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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link=blue vlink=purple><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal>Dear Colleagues:<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'>At our school we are exploring the feasibility of requiring at least one IT Certification Exam for MIS Majors to be taken/passed prior to graduation. In this regard, I would like to request for sharing your suggestions and experiences concerning the following:<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoListParagraph style='text-indent:-.25in'>1.<span style='font-size:7.0pt'> </span>Are there particular IT certifications that students in your MIS programs (undergrad/grad) are encouraged /required to appear for? If so, are they tied to specific courses or to the whole program (i.e., do students need to pass them as a class requirement or as a graduation requirement)? <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoListParagraph style='text-indent:-.25in'>2.<span style='font-size:7.0pt'> </span>Any experiences/pointers that you could share on ways to integrate IT certifications into courses/MIS program? Some possibilities could be partial course credit in related courses, structuring certification oriented special topics courses or internship courses. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='text-indent:.25in'>3.<span style='font-size:7.0pt'> </span>Any pointers to other schools or programs that may be undertaking such efforts? <br><br><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>You may please respond to me directly and I will post a summary of the responses received to this list.<br><br>Best regards,<br><br>Venu<br><br><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Venu Balijepally<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Assistant Professor, MIS<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>School of Business Administration<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Oakland University<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>318 Elliott Hall<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Rocheter, MI 48309-4401<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Ph: 248-370-4088<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Fax: 248-370-4275<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div></body></html>