Information Technology M.S.

Both a professional and research track are offered for the M.S. in IT degree.  

Students admitted to the M.S. in IT develop an approved Plan of Study. 

• Ten courses (a minimum of 30 credits)
• A minimum of six courses (18 credit hours or more) at the graduate level (6XXX-level courses)
• Five core courses; one from each of the five core areas. For the research track, replace the “Management of Technology” core course requirement with one of the two-semester ITWS 6990  Master’s Thesis or ITWS 6980  Master’s Project.
• A minimum of three courses (9 credit hours or more) in an approved Focus Track.
• One elective approved by the adviser to add further depth to the degree
• One of:  ITWS 6800  - Information Technology Master’s Capstone, ITWS 6990  - Master’s Thesis, or ITWS 6980  - Master’s Project

The Financial Engineering Focus Track requires completion of an upper level finance course prior to enrollment.

The core and Focus Track courses are designed to accommodate a wide range of backgrounds. If students have previously completed the basic required Core course, they must then complete the next level required course to add depth in that core area. For example, if an equivalent course to Database Systems was completed in a prior degree, the Core area requirement could be satisfied by taking Database Mining. Students may request transfer credit only for the elective, subject to adviser approval. Additionally, no more than half of all credits used towards the M.S. in IT degree may be taken from courses offered by the Lally School of Management and Technology. These courses are coded MGMT.

The M.S. in IT Master’s Capstone course integrates the knowledge and professional practice of IT core and Focus Track courses. The Capstone utilizes an Information Technology Team Project with a real organization to practice the major concepts of the IT master’s degree. The Team Project involves strategic and business planning, systems development, and technology implementation. Expertise in database systems, data analytics, networking, software design, decision sciences, management of technology, human computer interaction, and ethics are applied within a framework of global e-business strategy.

Full-time students normally begin in the fall term and take four courses in the fall, four courses the following spring, participate in an internship/co-op over the summer and complete the final four courses in the fall. This option may allow a student to compelte two Focus Tracks. Students also have the option to take five courses in the fall and five in the spring to complete the program in two semesters with one Focus Track. Part-time students typically complete the program in two and one-half years of continuous study.

Rensselaer currently offers numerous Ph.D. degrees with significant information technology and Web science related research, e.g. computational chemistry and physics, science and technology studies, decision sciences, applied mathematics, and human-computer interaction, among many others. Students who are planning doctoral study may choose to apply simultaneously for admission to the Ph.D. in the relevant Rensselaer department and also for the M.S. in IT.

Outcomes of the Graduate Curriculum

Students who successfully complete this program will be able to:

• demonstrate core knowledge in Database Systems, Data Analytics, Software Design and Engineering, Management of Technology and Human Computer Interaction.
• demonstrate detailed knowledge in one or more ITWS Focus Tracks.
• communicate effectively with colleagues, both technical and non-technical.
• professionally execute IT projects or research (Professional Track).
• demonstrate proficiency in research methods and analysis (Research Track).