Information Technology, M.S.

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The Master of Science in Information Technology is designed to help students advance problem-solving skills by integrating and utilizing IT technology.  It is designed to provide a depth of knowledge to analyze, plan, configure, integrate, implement, administrate and harden/secure information systems.  The degree program introduces advanced concepts in areas, such as:

• Advanced network operating systems;
• Unified communication solutions;
• Advanced open source software systems;
• Infrastructure design and management;
• Operating Systems and Application Hardening.

Program Objectives

The objectives of the program are to allow students to:

Learn through abstraction and work effectively, by

• Developing expertise in both theory and practice;
• Focusing on conceptual process of how to complete required tasks;
• Evaluating current technology on how to address problems methodically.

Utilize information technologies for problem-solving and life-long learning, by

• Analyzing issues by following industry best practices;
• Applying solutions to challenges creatively and effectively;
• Designing policies and procedures to mitigate future issues.

Collaborate effectively in teams, by

• Working on enhancing students’ soft skills while expanding their communication abilities and team collaboration;
• Facilitating course projects where students need to leverage their team members’ strengths to solve relatable issues.

Admission Requirements

In addition to the university’s admission requirements, the minimum admission requirements for the proposed program is having earned a BS in the field of Information Technology (or related fields). It is beneficial for an applicant to have a minimum of two years of professional work experience in order to make sure that prospective candidates can grasp the underlying concepts that provide the foundation for program concentrations.

If a student does not meet the admission/prerequisite requirements, they may be granted conditional admission by completing the following three undergraduate level (or equivalent) prerequisite courses: 

• CPSC - 4342 Introduction to Computer Networks (3) 
• CPSC - 4570 Windows Systems (3) 
• CPSC - 4580 Information Security (3) 

Students with experience in the field may opt to take the final exam for each of the above courses as opposed to taking the course. Students that demonstrate competency with the subject matter by taking and passing the final exam for each course with a score of 70% or higher, will not need to take the prerequisite course. The exam can only be taken once. The exam score will be used as evidence of proficiency in the content area. Please note: If a student needs to enroll in these undergraduate courses in order to be accepted into the MS in Information Technology, the undergraduate courses are NOT part of the MA degree, therefore, federal financial aid cannot be used to cover the cost of the pre-requisite courses.

Degree Requirements

The focus of this graduate program is to prepare students with the advanced skills based on fundamental knowledge in Information Technology, as they pursue their career interest in one of the two concentrations: infrastructure administration or cybersecurity.

The focus for each concentration includes:

Infrastructure Management

• Effectively develop policy and procedures for large-scale enterprise networks
• Manage equipment (servers, switches, and routers) to ensure effectiveness of a data communication system
• Leveraging current technology to manage both voice and data networks
• Advanced management of servers, operating systems, and network operating system environments

Cybersecurity

• Implement preventive measures to secure both data at rest and in transit
• Protecting information from cyber threats, cyber warfare, and cyber terrorists
• Strengthening existing infrastructures by reducing vulnerabilities and exploits
• Protecting business and individuals from digital based attacks

Core Courses (9 Credit Hours)

• Both Concentrations: The following courses are mandatory for all students

• IT - 7020 Fundamentals of Security Management (3)
• IT - 7120 Distributed Systems & Network Security (3)

• Infrastructure Management Concentration: Choose one of the following courses

• IT - 7265 Information Technology Project & Team Management (3)
• IT - 7035 Infrastructure Management & Design (3)

• Cybersecurity Concentration: Choose one of the following courses

• IT - 7030 Cybersecurity Fundamentals (3)
• IT - 7230 Cyber Attack Methodologies (3)

Elective Courses (18 Credit Hours)

• Required for both concentrations:

• IT - 7450 Cloud Integrity Assurance (3)
• IT - 7540 Wireless Penetration Testing (3)
• IT - 7740 Operating System & Application Hardening (3)

• Infrastructure Administration Concentration: Select three from the following courses

• IT - 7412 Configuring Advanced Windows Server (3)
• IT - 7462 Special Topics in Infrastructure Management (3)
• IT - 7514 Designing & Implementing a Server Infrastructure (3)
• IT - 7520 Implementing Cisco Network Security (3)
• IT - 7521 Unified Communication Solutions (3)
• IT - 7535 Oracle Linux Administration (3)

• Cybersecurity Concentration: Select three from the following courses

• IT - 7000 Social Engineering Concepts (3)
• IT - 7202 Health Care Security Framework (3)
• IT - 7455 Advanced Security Practitioner (3)
• IT - 7582 Applied Cryptography (3)
• IT - 7605 Advanced Network Forensics and Analysis (3)
• IT - 7750 Fundamentals of Biometric Security (3)

Required Courses (6 Credit Hours)

• IT - 7980 Research Thesis (3)
• IT - 7990 Graduate Capstone (3)

Total Credit Hours - 33