IBM i Academic Initiative

  • IBM i is an integrated operating environment with a more than 20-year reputation for exceptional security and business resilience.
  • IBM i running on Power Systems is used in today’s marketplace worldwide across all industries.  Companies trust its very reliable IT infrastructure to support their business critical applications.
  • The demand for IT skills is growing, and students with skills on Power Systems and IBM i will expand their job and career opportunities worldwide.
  • The demand for students with RPG IV skills is growing in today’s marketplace. Large and small companies have millions of lines of RPG code in use today and are seeking new IBM i programmers to maintain, modernize and write new code. Significant changes to the language in recent year enable this latest class of programmers to deliver solutions to both the web and mobile devices using RPG.

IBM i Curriculum

These courses are offered in an online format.

CIS 121 File Design and Utilities for Midrange Computers
Prerequisite:  CIS120A or instructor permission
Credits:  1
Apply fundamentals of file design and relational databases

  • Understanding relational database principles
  • Creating physical files using Data Description Specifications and Data Definition Language
  • Using Source Entry Utility and Programming Development Manager to enter code, compile, and test physical and logical files
  • Using Data File Utility to enter, maintain, and delete data within a physical file
  • Creating access paths to logical files
  • Querying the database with Query/400, SQL, and DB2 Web Query

CIS 131 Operations and Commands for Midrange Computers
Prerequisite:  CIS120A or instructor permission
Credits:  1
Apply fundamental skills necessary to interface with the system

  • Understanding the layered machine architecture of a midrange system
  • Understanding of single-level storage and virtual addressing
  • Understanding the role of subsystems in a midrange system
  • Using control language with prompting methods and keyword methods
  • Controlling job queues
  • Controlling output queues
  • Handling system and user messages
  • Understanding the concepts of control language programming

CIS 170 RPG IV Programming
Prerequisite:  CIS121
Credits:  3

  • Externally described input and output – DDS
  • Totally Free form specifications
  • Calculations
  • Arithmetic
  • Processing character data
  • Processing dates
  • Decision-making and subroutines
  • Random file processing
  • RDi and RDi Report Designer and Screen Designer
  • Introduction to interactive applications
  • Legacy Fixed vs. Free

CIS270A – Advanced RPG IV Programming
Prerequisite:  CIS170
Credits:  3

  • Tables and arrays
  • File maintenance and data validation
  • Interactive applications using RDi and RDi Screen Designer
  • Modular programming – ILE – procedures, subprocedures
  • Subfiles

The Ferris State University – MCC Connection
Seeking a higher degree?  FSU and MCC offer a unique 3 + 1 program, through which 3 years of study can be completed via MCC course work, which transfer into the Bachelor of Science CIS degree at FSU. Call 1.800.562.9130 for more information.

For more information, contact Char Parker at char.parker@muskegoncc.edu or at (231) 777-0523.