IT Management-BAS Program and Core Requirements
Providing students with leadership, problem-solving, and critical analysis skills is the primary purpose of the IT Management-BAS degree. Students learn to excel in managing people, projects, and technology. A curriculum rich in communication skills, the program complements any professional/technical degree with timely and relevant skills to qualify students for leadership roles in their technical area.
IT Management-BAS Program Admission Requirements
Applicants must meet the following admission requirements before admittance to the program:
- Completion of an applied or technical degree with at least 40 credits in an applied/technical area from a community college or technical college.
- Minimum GPA of 2.3.
- A world language is not required.
IT Management-BAS Graduation Requirements
- Minimum overall GPA of 2.3.
- Completion of CWU General Education requirements.
- Completion of the IT Management-BAS core requirement courses and one of the specializations with a minimum grade of C- in each course.
List of Specializations for IT Management-BAS Program
Students in the IT Management-BAS program take a common set of core courses. Additionally, students must complete the CWU General Education requirements and choose a specialization. Students choose from industry-relevant specializations:
- Administrative Management
- Cybersecurity
- Data Driven Innovation for IT Managers
- Information Technology
- Project Management
Administrative Management Specialization: Prepare to meet the administrative needs of any organization by combining technical knowledge with skills in leadership and supervision, effective business practices, project management, and communication. Administrative management majors become skilled problem-solvers and innovators, adapting to the changing needs of modern enterprise. The advanced administrative management courses are complemented by a core foundation of relevant and current human-centered skills in project management, business communications, financial management, ethics, and customer relationship management, as well as hard skills in digital environments and computer applications. The need for graduates with these skills crosses all types of business including agriculture, construction, finance, and retail, government, manufacturing and not-for-profits.
Cybersecurity Specialization: Gain knowledge specific to the detection, protection, and recovery from attacks to an organization’s information assets. Building skills in the growing area of network security combined with the management and soft-skills classes, graduates achieve a competitive edge in the IT marketplace. The advanced cybersecurity courses are complemented by a core foundation of relevant and current human-centered skills in project management, business communications, financial management, ethics, and customer relationship management, as well as hard skills in digital environments and computer applications. Graduates secure careers as cybersecurity specialists, information security officers, information assurance analysts, information security relationship analysts, cybersecurity analysts, and information technology specialists. The need for cybersecurity experts spans all sectors including public utility companies, national security agencies, food and water suppliers, financial services, and companies with intellectual property to protect.
Data Driven Innovation for IT Managers: Develop valuable skills in data retrieval, mining, analysis, and reporting that are becoming increasingly useful across all sectors. Data analytics is the process of extracting meaning from raw data using anything from a laptop to specialized computer systems. These systems transform, organize, and model the data to draw conclusions and identify patterns, leading to increases in knowledge and market share that have significant implications for an organization’s profitability.
The advanced data driven innovation courses are complemented by a core foundation of relevant and current human-centered skills in business communications, financial management, ethics, sustainable decision making, customer relationship management, project management as well as hard skills in data analytics, database management, digital systems, and computer applications. These majors become skilled problem-solvers and innovators, adapting to the changing needs of the modern enterprise including work as data analysts, IT management analysts, and database administrators.
Information Technology Specialization: Managing in an IT department or organization requires team leadership, project management, effective communication, and critical thinking skills. Specialization classes are directed specifically to management in the IT environment, including examinations of digital systems, IT service management, cloud computing, systems analysis, and other current IT issues and concepts. The advanced IT classes are complemented by a core foundation of relevant and current human-centered skills in business communications, financial management, ethics, sustainable decision making, customer relationship management, project management as well as hard skills in data analytics, database management, digital systems, and computer applications. IT specialists build skills and knowledge relevant to all industries and sectors, fueling the information technology engine at the heart of most organizations.
Project Management Specialization: Meeting the growing industry need for skilled employees capable of leading projects, this specialization provides graduates with an in-depth understanding of the skills and techniques of effective project management. These skills have universal application, spanning every sector from construction firms to non-profits to tech start-ups. For students wishing to earn a double specialization, project management will complement any IT Management program. The advance project management classes are complemented by a core foundation of relevant and current human-centered skills in business communications, financial management, ethics, sustainable decision making, customer relationship management, project management as well as hard skills in data analytics, digital systems, and computer applications. The advanced project management courses frame a core foundation of essential skills and technical know-how aligned with Project Management Institute principles.
Program Learner Outcomes
Upon successful completion of the IT Management BS/BAS program core, students will be able to:
- Interpret, evaluate, and apply digital tools and generative artificial intelligence effectively.
- Apply a broad base of technical concepts and practices, using current and emerging technologies, to develop a deep understanding of key topics to solve technical challenges.
- Demonstrate best practices for leading a sustainable IT organization through proper management of time, resources, projects, and stakeholders.
- Demonstrate effective project planning, execution, and control techniques that result in successful and high-quality projects.
- Contribute as a team member and leader integrating professional, ethical, legal, security and social responsibilities in a global environment.
- Communicate effectively with a range of audiences, both in written and oral forms.
- Demonstrate effective organizational leadership and change management skills for sustainable IT projects, IT project teams, and stakeholders.
- Identify problems and be able to analyze relevant information to draft and implement workable solutions.
IT Management-BAS Core Requirements
IT Management-BAS Total Core Credits: 59