DURHAM, N.H. - The Information Systems Management Program at the University of New Hampshire Whittemore School of Business and Economics invites businesses and industry organizations to work with students on classroom projects during the spring semester 2011.

"Previous student projects have made substantial contributions to the participating companies through real-world practical solutions involving both business and technology methods, tools, and techniques," said Venky Venkatachalam, chair of Decision Sciences Department and professor of information systems.

Businesses and industry organizations will work with students in the corporate project experience course, which is the capstone course in the undergraduate Information Systems Management option. The course is taken in the spring semester each year by the business administration seniors who specialize in Information Systems Management.

The course provides students with real-life experience in business enterprises, including private, public, and not-for-profit sectors, in the area of information systems. Students work in groups on projects identified by sponsoring organizations. Examples of recent include Web strategy development and implementation, database applications, e-commerce solutions, systems analysis, technical and financial feasibility studies, and marketing information strategy studies.

The course provides students with an opportunity to integrate concepts and skills learned in prior business and technology courses. Student teams participate in meetings and discussions with end-users and project team members, including project managers. Students also learn project management concepts and skills, work with project management tools, and use presentation techniques. Each student group makes at least one presentation to the sponsoring organization, in addition to preparing a detailed written report.

Students usually commit at least eight hours a week to the projects. Project work includes periodic on-site project team meetings, interviews with end-users and off-site research. Each project will have an instructor and a sponsor organization representative to help students define project scope and deliverables, monitor project progress, and advise on reports and presentations.

"Organizations participating in this project course will benefit from students' participation and contribution through practical, real-world solutions that contribute to their bottom line," Venkatachalam said.

Interested businesses may submit a one-page proposal (in Word or PDF format) containing the name of business, address, contact information, and brief (not more than 200 words) description of their problem/needs. All submissions, including questions and clarifications, should be sent electronically to Venky Venkatachalam at venky@unh.edu. Deadline for submission is Monday, Dec. 20, 2010.

The UNH Whittemore School of Business and Economics offers a full complement of high-quality programs in business, economics, accounting, finance, information systems management, marketing, and hospitality management. Programs are offered at the undergraduate, graduate, and executive development levels. The school is accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business, the premier accrediting agency for business schools worldwide.

The University of New Hampshire, founded in 1866, is a world-class public research university with the feel of a New England liberal arts college. A land, sea, and space-grant university, UNH is the state's flagship public institution, enrolling 12,200 undergraduate and 2,300 graduate students.

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