Graduate Program News

• Spring Course Registration. Current students should request Spring 2010 courses by submitting completed Spring 2010 Course Request Forms to the graduate advisor no later than Thursday, October 1st.
• Congratulations to Sandeep Basnet, ITK masters student, who was one of only four students in the U.S. to win the first-ever IBM Destination z Enterprise Computing Scholarship for excellence in mainframe course work. Sandeep's mentor was Dr. Chu Jong.
• ITK offers the following Graduate Certificates: Enterprise Computing Systems (New!) , Information Assurance and Security, Internet Application Development, Systems Analyst, and Telecommunications Management.
• Federal Work Study Assistantships are available in the School of Information Technology. Students who are U.S. Citizens, have been admitted to the MS in Information Systems program, and have completed the FAFSA (Free Application for Student Financial Aid) and qualify for federal financial aid may be eligible for Federal Work Study Assistantships. Apply for assistantships in ITK.

Graduate Program

Program Overview

The School of Information Technology offers a Master of Science in Information Systems program and five Graduate Certificates.

The Master of Science in Information Systems program features a core set of IS courses and four sequence choices: Information Assurance and Security, Internet Application Development, Systems Development, and Telecommunications Management. It emphasizes the application of computer technology and information management methods to real-world problem solving. The program focuses on software, hardware, and people-related issues in the development of computer information systems. It can be appropriate for a range of students, including industry practitioners seeking career advancement, students wishing to expand on their undergraduate computing work, and individuals wishing to make a career change.

ITK also offers the following Graduate Certificates: Enterprise Computing Systems, Information Assurance and Security, Internet Application Development, Systems Analyst, and Telecommunications Management. These graduate certificates have been designed for IT professionals who would like to gain specialized knowledge in one of the certificate areas without the commitment of completing an entire degree program. The certificates will provide students with focused studies and exposure to the very latest topics and trends in the IT industry.

Special Features

Special features of the IS program and graduate certificates include:

• A dynamic, state-of-the-art curriculum. Coursework provides students with a solid conceptual foundation and hands-on experiences with the latest technologies. Graduates are well prepared for continuing professional growth.
• Small class sizes. We take pride in offering students small classes (approximately 20 students per graduate section) to allow for individualized attention.
• Committed faculty. Classes are taught by highly qualified faculty who pride themselves in staying current in their fields and being involved and research and consulting while maintaining a high level of commitment to classroom instruction and student interaction.
• Flexible scheduling. Students may choose electives from a wide range of courses in computer information systems, computer science, and telecommunications and networking. Working students will find a wide variety of evening classes available.
• A diverse student body. Our student body is made up of both full-time and part-time students, many of whom originate from other countries. This diversity in terms of profession, industry, and cultural background brings unique and valuable perspectives to the classroom.
• Two corporate advisory boards. The Business-Industry Advisory Council and the Telecommunications Advisor Board are composed of information systems and telecommunication managers and executives from industry who meet twice a year to offer advice on technical and curricular issues. Many major Illinois corporations are represented in these advisory boards.