• What is eBusiness?
  
• What is the difference between eCommerce and eBusiness?
  
• Why did UWM develop an MS-eBusiness area of concentration?
  
• What are the primary goals of the MS-eBusiness program?
  
• Can I really complete this program while working full-time?
  
• How long will it take to complete the degree program?
  
• When are the courses offered?
  
• What is the Practicum? And who are the sponsors?
  
• I do not have a business degree nor do I have a technical background, can I enter this program?
  
• Do I need to know how to design a web page?
  
• How technical is the degree program?
  
• Can I get credit for related work experience?
  
• Does the program consist of only MIS courses?
  
• What are the differences between the masters degree programs in eBusiness and Management Information Systems (MIS)?
  
• If I already have an MBA or MS-MIS degree from UWM, how many additional hours would I need to complete the eBusiness program?
  
• What does the additional charge for eBusiness classes cover?
  
• What type of employment is available upon graduation?
  

The Internet and its evolving information technologies have revolutionized how the world conducts business. eBusiness encompasses electronic commerce between businesses or between businesses and consumers as well as communication, coordination, and information processing within the organization and its employees. Companies now rely on the Internet and the web to connect with employees, other businesses, and consumers. This technology has also challenged traditional ideas about products, markets, intellectual property, financial transactions, copyright law, public policy and tax policy.

• "... the sharing of business information, maintaining business relationships, conducting business transactions by means of telecommunications networks; includes not only the buying and selling of goods, but also the various processes within individual organizations which support that goal." (Zwass)
  
  
• "...more than simply buying and selling goods electronically; involves using network communications technology to engage in a wide range of activities up and down the value-added chain both within and outside the organization." (Applegate, et. al.)
  
  
• "...all the activities you'd conduct online to interest a customer in your products before the sale, as well as fulfillment and customer support after the sale." (Internet Computing)

There is no difference. We choose to use eBusiness because it is the newer term that many organizations are now using.

The UWM Business School faculty perceived, earlier than many other business schools in the country, that the business leaders of today need an in-depth understanding of how to carry out business functions in the Internet environment. The program is designed to educate business leaders, planners, system developers, analysts, programmers, managers, and executives in both the technology and business aspects of eBusiness. The program is not designed merely to teach people to create websites or begin their own dot.com companies. Rather, it is designed to give students the business and technological skills they need to move their business or aspects of their business to the Internet and to respond to technology.

The primary goals of the program are to provide graduates with:

• the ability to discover business opportunities;
  
• the ability to identify opportunities for using Internet technologies to increase business competitiveness;
  
• the ability to develop strategies necessary to manage organizational change;
  
• the technical skills in Internet and web technologies;
  
• a clear understanding of strategic and marketing issues;
  
• familiarity with security, privacy and legal issues; and
  
• hands-on experience in successfully completing an eBusiness project in the real-world (the Practicum).
  

Approximately 90% percent of the students currently enrolled are working full-time. The emphasis on teamwork and team projects brings together each student's unique talents and provides the opportunity for strong group growth and development. Starting in Fall 2003, students will be able to choose whether they would like to complete the program on a part-time or full-time basis.

Students will be able to complete the degree in approximately 2-3 years, dependant on the number of foundation credits necessary.

All courses are offered on weeknights. Specific scheduling can be found atwww.uwm.edu/schedule.

The program concludes with a four-credit Practicum during which students of different backgrounds work in teams with a faculty advisor to develop a working prototype solution to a real eBusiness challenge provided by one of the School of Business Administration's Center for Technology Innovation industry partners. Past Practicum sponsors have included Brady Corporation, Briggs & Stratton, the Journal/Sentinel, Millennium Partners, Northwestern Mutual, efunds, and Wisconsin Energy Corporation.

Students entering the program with a non-business or non-technical background will be required to complete up to 9 credits of business foundation courses. These foundation courses are offered each semester and over the summer.

You will be required to design a web page as part of the coursework in one of your early courses. Familiarity with Frontpage, HTML, and XML is beneficial and, if interested in the program, you may want to work with this software in advance.

The program is balanced between technical and non-technical courses. There are certain courses in the program that will be very technical (i.e., web application development, web system analysis and design, and infrastructure for eBusiness) and there are other courses do not have any technical components to them. (i.e., internet marketing, marketing strategies in eBusiness, and logistics and supply chain). Students also have the opportunity to select elective courses that best suit their individual career goals - these electives can be technical or non-technical.

No, credit is not granted for related work experience.

The curriculum consists of 34 credits. All students must complete 25 credits of core courses, four of which have an MIS emphasis, two have a Marketing emphasis, and one concentrates on logistics and supply chain management. Within the 9 credits of required elective courses, students can pursue technically oriented electives which consist of MIS courses such as database management, intelligent business systems, data warehousing, project management, etc. or they can choose electives focusing on other aspects of the eBusiness world: leadership, management of technology, entrepreneurship, or transforming organizations. The final course in the curriculum - the Practicum - is facilitated by faculty from all areas and can focus on an eBusiness MIS project or another type of eBusiness project.

The eBusiness program is an interdisciplinary program consisting of courses relating information technology, marketing, supply chain management and other management issues such as finance, change management, accounting, tax & legal. The MIS program focuses primarily on Information Technology and provides an "in depth" understanding of technical and managerial IT issues. Students choosing the technical tack in eBusiness can choose three elective courses from the MIS program.

You would not be required to take any Business Foundation courses. All the core courses in the eBusiness program are new; students are required to take all of them. Credits earned in another degree program can not be double counted, students must complete 34 graduate degree credits to receive this second masters degree.

Students in the MS eBusiness program have a microcomputer lab dedicated for their use. They also receive discount pricing on special events hosted by the School's Center for Technology Innovation. The School of Business applies differential tuition to its premium programs - the MS in eBusiness, the Executive MBA, the Certificate in State and Local Taxation, the MS in Engineering Management, and our undergraduate distance education courses. We apply differential tuition to programs based on our assessment of marketability of our graduates, faculty and staff involvement in the program, special technology needs, number of newly designed courses, unique scheduling, and additional services provided.

Employment opportunities are available in established companies looking to transition their business operations to take advantage of the growing e-commerce market. Often these will be management level positions involved in the development, design, and implementation of new business strategies and the development of new on-line products. Positions are available in all types of industries, as well as in consulting. The School of Business Administration sponsors a Career Fair for its students each semester and potential employers of eBusiness students are always present. In addition, the practicum introduces students to eBusiness employment opportunities while also introducing employers to a core group of highly skilled potential employees.