Department of Computer Information Systems
Student Resources
DreamSpark
DreamSpark (formerly MSDNAA) is a Microsoft initiative that aids students and educators by providing free access to a wide range of Microsoft software.*
Department of Computer Information Systems faculty, staff and students currently enrolled in a CIS course can access DreamSpark.
Please note that all software downloaded from DreamSpark will be in the form of a .ISO. This is a type of disk image file. The .ISO file must be burned to a CD or DVD before the software can be installed.
*Microsoft Office is not available via DreamSpark. Students, faculty and staff can obtain Microsoft Office via the University System of Georgia’s Software Resources & Services site.
Need help with DreamSpark?
Online Learning
Are you looking for extra instruction in how to use software from companies such as Microsoft and Adobe?
Are you interested in preparing for I.T. certifications?
The university provides students with access to resources to help you accomplish both.
Lynda.com offers training for:
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Project
- Database Design
Skillsoft offers training in:
- Microsoft SQL Server
- Cisco CCNA
- CISSP
- Project Management Professional (PMP)
Lynda.com and Skillsoft are online training portals that offer I.T. training at no cost to students.
VMware
The department is a member of the VMware Academic Program. This provides students with access to VMware’s suite of virtualization software. Virtualization enables you to use a second operating system as a virtual computer on your physical computer, as though it were an application. Students with Apple laptops and Apple desktops can use VMware Fusion to run Microsoft Windows and other Microsoft software required for their courses.
Department of Computer Information Systems faculty, staff and students currently enrolled in a CIS course can access VMware Academic Program.
Need help with VMware?
Gartner IT Library
Georgia State University provides access to the Gartner IT Library, with more than 110,000 documents on 1,200 topics, including the latest research on:
- Technology products, services and trends
- Global IT industry perspectives
- IT management and organizations
- IT strategies and governance
- Business-IT issues
- Real-world case studies