Information Technology
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Bachelor of Science in Information Technology Program
The online* Bachelor of Science in Information Technology degree can help aspiring IT specialists cultivate a foundation of many necessary skills, such as software development, database design, network design, information systems security and the use of information technology to address business needs. Businesses rely on specialists to keep up with the ever-changing digital landscape, and an IT degree from South University can help prepare you to pursue such a career**.
The degree in information technology offers three specialization tracks that students can either choose to focus in, or obtain a broad skillset from all three: Comprehensive, Cybersecurity or Management. Regardless of which path you select from, our practical projects and hands-on labs can help you develop the communication skills, critical thinking, and technical competencies to be competitive in today’s technology-dependent workplace.
*Fully online programs can have a ground clinical or practicum experience.
**South University does not promise or guarantee employment or salary amounts.
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: To be competitive in the field of IT, experts need to be able to operate, maintain, protect and defend organizational assets. 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.
Admission Requirements
General Undergraduate Admission Requirements
Note: Not all Online Program offerings are available to residents of all U.S. states. Please contact an admissions representative for further information.
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 5 weeks from the 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 5 week period will not be responsible for any tuition and related fees.
South University may grant exceptions to the 5 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
Admission of Transfer Students
Note: Not all Online Program offerings are available to residents of all U.S. states. Please contact an admissions representative for further information.
To be eligible for admission, transfer students must complete the application procedures and satisfy the following criteria:
- Submit a completed application for admission.
- Have earned 24 or more credit hours, or the equivalent (e.g. 16 semester hours), with a cumulative GPA of 2.00 from an acceptable accredited collegiate institution.
- Submit official transcripts (including verifiable faxed transcripts) from all colleges and universities attended.
- Submit self-certification of high school graduation or GED completion.
For transfer of credit practices refer to the applicable section under the Academic Affairs section of this catalog.
Transfer students accepted into South University who have earned 24 or more quarter credit hours or the equivalent (e.g. 16 semester hours), with a cumulative GPA of 2.00 from an acceptable accredited collegiate institution, and who are not required to take ENG0099 and/or MAT0099, will be exempt from taking the UVC1000 Strategies for Success. Students will select another 4 credit course in consultation with their Academic Advisor or Academic Counselor to fulfill the degree requirements.
Transfer students will be exempted from developmental courses on the basis of grades earned in credit bearing English or mathematics courses transferred to South University, if applicable, or SAT or ACT, or scores on the University administered entrance exam only if the exam was taken at South University.
Students with 24 or more quarter credits with less than a 2.0 GPA may be admitted provisionally for two quarters. Failure to achieve a 1.5 GPA 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.
Students who are citizens of countries other than the United States should refer to the section entitled International Student Admissions Policy.
Students who are transferring from or to a school within the University of North Carolina or the North Carolina Community College System should be aware of the Comprehensive Articulation Agreement approved by both governing Boards on March 1, 1996 and revised in September of 2008. This agreement may be found in its entirety at the following website.
For additional admissions information please see the admissions section here.
Course Requirements
Choose one additional course from the list below:
Choose two additional courses from the list below:
Transfer students may transfer any course to help fulfill the elective pool requirements, provided the course meets the standards of the Credit for Transcripted and Non-transcripted Work policy found in the Academic Affairs section of this catalog.
Non-transfer students, with their advisor's consultation and approval may choose courses from any department recommended and listed course or more broadly from any course offered by South University. Work from other fields must include any required prerequisite courses in the elective field.
A course can be used to meet only one requirement in the program across Areas I, II, III and IV. For example, if a course from the Area III Specialization group is completed, it cannot be used to meet an Elective requirement. Also, students should be sure to select elective courses for which they will have met the required prerequisites. Students should work with their academic advisor or counselor to be sure they are making appropriate course choices.
Specialization in Comprehensive
Choose one course from the list below:
Specialization in Cybersecurity
Specialization in Management
Choose one course from the list below:
Outcomes
Offered at Austin, Columbia, Montgomery, Online Programs, Richmond, Savannah, Tampa, and Virginia Beach.
Note: Not all Online Program offerings are available to residents of all U.S. states. Please contact an admissions representative for further information.
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:
- Articulate clear, accurate and precise solutions to IT and discipline-specific problems.
- Demonstrate effective teamwork and communication skills in various organizational situations.
- Recognize and explain the societal, legal and ethical factors impact on individuals and organizations in various information technology contexts.
- 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:- Analyze information technology problems and use current technical concepts and critical thinking skills to devise technical solutions.
- 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:- Assess cybersecurity threats and vulnerabilities of information systems and infrastructures and analyze the cybersecurity risk impacts on enterprises.
- Design robust, layered controls to safeguard mission-critical assets of enterprises.
Management specialization graduates will also be able to:- Articulate processes for procurement, funding, and other information technology value-chain applications.
- Devise processes and controls to achieve information systems compliance and alliance with the organization's strategic goals.
Career Outlook
Graduates of our Bachelor of Science in Information Technology program typically pursue entry-level positions across the IT development lifecycle in planning, analysis, development, testing, deployment, service, program management, or technical support. These include:
- Technical sales support engineer, sales engineer
- Systems engineer, systems analyst, computer systems analyst
- Information security analyst, computer security analyst
- Software engineer, software developer, computer programmer
- Database developer, Web developer
- Software tester, quality assurance tester
- Computer network architect, network engineer
- Product support engineer, systems support engineer
- Customer support analyst, customer support IT specialist, computer user support specialist
- Computer systems administrator, database administrator, network administrator
Online Classroom
Haven’t experienced online learning before or wondering what it’s like to earn your degree online at South University? While the mode of learning is different from the traditional classroom experience with added convenience and flexibility, we hold the same high standards of academic excellence in the online classroom.
South University’s online programs combine a curriculum designed for student outcomes and a classroom designed for flexibility and engagement. Our online classroom learning platform, Brightspace, provides you with a host of features to enhance your learning experience, including:
- Advanced media content
- Personalized navigation
- Simplified online learning atmosphere
- Access to digital books
- Emailing and instant messaging options
We provide more than just an online classroom, bringing a range of campus experiences and services online. In addition, the online classroom is accessible on the go via mobile devices and with tools like the Pulse App. Pulse helps you stay connected and on track with your course by providing a number of features such as course calendars, readings and assignments, feedback and grades, and announcements.
Read more about online requirements here.
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Campuses offer flexible learning formats* including: on-campus, virtual instructions, and online courses.
*Clinical, practicum, and externship requirements exist in certain programs and require field experiences. Learning formats may not be flexible.
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