CS 490Information Systems Management
- Units
- 0.50
- Faculty
- Mathematics
- Subject
- Computer Science
When it runs
- F24
- W25
- S25
- F25
- W26
- S26
- F26
- W27
- S27
Ran in 5 of the last 7 terms. Winter 2027: scheduled, 2 lecture sections. Spring 2027: schedule not out yet.
The integration of business and technical considerations in the design, implementation and management of information systems. Topics include: IS planning and development; business, management, executive, and strategic information systems, including case studies of selected large- scale systems; decision support systems; end-user training and development; systems security, disaster planning and recovery. Practical examples of information systems in industry.
Prerequisites
- Complete all of the following
- Must have completed at least 1 of the following:
- Enrolled in H-BBA & BCS Double Degree, H-Computer Science (BCS), H-Computer Science (BMath), JH-Computer Science (BCS), JH-Computer Science (BMath), H-Computing & Financial Management, H-Data Science (BCS), or H-Software Engineering
Antirequisites
Leads to
Winter 2027 sections
| Section | Class | Enrolled | Meets |
|---|---|---|---|
| LEC 001 | 5617 | 0 / 60 | TTh 11:30–12:50 |
| LEC 701 | 2204 | 41 / 9999 | Online or by arrangement |
Resources
Around the web
Found by uwloo’s link finder, which checks that each page names CS 490.
- CS 490 Information Systems Management Course website · student.cs.uwaterloo.ca Remove
Reviewed on UW Flow
18% liked it60% easy10% useful
From 17 ratings and 8 comments on UW Flow. The most helpful comments, quoted as written, without names. Read them all on UW Flow.
This course had the *opportunity* to be the best course of undergrad CS... but they completely blew it. It only covers topics at a very high level, a lot of the terminology is outdated by several decades, and most of your time will be spent trying to memorize a sketchy test bank that you need to find online (the test bank will severely impact your grade, go find it).
Mar 2023 · didn’t like it · 2 found this helpfulOn UW FlowRemove this
dreadful
Aug 2015 · didn’t like it · 1 found this helpfulOn UW FlowRemove this
This course is terrible. If you've spent any time in the industry, this course has little to add. It can provide you buzz words to use, but the coverage of their meaning is weak. Avoid if you can!
Jul 2014 · didn’t like it · 1 found this helpfulOn UW FlowRemove this
Bird course and very boring. The content was good-to-know at best. Assignments and project were easy and marked leniently. Difficult not to get a 90+.
Sep 2025 · liked itOn UW FlowRemove this
Midterm and Final were straight from textbook test bank, assignments/projects were just grindy. Don't take this course if it's not a requirement - dreadful.
Sep 2022 · didn’t like itOn UW FlowRemove this
Discussed on r/uwaterloo
57 posts and comments in 53 threads mention CS 490, December 2012 to December 2024. Quoted word for word, newest first; each reply sits under the post and the comment that started its branch. Search r/uwaterloo for newer posts.
Winter 2024
CS 490 1 point, 0 comments
u/Economy-Diamond5800: “Is it possible to do CS 490 while on co-op living in another province?”
Winter 2023
Who’s taking CS490 this term? 1 point, 1 comment
Fall 2022
Birdy upper year CS courses 18 points, 9 comments
u/Far_Establishment240: “Anyone know any bird CS courses that ideally either have no exam or you don't have to pass the exam average to pass the course? I've already taken CS349, CS348, CS449, CS490, CS446, CS445”
u/uw-police: “haven't taken it yet but I've hard good things about 492”
u/Far_Establishment240: “Can’t take it unfortunately since CS492 is not in CS440-489 and I’ve already taken CS490”
Spring 2022
Test banks for CS490? 0 points, 0 comments
How to Graduate from the University of Waterloo's Computer Science Program with the Least Amount of Effort 1,487 points, 156 comments
u/ConradIsMyDaddy: “… if you can't take CS 492, i heard CS 490 and CO 487 were easy too, but those are redundant if CS 492 is being offered.) CS 449 - Human-Computer Interaction \- this is the other holy grail. …”
CS vs CS/BBA vs CFM 1 point, 13 comments
“Hellow!I received my admission decision yesterday for all my three choices, CS, CS/BBA (I got in from Waterloo side), and CFM. …”
u/skbtwiz: “The CS part of all 3 is more or less the same, and is pretty hardcore ngl. CS/BBA and CFM will have some lesser important CS courses replaced with mandatory and important BBA and AFM requirements …”
u/treeiam: “… We also have 6 CS upper year electives just like CS, the only diff is 2 of them have to be CS 490 and CS 492. Regular CS students can choose to take these courses too. …”
Winter 2022
Math 136 8 points, 11 comments
“How useful is the knowledge from math 136 for later year courses in CS? Just finished the final and was just curious if I could flush all this knowledge away without consequences lol”
u/katsuki_the_purest: “… As well as cs490 and 492. For 370 and 451 you need to have some basic idea about how matrix works. Especially for cs370, you will be using numpy a lot. And when you look forward jobs some leetcode questions may also require you to know the basic matrix operations. Most do not. …”
Should I take CS 240 over Co-op 3 points, 8 comments
“I have co-op next term and was wondering how doable CS 240 is over co-op. It's a 45 minute commute to campus but my work is remote. Would you recommend taking cs 241 instead? …”
u/katsuki_the_purest: “When I took 240 it was in person and i thought it was much easier than 241. Reading off slides was probably fine. But that was just me.”
u/katsuki_the_purest: “I also took courses on every single coop i had. I took co250, cs245, a philosophy course and cs490. I'd say it's doable for courses without lengthy assignments.”
Fall 2021
[deleted by user] 33 points, 14 comments
u/tendstofortytwo: “Yes, and yes.”
u/ffrosteh: “… Description CS 488 Introduction to Computer Graphics CS 489 Topics in Computer Science CS 490 Information Systems Management CS 492 The Social Implications of Computing CS 493 CS Capstone Project 1 CS 494 CS Capstone Project 2 CS 497 Multidisciplinary Studies in Computer Science …”
CO487 and CS458 doable over coop? 2 points, 3 comments
“I heard they’re both easier courses so would it be a bad idea to take both? Alternatively, what two 4th year cs courses would be easiest to take over coop?”
u/nobleboon: “11/10 not recommended. CS 449 is the only manageable one in 4XX series. Business/language oriented students often like CS 490/492. Don't take them if you hate or are weak at writing essays.”
Spring 2021
CS 490 midterm 0 points, 0 comments
Transfer from Math 137 to Math 127 0 points, 28 comments
u/iamyeethay: “You are able to take MATH 127 if you wish. Just keep in mind that if you want to take MATH 138 in the future, your mark in MATH 127 must be at least 70%. …”
u/PM_ME_E8_BLUEPRINTS: “… You can cruise through bird courses like CS 490 or willingly torture yourself with CS 452. 1st and 2nd year are the "weed out" years of CS. Courses have strict guidelines and progression requirements with little wiggle room. …”
Check it elsewhere for Fall 2026
- Undergraduate Calendar, 2026–27The official entry
- Requirements for Fall 2026Waterloo’s requisite checker
- Schedule of Classes, Fall 2026Instructors, rooms, live seats
- Quest Class SearchWhere you enrol
- Course outlinesSyllabi from past terms (UW login)
- UW FlowStudent ratings and reviews
- WClassesPast sections back to 2004, and who taught them