MIS 5122 – Enterprise Architecture for IT Auditors - Syllabus
Instructor
Information
Office
Information
Office Hours
CRN
Charles D. Wallace
CharlesDWallace@me.com
TBD
Monday 4:30-5:30 and By Appointment (Please email me ahead of time)
Section
Time
1 Location TBD
Course Objectives
This course surveys the technology concepts and components that are critical for the IT auditor to
understand. It uses an enterprise architecture framework to explore issues of business process, business
data, applications and the infrastructures necessary to run those applications. Upon successful
completion of this course, you should:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Have a basic understanding of the information systems needed to run a modern business.
Understand how business model and strategy impacts technology decisions.
Understand the nature of business data and the complexities of managing it.
Understand different approaches to business applications, their strengths and weaknesses.
Understand the basic infrastructure components that make a modern organization possible.
Leveraging IT Enterprise Architectures is essential to an organization that seeks to exploit the structured and
unstructured data generated by its information systems. Having the right architecture aligned to the business
model in use will enhance an organization’s chances of competing in the marketplace. Understanding that
alignment and how the Enterprise Architecture is derived and maintained will be an important outcome for you.
Grading
Item
Participation
Cases/Projects
Exams (2)
Final Exam
Total
Percent of Total
Points
25%
30%
20%
25%
100%
Participation
Much of your learning will occur as you prepare for and participate in discussions about the
course material. The assignments, cases, and readings have has been carefully chosen to bring
the real world into class discussion while also illustrating fundamental concepts.
To encourage participation, 20% of the course grade is earned by preparing before class and
discussing the topics between and in class. Evaluation is based on you consistently
demonstrating your engagement with the material. Assessment is based on what you
contribute, not simply what you know.
1)
Preparation before class – Prior to each class, you will be provided assignments that
will require research and a written response demonstrating your understanding of the
topics researched. Each topic will build on the prior with the intention of giving you a
platform for in class discussions on that and other relevant topics. You should expect an
in-depth dialogue of each topic during class.
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MIS 5122 – Enterprise Architecture for IT Auditors - Syllabus
2)
Participation during class – We will typically start each discussion with “opening”
questions about the assigned readings and research papers. I may ask for volunteers, or
I may call on you. Students called on to answer should be able to summarize the key
issues, opportunities, and challenges in the case study. All students should be prepared
to answer these questions.
The criteria for participation includes attendance, punctuality, level of preparation,
professionalism, answering questions, discussing readings, discussing research, contributing to
group activities, and contributing to a positive learning environment. Recognizing that students
sometimes have unavoidable conflicts, the baseline for expected participation is assessed on
one less week than the number of assigned weekly write-ups.
Research Paper Analyses
You will prepare a (1) page response to questions that I assign you at the end of each class
during the semester. For each research paper, I will provide several discussion questions.
Choose one of the relevant questions and respond to it in depth. Your analysis should not
exceed one single-spaced page using 11 point Times New Roman font with one-inch margins.
Do not prepare a separate cover page, instead put your name, the class section number
(MIS5122.001), and the case name in the top-left corner of the header. I have a “paperless”
office and will only accept electronic submissions sent to my email. I will acknowledge receipt of
your submissions via email. If you do not receive an acknowledgement, assume I did not
receive it yet.
Submit your research paper to me via email (charlesdwallace@me.com) no later than Monday
at 8:00 AM.
Late submissions for this deadline will result in no credit earned for this assignment.
The style of your research papers are not as important as the content. But, there are some
common elements to excellent submissions (additional, grade-specific criteria are provided at
the end of this syllabus):

The opening of the paper makes it immediately clear which research paper question you are
responding to and what question is being addressed.

You have cited specific details regarding key facts and issues of the research. Instead of
general observations about information technology or organizations that apply to any
problem, draw details from the research itself. Analyses, observations, and suggestions
should be tied directly to those key facts and issues. You can also draw on the other
readings in the course to inform and support your arguments. Make an argument for
discussion if applicable.

After analyzing the research, consider the implications for an organization and how
successful implementation of the technology solution helps the business or if not properly
implemented, what the potential repercussions are for that business. What advice might
you give to an organization that is attempting to implement a technology solution.
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MIS 5122 – Enterprise Architecture for IT Auditors - Syllabus

