Information Technology Major
The Departments of Management Science and Information Systems (MSIS) at the College of Management (CM) and Computer Science (CS) at the College of Science and Mathematics (CSM) work together to deliver a degree program that addresses the Commonwealth’s and the nation’s information technology (IT) workforce needs.
BSIT Program
The Information Technology major offered through UMass Boston's College of Management is designed to offer pathways to highly-demanded careers in IT for both high school graduates and students of Massachusetts community colleges. Our small classes ensure personalized attention from IT faculty while our ties to the Greater Boston business and technical communities add an extra dimension of learning to our program of business information technology education. The IT major offers an “applications-path” format for students which includes a core of technical knowledge (nine courses), an area of specialization or track within IT (four or five courses, depending on track selection), three professional electives in an application or domain area (preferably outside of IT but within business), and two wrap-up courses (project management and IT capstone), in addition to general education requirements.
The IT major is project based. Every exercise assigned throughout the BSIT is designed to be of the kind that a student might encounter in his or her work: collaboration, competence, and outcomes assessment are the hallmark characteristics of the program. Students will learn how to use IT to solve real-world problems within the context of a field in which they wish to work. Graduates will be familiar with, and be able to apply, the following core information technologies to solve business problems:
- programming
- networking
- databases
- web technologies
In addition, the BSIT program offers four specialization tracks: business intelligence1, computer forensics1, information architecture1 and systems administration.
Learning Goals
As part of its program to maintain accreditation with the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB), the College of Management faculty has formally adopted learning goals for each of its seven degree programs and periodically conducts assessments to ensure student learning for each learning objective and to identify opportunities for curriculum improvement.
The learning goals for the Information Technology major for students to:
- Build and maintain information systems.
- Design information systems to better support business processes and strategies.
- Develop problem solving skills and analytical skills.
- Demonstrate professionalism through oral and written communication skills.
[1] Students who plan to take the business intelligence, computer forensics, or information architecture track are encouraged to enroll in the BSIT program through the College of Management.