The Master of Science in Information Technology degree is a 30-credit program of graduate
study for professional development. It is intended for:
- Persons holding bachelor’s degrees in computer science or a related field who will enter the
program at an advanced level; and
- Persons holding bachelor’s degrees in a discipline other than computer or information
science who are seeking preparation for careers in these fields.
The program is open to qualified applicants to the Graduate School. It is designed to enable
students with varying entering levels of competency to meet their individual educational needs.
The program is intended for people who will be managing or integrating information
technology in a variety of environments. The objective is to provide the concepts, framework
and techniques needed to optimize the use of information technology resources within these
environments.
For admission information, see Graduate Admission and Program Specific Application
Requirements.
Prerequisite Courses
The Master of Science in Information Technology requires completion of prerequisite courses
designed to provide the appropriate background knowledge. Students with undergraduate
degrees in computer science or a related field may apply for exemptions from some or all of
these prerequisite courses. The prerequisite courses are:
- IT 510 Computing Hardware and Software Systems (3 credits)
- IT 512 Elements of Computer Programming (3 credits)
Information on exemption from the prerequisite courses may be obtained from the
Department of Computer Science.
Core Requirements
- IT 514 Contemporary Issues in Information Technology (3 credits)
- IT 515 Object Oriented Methods (3 credits)
- IT 518 Systems Engineering and Integration (3 credits)
- CSIT 530 Applied Database Concepts (3 credits)
- IT 548 Telecommunications and Networking (3 credits)
- CSIT 555 Information Systems Security (3 credits)
Electives
The remaining courses used to complete the student’s program are elective courses that are
selected in consultation with the adviser. At least two courses must be selected from courses
with an IT prefix. Other elective courses are selected freely from the department’s computer
science and information technology offerings.
Program Options
There are two options for the program. The first requires that the student complete 30 credits
of graduate coursework beyond the prerequisite courses. The second requires that the student
complete at least 24 credits of graduate coursework beyond the prerequisite courses, plus
complete 6 credits of one of the following: thesis (CS 580) or fieldwork project (CS 585).
Students must get permission from the department and their adviser before enrolling in any of
these 6-credit options.