The objective of the information technology program leading to the Master of Science degree is to provide advanced skills and knowledge in the planning, design, implementation, testing, and management of applications of computing and communication technologies for business, industry, government, and other organizations.

The primary areas of interest are: information security and privacy, information and infrastructure assurance, information integration, software engineering, intelligent information environments, pervasive computing applications, human-computer interaction, and knowledge discovery and management.

Additional Admission Requirements

1. The program requires applicants to have completed undergraduate coursework, or equivalent, in an object-oriented programming language (e.g., C++, C#, or Java) and in data structures with a minimum grade point average of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale.
2. The program requires a satisfactory score on the Graduate Record Examination or Graduate Management Admission Test.

Degree Requirements

A total of 30 graduate credit hours are required. No more than 12 hours of non-ITIS coursework can be applied to this degree. The following requirements are effective for all degree students.

Core Requirements

Each student must complete six core program requirements – eighteen (18) credit hours.  These requirements may be satisfied by the following coursework.

• ITIS 5160  Applied Databases (ITCS 6160 can be substituted for ITIS 5160)
• ITIS 5166 Network-Based Application Development  
• ITIS 6112 Software System Design and Implementation 
• ITIS 6177  System Integration
• ITIS 6200  Principles of Information Security and Privacy
• ITIS 6342  Information Technology Project Management

Concentration Requirements

Each student must also complete an approved concentration area – nine (9) credit hours.  Details on concentration requirements are available on the department website and at the department office. Current concentration areas include:

1)       Advanced Data and Knowledge Discovery
2)       Human-Computer Interaction
3)       Information Security and Privacy
4)       Information Technology Management
5)       Software Systems Design and Engineering
6)       Thesis Option

Other concentration areas are possible with the approval of the MSIT Program Coordinator. In addition, the MSIT Program Coordinator can approve substitution of courses within approved concentration areas.

Students satisfy remaining program requirements by completing approved IT elective coursework.

Master’s Thesis Option

Students may elect to complete a master thesis. When a student elects this option, the student’s thesis topic becomes the students approved concentration (six credit hours of thesis research and three credit hours of approved related coursework).

Practica

Students can elect to participate in a practica (ITIS 6198).