Major in Information Technology
For students interested in the application and support of technology, we offer an interdisciplinary major and minor in information technology. The major provides students with a solid technical grounding in computer science and information technology, as well as education in the "soft" interpersonal skills of communication, teamwork, critical thinking, and ethical decision-making that are vital to the IT industry. An information technologist determines user needs and then develops, manages, and supports technology-based solutions. Students take courses in communication, management, philosophy, computer science and information technology. Students are prepared for a broad range of careers such as web content provider/manager, web developer, web administrator, IT consultant, network support, customer/ desktop support, system integrator, system analyst, and application developer.
Description of Major Requirements
The Information Technology major draws from the five disciplines of information technology, computer science, communications, management, and philosophy. There are three courses in information technology, five in comptuer science, and one in mathematics that provide students with a solid technical foundation; and, a complementary set of five courses that develop the so-called 'soft' interpersonal skills needed by IT professionals: one in ethics, two in professional and technical communication, and a choice of two out of three courses from among a set of two management courses (on managing the diverse workfoce and organizational communication and behavior) and a philosophy course on critical thinking.
Core Courses
| Course Name | Number | Credits | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total | 5 Courses | ||
| Intro to Programming in Java | CS-112 | 4.00 | Lecture |
| GUI and Event Driven Program | CS-113 | 4.00 | Lecture |
| Computer Org. & Architecture | CS-226 | 4.00 | Lecture |
| Computer Networks | CS-227 | 4.00 | Lecture |
| Discrete Mathematics | MATH-210 | 4.00 | Lecture |
Required Courses
| Course Name | Number | Credits | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total | 6 Courses | ||
| Writing/Editing Across Media | COMM-122 | 4.00 | Lecture |
| Web Srvs & Web Centric Prgm. | IT-320 | 4.00 | Lecture |
| Systems Analysis & Design | IT-343 | 4.00 | Lecture |
| Security Iss Network Envir | CS-327 | 4.00 | Lecture |
| Database Mgmt. Systems | CS-333 | 4.00 | Lecture |
| Eth Leg Soc Issues Info Tech | PHIL-225 | 4.00 | Lecture |
Electives
Choose 2 out of the following three courses:
| Course Name | Number | Credits | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total | 3 Courses | ||
| Managing the Diverse Workforce | MGMT-321 | 4.00 | Lecture |
| Organ Comm & Behavior | MGMT-234 | 4.00 | Lecture |
| Critical Thinking | PHIL-122 | 4.00 | Lecture |
Additional Courses
Optional information technology clusters of courses are also recommended, but not required, to enhance the student's knowledge of the application area in which the student may be working. These clusters include two or three courses (see your advisor for details) and comprise the following areas: the arts, bioinformatics, bio-psych, entrepreneurship, financial systems, graphic/web, health applications, human resources systems, law, nutrition, psychology research methods, retail applications, social psychology, and social research.