MS in Information Systems Graduate Spotlight

Harsh Shah

Harsh Shah photo

Where are you from?

I come from the city of dreams in India, Mumbai. I lived there for the first 25 years of my life before moving to Cincinnati for my master's.

Why did you choose UC for your MS-IS?

With my bachelor's in IT and industry experience of close to three years, I wanted to enhance my technical skills, get some management skills, and get back to the IT industry quickly. The MS-IS program at UC is a perfect amalgamation of everything I wanted. I was exposed to disruptive technologies in machine learning, along with core management concepts in finance, accounting, and marketing. I got back to the IT industry quickly, within ten months of starting the program.

What unique perspective did you bring to the MS-IS Program at UC?

I think I brought rich experience in platform-agnostic software development, exposure to product development from scratch-to-end, lots of academic leadership experience, a positive and friendly attitude, and the enthusiasm to always learn more.

What advice would you give to prospective students?

This is a fast-paced program. Each course is just seven weeks long, with substantial coursework, individual and group projects, assignments, and classes four hours per week. Time management is a key factor to excel in this program. I would also advise potential students to have relevant work experience, as that really helps in getting co-ops and internships.