Information Technology

IT Specializations

At South University, our Bachelor of Science in Information Technology program can prepare you to pursue in-demand technology careers and industry certifications. Our courses allow you to get extensive hands-on practice through comprehensive virtual labs and are built to develop the communication skills, critical thinking and technical competencies required for today’s workplace. You’ll also have the opportunity to choose between three IT specializations.

Find the Right IT Specialization for You

●Comprehensive: In this specialization, you can explore database development and administration, information systems security, multimedia and web development, and network administration and management. Work to develop key IT competencies across the board, so that you can gain the flexibility to pursue a wide range of career opportunities upon graduation.

●Cybersecurity: The demand for IT experts who can operate, maintain, protect and defend organizational assets is growing.* Designed to prepare you for these essential roles, our Cybersecurity specialization follows the National Initiative for Cybersecurity Education (NICE) Cybersecurity Workforce Framework (CWF) guidelines and aligns with professional certification best practices. All Cybersecurity courses include virtual lab activities.

●Management: IT Management professionals play a vital, strategic role in modern enterprises. This track helps you to develop IT skills essential for planning and implementing reliable IT in organizations. Our technology management focus and business emphasis together also prepare you to exercise a leadership role within the IT department of an organization upon graduation.

*https://cybersecurityventures.com/cybersecurity-market-report/

Admission Requirements

General Undergraduate Admission Requirements

To be admitted to any of the undergraduate programs at South University, the prospective student must provide proof of high school graduation as recognized by the state of residence on the date the degree was earned, or the equivalent (e.g. GED with no single test score below 145 or numeric score equivalent to 2.0 on old version or state-issued certificate designated as the equivalent of a High School Diploma) with a minimum CGPA of 2.0 on a 4.0 scale. The prospective student must also complete the university administered placement tests prior to the start of the first quarter for campus students and during the first session of attendance for online students. South University accepts the International Baccalaureate Program diploma as meeting the requirement for high school graduation. Credentials earned outside the United States must be evaluated by a NACES or AICE-member credential evaluation service.  Please speak with an admissions representative for more information.

Students with less than the minimum CGPA of 2.0 on a 4.0 scale may meet admissions requirements by submitting a minimum combined SAT (Evidence-Based Reading and Writing, and Math) score of 700 or 900 on the old SAT, a combined ACT score of 18, or a satisfactory score on the university-administered admissions examination (see the Admissions Office) or meet the criteria established for acceptance as a transfer student.

Students with less than the minimum CGPA of 2.0 on a 4.0 scale may be admitted provisionally for two quarters. Failure to achieve a 1.5 CGPA in the first two quarters of attendance will result in dismissal.  Students may appeal the dismissal by following the Procedures for Appealing Academic/Financial Aid Dismissal Policy.

To facilitate the admissions process, unofficial documentation, such as copies of transcripts or grade reports, may be used to determine admission status. Transfer status cannot be designated, however, without some verifying documentation. Admissions test scores on university administered entrance exams will not be accepted from other universities. Prospective students must take a University administered admission exam, like the Accuplacer, at South University.

A student's failure to provide acceptable verification of proof of high school graduation within 10 weeks of his or her start date will result in the following:

• Removal from class
• Cancellation of enrollment
• No final course grades
• No transcript

NOTES: Students who do not provide proof of high school graduation within the 10-week period will not be responsible for any tuition and related fees.

South University may grant exceptions to the 10-week period for unusual situations or circumstances.  All exceptions must be submitted to the office of the University Registrar for approval.

Please see the policy on GPA Calculation for Admission for additional information

Course Requirements

Outcomes

Offered at South University, Austin; South University, Columbia; South University, Montgomery; South University, Online Programs; South University, Richmond; South University, Savannah; South University, Tampa; South University, Virginia Beach

The Bachelor of Science in Information Technology degree program focuses on preparing students with the knowledge and skills needed to understand the theoretical and applied uses of information technology in a variety of business settings. Case studies and hands-on lab projects can help students gain the communication skills, critical thinking and technical competencies required in the current technology-oriented workplace.

Building upon a strong set of Information Technology foundational courses, the program gives students the opportunity to choose one of three areas of specialization: Comprehensive, Cybersecurity or Management. The specialization options give students the ability to focus on a specific IT discipline of interest or to obtain a broader skill set across multiple IT disciplines.

The Bachelor of Science in Information Technology degree program culminates in a capstone project that focuses on the student's overall course of study and allows the student the opportunity to apply the concepts and skills learned in real and simulated business situations.