Provide a balanced perspective. For example, when making a recommendation explain the
pros and cons, providing both the rationale (the why) as well as its feasibility (the how). Wellconsidered recommendations include discussion of potential issues with your solution and
conditions that should be in place for your recommendation to be successful.
Exams
We will have two short exams during the semester. The exams will be multiple-choice questions based on
research and topics covered during the semester. Together these exams are weighted 25% of your final grade.
Final Exam
The final exam will be in two parts. You will be given a project that covers the topics discussed during the
semester. Your research project will be 50% of your final grade. The second part will be multiple-choice
question. The exam will be comprehensive. Everything we cover during the semester could appear on the final.
The final exam is weighted 25% of your final grade.
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MIS 5122 – Enterprise Architecture for IT Auditors - Syllabus
Tentative Schedule
Week 1
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Week 2
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Week 3
Week 4
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Week 5
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Week 6
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Week 7
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Week 8
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Week 9
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Week 10
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Week 11
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Week 12
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Week 13
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Week 14
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Enterprise Architecture and IT Strategy
An overview enterprise architecture and the framework used in
this class
A look at the concept of business model, the key business
processes most businesses use and IT strategy
Data and Databases
An overview of relational databases and data analytics
A look at business data, data classification, and the issues
surrounding data.
A look at process to maintain data integrity and confidentiality
Business Applications
A review of enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems and
other common business applications
A look a additional business applications dictated by the
business model of a particular organization
Networking
A review of basic networking concepts and the role that different
pieces play in network infrastructure
A look at network and physical security at the infrastructure level
Other Infrastructure
A survey of the fundamental of server technologies, their
services, and their uses
An exploration of the need for, and role of, integration is an
enterprise and the technological approaches to this problem.
A examination of the advantages and disadvantages of cloud
computing
A survey of the different approaches to backing up and restoring
an enterprises applications and data
Enterprise Architecture
A exploration of the concepts covered in this class and how
changes in the business model may lead to unforeseen
implications at every level of the architecture
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MIS 5122 – Enterprise Architecture for IT Auditors - Syllabus
Grading Criteria
The following are the criteria used for evaluating assignments. You can roughly translate a letter grade
as the midpoint in the scale (for example, an A- equates to a 91.5).
Criteria
Grade
The assignment consistently exceeds expectations. It demonstrates originality of
thought and creativity throughout. Beyond completing all of the required elements,
new concepts and ideas are detailed that transcend general discussions along
similar topic areas. There are few mechanical, grammatical, or organization issues
that detract from the ideas.
A- or A
The assignment consistently meets expectations. It contains all the information prescribed
for the assignment and demonstrates a command of the subject matter. There is sufficient
detail to cover the subject completely but not too much as to be distracting. There may be
some procedural issues, such as grammar or organizational challenges, but these do not
significantly detract from the intended assignment goals.
B-, B, B+
The assignment fails to consistently meet expectations. That is, the assignment is complete C-, C, C+
but contains problems that detract from the intended goals. These issues may be relating to
content detail, be grammatical, or be a general lack of clarity. Other problems might include
not fully following assignment directions.
The assignment constantly fails to meet expectations. It is incomplete or in some other way
consistently fails to demonstrate a firm grasp of the assigned material.
Additional Information
Availability of
Instructor
Exams
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Attendance Policy o
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Class Etiquette
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Below C-
Please free to use office hours (By Appointment Only) to discuss
any issues related to this class.
While every student is encouraged to reach out to me during
“office hours” to help them gain a better understanding of material
which they didn’t fully understand when they were in class, office
hours are NOT for helping students catch up on material they
missed because they were absent.
Class discussion in intended to be an integral part of the course.
Accordingly, full attendance is expected by every member of the
class.
If you are absent from class, speak with your classmates to catch
up on what you have missed.
Please be respectful of the class environment.
Class starts promptly at the start time. Please make EVERY effort
to be on time, as I will communicate important information in the first
few minutes of class.
Cell phones must be turned off and put away during class.
Refrain from personal discussions during class. Please leave the
room if you need to speak to another student for more than a few
words. If a student cannot refrain from engaging in private
conversation and this becomes a pattern, the students will be asked
to leave the classroom to allow the remainder of the students to
work.
There will be two examinations during the semester. The exams
cannot be made up, regardless of the reason for absence.
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MIS 5122 – Enterprise Architecture for IT Auditors - Syllabus
Appropriate use of o
Technology in the
classroom
o
Please turn off cell phones at the start of class. If you have an
urgent, personal situation and may be receiving an important phone
call during class, please let me know this at the beginning of class,
sit near the door, and step out of the classroom if you need to take a
call.
Please bring your laptop or tablet to class. We want to explore
these topics and there is a wealth of materials available online. I do
expect that you will use your laptop for our course only while in
class.
Plagiarism, Academic Dishonesty and Citation Guidelines
If you use text, figures, and data in reports that was created by others you must identify the source and
clearly differentiate your work from the material that you are referencing. If you fail to do so you are
plagiarizing. There are many different acceptable formats that you can use to cite the work of others
(see some of the resources below). The formats are not as important as the intent. You must clearly
show the reader what is your work and what is a reference to somebody else’s work.
Plagiarism is a serious offence and could lead to reduced or failing grades and/or expulsion from the
university. The Temple University Student Code of Conduct specifically prohibits plagiarism (see
http://www.temple.edu/assistance/udc/coc.htm).
The following excerpt defines plagiarism:
Plagiarism is the unacknowledged use of another person’s labor, ideas, words, or assistance.
Normally, all work done for courses — papers, examinations, homework exercises, laboratory
reports, oral presentations — is expected to be the individual effort of the student presenting the
work. There are many forms of plagiarism: repeating another person’s sentence as your own,
adopting a particularly apt phrase as your own, paraphrasing someone else’s argument as your
own, or even presenting someone else’s line of thinking in the development of a thesis as
though it were your own. All these forms of plagiarism are prohibited both by the traditional
principles of academic honesty and by the regulations of Temple University. Our education and
our research encourage us to explore and use the ideas of others, and as writers we will
frequently want to use the ideas and even the words of others. It is perfectly acceptable to do
so; but we must never submit someone else’s work as if it were our own, rather we must give
appropriate credit to the originator.
Source: Temple University Graduate Bulletin, 2000-2001. University Regulations, Other
Policies, Academic Honesty. Available online at: http://www.temple.edu/gradbulletin/
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For a more detailed description of plagiarism:
Princeton University Writing Center on Plagiarism:
http://web.princeton.edu/sites/writing/Writing_Center/WCWritingRes.htm
How to successfully quote and reference material:
University of Wisconsin Writers Handbook
http://www.wisc.edu/writing/Handbook/QuotingSources.html
How to cite electronic sources:
Electronic Reference Formats Recommended by the American Psychological Association
http://www.apastyle.org/elecmedia.html
Acknowledgements
Thanks to Dr. Richard Y. Flanagan for assistance developing this syllabus.
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