Information Technology, MSIT

Master of Science in Information Technology Overview

Information Technology continues to be a rapidly growing Industry and its effective use helps create business and social value for all types of enterprises. The ongoing integration of IT with the business and the rapid evolution of the technology itself places a premium on IT leaders who have a pragmatic understanding of how the application of technology can move the enterprise forward, can effectively communicate their vision and then lead its successful execution. Clark University’s Masters of Information Technology Degree is designed to provide these skills to our students.

Our curriculum is comprised of five required courses which provide a solid understanding of key Information Technology domains and business skills. Students have the opportunity to choose five electives and may elect to concentrate on areas like Cyber Security, Business Intelligence and IT Leadership. Regardless of the path chosen, we provide ample class time to fostering the leadership skill’s like collaboration, negotiation, and truly effective communication techniques, that senior executives look for in the next generation of IT leadership. We place a strong emphasis on experiential based learning via Capstones, Internship opportunities for our full time students and project based classroom engagement.  An increasing portfolio of our courses are also available online to insure our students have as much flexibility as possible in managing their schedules.

Our student body is comprised of working professionals and full time students from around the world. Our instructors are industry practitioners with years of experience in companies of all sizes in many of today’s leading industries. This insures your classes balance an understanding of the current industry technology trends and how best to implement them in an enterprise, regardless of whether it’s a multinational organization with a diverse set of employees or a start-up using technology to accelerate entry into a new market.

The School of Professional Studies offers Prior Experiential Credit for up to 2 graduate level courses.  The Prior Experiential Credit is awarded for both demonstrated learning and experience. The Prior Experiential Credit is offered to adult learners with three (3) or more years of work experience. Burden of proof for Prior Experiential Credit is the responsibility of the student.  The Prior Experiential Credit can be applied to a core or elective degree requirement.  Admitted SPS Grad Students eligible for Prior Experiential Credit must work with their academic advisor on the Prior Experiential Credit process from evaluation through final approval.  There is an administrative fee associated with the Prior Experiential Credit process.

Course of Study

This is a 10 course curriculum consisting of the following required and elective courses:

Required Core Courses:

• MSIT 3050 - Information Systems Analysis and Design
• MSIT 3110 - Cyber Security Fundamentals
• MSIT 3999 - Capstone Practicum
• MSIT 3410 - IT Strategy Leadership
• MSIT 3250 - Network Architecture and Design

MSIT Concentrations

MSIT concentrations (three electives from a chosen area of concentration)  **Special Topic and other relative courses must be approved by your advisor to fulfill concentration requirements

Five Electives:

Students may select any course as an elective. Students planning to complete a concentration must select courses as outlined in the concentrations listed above.

MSIT Electives:

• MSIT 3050 - Information Systems Analysis and Design
• MSIT 3090 - Python Programming
• MSIT 3100 - Contemporary Issues in IT
• MSIT 3110 - Cyber Security Fundamentals
• MSIT 3141 - Health Data and Record Systems
• MSIT 3150 - Security Architecture and Design
• MSIT 3350 - Data Mining With Splunk
• MSIT 3410 - IT Strategy Leadership
• MSIT 3450 - Health Informatics
• MSIT 3460 - Agile Software Development Methodology
• MSIT 3510 - Enterprise Architecture Design
• MSIT 3610 - CIO in Training
• MSIT 3720 - Cyber Security: Information Assurance Strategic Management
• MSIT 3730 - Cyber Security Technology Operations and Delivery
• MSIT 3740 - Cyber Security Ethics:Technology, Society and Government
• MSIT 3750 - Lean Practices and Organizational Change
• MSIT 3760 - Design Thinking Approach to Product Development
• MSIT 3790 - Cyber Security Warfare and Risk Management
• MSIT 3820 - Business Intelligence
• MSIT 3840 - IT Project Management Fundamentals
• MSIT 3860 - Data Management for Information Technology
• MSIT 3800 - Cyber Security Policy Development and Assessment
• MSIT 3940 - Internship
• MSIT 3999 - Capstone Practicum

•  

  Special topics courses are offered each semester that are not specified in the above listing.

Learning Outcomes

The Master of Science in Information Technology is designed to equip students with advanced skills and knowledge in the planning, design, implementation, testing and evaluation, deployment, maintenance, and management of applications and systems. Specific areas of study include Cyber Security, IT Architectures and Data Management. These skills form necessary foundations for solving practical problems that arise in business, industrial, governmental, and other organizations, as well as for pursuing doctoral studies in information technologies. We are confident that our degree and its concentrations will provide graduates with the skills necessary to work as professionals and take on leadership roles in their organizations. This program offers students the opportunity to develop operational competencies in 5 foundations: 

1. Organizational Systems - to understand the organizational role played by modern information architecture. MSIT 3100 - Contemporary Issues in IT  

2. Ethics and Social Responsibility - to apply values and ethics within the public service and non-profit sectors MPA 3320 - Ethics and Professional Life  

3. Workplace Dynamics, Communication, and Career Management - to lead, manage and engage others in an organization MSPC 3300 - Professional Communication Seminar  

4. Applied Research - to analyze information for effective and efficient decision-making MPA 3900 - Research Methods and Strategies   and MSIT 3999 - Capstone Practicum  

5. Theoretical Grounding - the study of a business problem domain to recommend improvements MSIT 3050 - Information Systems Analysis and Design  

More detailed information about the Core Competencies and Learning Outcomes can be found on the MSIT webpage.