The comprehensive specialization is intended for students who are interested in acquiring a broad skill set in essential IT disciplines. The comprehensive option covers the knowledge areas of database development and administration, information systems security, multimedia and web development, and network administration and management. This specialization is well suited for students who which to develop across-the-board IT competencies, are not set on any specific IT professional work role and seek the flexibility to pursue different IT career opportunities upon graduation.

The cybersecurity specialization targets a growing demand for IT experts specialized in cybersecurity, to operate, maintain, protect and defend the mission-critical assets of organizations. This specialization track is designed per the guidelines of the National Initiative for Cybersecurity Education (NICE) Cybersecurity Workforce Framework (CWF), a partnership between government, academia, and the private sector focused on cybersecurity education and workforce development. The program learning outcomes are mapped to the NICE CWF work categories, specialty areas, work roles, and knowledge areas, to achieve direct relevancy with cybersecurity jobs in demand. The program also aligns its learning outcomes with best practices from prominent professional certifications, such as Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP) from the International Information Systems Security Certification Consortium (ISC) ², and Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH) from EC-Council. Throughout the program, students combine theoretical and hands-on practice using a virtual-lab and cybersecurity resources, such as the IBM-cybersecurity technology suite.

The information technology management specialization combines the development of essential IT skills (systems lifecycle management, networking, data management, and helpdesk administration), IT security skills, IT governance skills and IT operational skills, to enable the planning and implementation of reliable IT in an organization (planning of capacity, continuity, availability, and security.) This program will prepare students to exercise a leadership role within the IT department of an organization by being able to apply an IT-as-a-service approach in the planning and management of the IT infrastructure and services.

Modern enterprises have expressed a growing need for professionals with Information Technology Management (IT Management) skills, due to the strategic role IT plays in today's organization. The role of the IT Manager has evolved from being merely a technology specialist, to being a custodian of the enterprise's IT infrastructure and resources, and a steward of IT governance and strategy. The IT Manager is also responsible for interpreting and implementing rules and regulations like Sarbanes Oxley (SOX) and managing critical IT services for the enterprise at large, its partners, and its customers.

In addition to strong foundational course work focused on IT competencies, the program emphasizes the necessary management, business, and communication skills required for managing budgets, projects and IT operations. The program includes core and elective courses to help graduates build mastery in Industry Standards and prepare them for Industry Certifications:

• PMI Professional in Business Analysis
• Certified Associate in Project management (CAPM) - PMI
• Information Technology Infrastructure Library (ITIL)
• ISO20000 Information Technology Service Management
• Certified in the Governance of Enterprise IT (CGEIT)
• NIST 800.xxx and ISO 2700x
• ITIL, ISO 20000, COBIT

Program Student Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of the BSIT Program, graduates will be able to:

1. Articulate clear, accurate and precise solutions to IT and discipline-specific problems.
2. Demonstrate effective teamwork and communication skills in various organizational situations.
3. Recognize and explain the societal, legal and ethical factors impact on individuals and organizations in various information technology contexts.
4. Demonstrate attainment of IT and discipline-specific body-of-knowledge competencies, by defining concepts, recognizing applied usage, describing methodologies, determining governance and technical measures, and applying best practices effectively and accurately in all phases of the IT delivery lifecycle.

Comprehensive specialization graduates will also be able to:

1. Analyze information technology problems and use current technical concepts and critical thinking skills to devise technical solutions.
2. Use and apply current techniques, tools, and practices in the core IT areas to implement solutions to IT problems. These include the areas of networking, database technology, Web-based applications, human-computer interface, computer security, and software development.

Cybersecurity specialization graduates will also be able to:

1. Assess cybersecurity threats and vulnerabilities of information systems and infrastructures and analyze the cybersecurity risk impacts on enterprises.
2. Design robust, layered controls to safeguard mission-critical assets of enterprises.

Management specialization graduates will also be able to:

1. Articulate processes for procurement, funding, and other information technology value-chain applications.
2. Devise processes and controls to achieve information systems compliance and alliance with the organization's strategic goals.

Career Outlook

Graduates of the BS in Information Technology program are prepared for entry-level positions such as:

• Network and Systems Administrators
• Network Managers
• Database Administrators/Network Engineers
• IT Administrators/Export Managers
• Global Technical Supervisors
• Information Security Administrators
• IT Managers
• LAN Security Specialists
• Operations Managers