Computer Information Systems

Welcome!

De Anza's Computer Information Systems (CIS) department has been a leading educational institution in Silicon Valley since the college was founded. Over the years it has developed a rich and diverse series of courses in many areas. Our courses meet the needs of both the transfer student and the industry professional. Students who take courses and earn degrees in the CIS department often go on to transfer to four-year universities in majors such as Computer Science, Engineering, Data Science and many other majors that required CIS courses.

WHY STUDY CIS AT DE ANZA?

Department News

Free Noncredit Classes!

De Anza now offers free, noncredit CIS courses in programming, office software, personal computer security and more! These courses do not count toward an academic degree or certificate, but they offer a new way to gain valuable skills and explore career options, without worrying about grades or tuition.

Learn more about FREE noncredit classes

First Place Winners!

Congratulations to De Anza CIS students who took first place in Division 1 – the most challenging division – of the International Collegiate Programming Contest's Pacific Northwest regional competition in March 2021. Final results show the "DA_Flint" team outperformed teams from the University of British Columbia, the University of California, Berkeley, and Stanford, among others! All told, De Anza was represented by eight teams of students from the Competitive Programming Club, led by club president Mario Alkhoury and advised by CIS instructor Manish Goel.

Read more about the contest winners

Testimony from De Anza students transferred to UC Davis

Getting Started

CIS Transfer Pathways

Where to begin

There are five starting points: CIS Transfer Paths

Prerequisites are enforced!

Always Check!: Always check course advisories/prerequisites when planning your schedule of classes.
Clearances: If you think you've already met the prerequisite requirement through another college or work experience, plan well in advance to submit the CIS Prerequisite Clearance Request form.
Advisories: For advisories no clearance is necessary. However, the skills taught in the advisory course are necessary to be successful in the course you wish to enroll in. They have been listed as advisory as opposed to prerequisite only because so many have learned the skills in their job experience and/or have taught themselves the skills.

Certificates & Degrees

Degrees & Certificates: The CIS Degree and Certificate requirements are reviewed annually and updated as appropriate. Generally your studies are determined by the requirements when you declared your major, or the latest requirements, at your option.
The "Grid": Check to see which certificates/degrees you on your way to earning. You might be closer than you think.

Tentative Scheduling of Classes

Plan!: It is important to know which program you are following and when the required classes will be tentatively offered throughout the year.

Our Facilities

ATC CIS Lab For classes requiring students to work on a computer, CIS maintains a computer lab in the Advanced Technology Center, AT 203.
Learn more about the computer lab and other classroom facilities available to our CIS students.