The request to revise the M.S. in Information Technology

Date: February 25, 2016
To: College of Computing & Informatics
From: Office of Academic Affairs
Approved On: February 1, 2016
Approved by: Graduate Council
Implementation Date: Summer 2016


Note: Deletions are strikethroughs. Insertions are underlined.


Catalog Copy

Degree Requirements

The Master of Science in Information Technology degree requires a total of 30 graduate credit hours with a minimum GPA of 3.0, together with a capstone or culminating experience. Additionally, the following requirements must be met:

  • No more than 12 credit hours of coursework may be taken from outside of the courses offered by the Department of Software and Information Systems
  • At least 15 credit hours must be taken from 6000 level or above courses
  • No more than 3 credit hours may be taken for Individual Study
  • A maximum of 6 graduate credit hours may be transferred from other institutions

The requirement of 30 credit hours of course work comprises comprise the following 3 parts: a core component worth 15 credit hours, a concentration component worth 9 credit hours, and an elective component worth 6 credit hours.

Core Component (18 credit hours)

ITIS 5160 Applied Databases (3)

ITIS 5166 Network-Based Application Development (3)

ITIS 6112 Software System Design and Implementation (3)

ITIS 6200 Principles of Information Security and Privacy (3)

ITIS 6342 Information Technology Project Management (3)

ITIS 6400 Principles of Human-Computer Interaction (3)

*ITIS 5160 may be substituted with ITCS 6160.

Core Component (15 credit hours)

  1. Advanced programming: Either one of

ITIS 5166Network-Based Application Development (3) or
ITIS 5180 Mobile Application Development (3)

  1. Software Systems: Any one of

ITIS 6112Software System Design and Implementation (3),

ITIS 6177 System Integration (3), or

ITIS 6342 Information Technology Project Management (3)

  1. Databases and Data Science: Either one of

ITIS 6120 Applied Databases (3), or

ITIS 6162 Knowledge Discovery from Databases (3)

  1. ITIS 6200 Principles of Information Security and Privacy (3)
  2. ITIS 6400 Principles of Human Computer Interaction (3)

Concentration Component (9 credit hours)

The MSIT program offers the following concentrations:

  1. Advanced Data and Knowledge Discovery
  2. Design
  3. Emerging Technologies
  4. Human-Computer Interaction
  5. Information Security and Privacy
  6. Information Technology Management
  7. Software Systems Design and Engineering
  8. Web Development

Each student is required to select one concentration and complete 3 courses selected from the list of approved courses for the specific concentration.

Among the 9 credit hours for a concentration, 6 may be substituted with a master’s research thesis. The topic for the research thesis must fall within the area of concentration.

Subject to the approval of the MSIT Program Coordinator, a course from outside of the approved list for a concentration may be taken as a substitute for a course for the concentration.

Elective Component (3 6 credit hours)

Students fulfill the remaining requirements for a MSIT degree course work by completing an 2 approved elective course courses in the area of information technology.

Part of The the elective requirements may also be met by taking up an internship worth 3 credit hours as defined in ITIS 6198 (IT Internship Project).

MSIT Culminating Experience

All students must successfully complete a culminating experience. This requirement is satisfied by completing any one of the following three:

  • IT Project: 15 page written report on knowledge related to one or more courses or a programming experience (0 credit points)
  • IT Internship (3 credit points of ITIS 6198 IT Internship Project )
  • IT Master’s Thesis (total 6 credit points: 3 credit points each semester over 2 semesters of ITIS 6991 Information Technology Thesis)

Clean version of catalog copy:

Degree Requirements

The Master of Science in Information Technology degree requires a total of 30 graduate credit hours with a minimum GPA of 3.0, together with a capstone or culminating experience. Additionally, the following requirements must be met:

  • No more than 12 credit hours of coursework may be taken from outside of the courses offered by the Department of Software and Information Systems
  • At least 15 credit hours must be taken from 6000 level or above courses
  • No more than 3 credit hours may be taken for Individual Study
  • A maximum of 6 graduate credit hours may be transferred from other institutions

The 30 credit hours of course work comprise the following 3 parts: a core component worth 15 credit hours, a concentration component worth 9 credit hours, and an elective component worth 6 credit hours.

Core Component (15 credit hours)

  1. Advanced programming: Either one of

ITIS 5166Network-Based Application Development (3) or
ITIS 5180 Mobile Application Development (3)

  1. Software Systems: Any one of

ITIS 6112Software System Design and Implementation (3),

ITIS 6177 System Integration (3), or

ITIS 6342 Information Technology Project Management (3)

  1. Databases and Data Science: Either one of

ITIS 6120 Applied Databases (3), or

ITIS 6162 Knowledge Discovery from Databases (3)

  1. ITIS 6200 Principles of Information Security and Privacy (3)
  2. ITIS 6400 Principles of Human Computer Interaction (3)

Concentration Component (9 credit hours)

The MSIT program offers the following concentrations:

  1. Advanced Data and Knowledge Discovery
  2. Design
  3. Emerging Technologies
  4. Human-Computer Interaction
  5. Information Security and Privacy
  6. Information Technology Management
  7. Software Systems Design and Engineering
  8. Web Development

Each student is required to select one concentration and complete 3 courses selected from the list of approved courses for the specific concentration.

Among the 9 credit hours for a concentration, 6 may be substituted with a master’s research thesis. The topic for the research thesis must fall within the area of concentration.

Subject to the approval of the MSIT Program Coordinator, a course from outside of the approved list for a concentration may be taken as a substitute for a course for the concentration.

Elective Component (6 credit hours)

Students fulfill the remaining requirements for course work by completing 2 approved elective courses in the area of information technology.

Part of the elective requirements may also be met by taking up an internship worth 3 credit hours as defined in ITIS 6198 (IT Internship Project).

MSIT Culminating Experience

All students must successfully complete a culminating experience. This requirement is satisfied by completing any one of the following three:

  • IT Project: 15 page written report on knowledge related to one or more courses or a programming experience (0 credit points)
  • IT Internship (3 credit points of ITIS 6198 IT Internship Project )
  • IT Master’s Thesis (total 6 credit points: 3 credit points each semester over 2 semesters of ITIS 6991 Information Technology Thesis)

ITIS 6112. Software System Design and Implementation. (3) Cross-listed as HCIP 6112 and ITCS 6112. Prerequisite: 18 or more credit hours of course work from ITIS 5000-7999 or ITCS 5000-7999, CCI graduate standing or permission of department. Introduction to the techniques involved in the planning and implementation of large software systems. Emphasis on human interface aspects of systems. Planning software projects; software design process; top-down design; modular and structured design; management of software projects; testing of software; software documentation; choosing a language for software system. (Fall) (Spring) (Evenings)