it valid as a transfer credential)
• Two (2) letters of recommendation from any of your: a) employer/supervisor; b) former professor; or c) former program adviser
• Proof of payment of application fee (non-refundable). If payment was made other than online payment, please upload a scanned copy of the digital image of the proof of payment)
• Two identical 2” x 2” photos and two 1” x 1” photos, with your name and the program applied for, printed at the back of the photos
• Certificate of training/experience to prove proficiency in at least one programming language.
• 500-word essay explaining why you are applying for admission to the MIS Program and some background on your experience in systems development
• Photocopy of NSO Birth Certificate
• Photocopy of government-issued IDs with photo

3. Can I send my application through mail/personally?

You can send your application through mail or personally submit it to:

The Admission Section
Office of the University Registrar
UP Open University
Los Baños, Laguna 4031
Philippines

4. Is there a different application procedure for international students?

No, there is no separate application procedure for international students. All students will accomplish the same set of requirements.

5. Are international students required to submit their English language proficiency scores?

No, there is no need for international students to submit their English language proficiency scores for the MIS Program.

6. Are transferees from other master’s programs (UP and Non-UP) allowed?

Yes, applicants must accomplish the following for crediting of courses that are equivalent to be taken in the MIS Program:

• Accomplish the application for transfer of credits form.
• Submit the completed form and a photocopy of the transcript of records to the Learning Center or provide your Faculty Secretary a soft copy of the documents.

Please ensure that what you submitted to the Office of the University Registrar (OUR), particularly to the Admission Section, is an updated, valid, and original copy of your previous TOR. Otherwise, the OUR will not encode your evaluated application for transfer of credits.

Ms. Gina Roa
Coordinator
UPOU Headquarters, Los Baños, Laguna
Tel.: +63(49) 536-6001 to 06 loc Telefax: +63(49) 536-5484
Email: lc_losbanos@upou.edu.ph

Prof. Joyce Vega
Secretary to the Faculty
Faculty of Information and Communication Studies
fics-secretary@upou.edu.ph
Faculty website: http://fics.upou.edu.ph

• The FICS will provide you with the result of your application through email or by sending you the original copy. The OUR, specifically the EDP Section, will encode the evaluated document and consequently be shown in the Student Portal for viewing by the students.
• For courses taken more than five (5) years ago from the time of application are required to take the validation exam. Please coordinate with the Faculty Secretary for the details of the examination.
• For UP Transferees – a maximum of 9 units earned in another UP unit may be eligible for transfer of credits. The final grades earned must not be lower than 2.0 and must be taken within the last five years from the time of application; otherwise, the student must take and pass validation exams.
• For non-UP transferees – a maximum of 9 units earned in another school, college, or university may be eligible for transfer of credits. The final grades earned must not be lower than 2.0 and must be taken within the last five years from the time of application. A student must take and pass a validation exam for every course.

A formal application for transfer of credits must be submitted before the first semester of admission.

7. When is the application deadline?

The application deadline can be found on the Academic Calendar.

8. Are late submissions of applications allowed?

No, the application deadline is strictly followed by the university.

9. How can I check if my application was accepted?

The list of accepted MIS Program applicants can be accessed here.

10. Other FAQs.

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