Quarter 1

Writing for the Professions (6 q.h.)

This course introduces the vocabulary and philosophy of business communications. Students practice planning, writing, and analyzing effective business letters and memoranda. Students learn the methods and principles of research and documentation of semi-technical analyses and business reports. The course allows practice in organizing and writing complex forms of business communications.

Technology and Information Fluency (6 q.h.)

This course introduces students to the terminology and infra-structure of computer and information technology. It presents a broad-based overview of computer programming, systems analysis, and digital data structures. The course also examines the basic design and operation of modern computer systems. Other topics include an introduction to assembly language,  software development practices such as modular design, use of libraries, testing methods, and debugging techniques.

Technology and Information Fluency Practicum (2 q.h.)

Students will document a simple IT application and the infrastructure components it would rely upon including PCs, network devices, servers, databases, and storage devices. Students will be required to become familiar with Microsoft tools such as Visio.

Quarter 2

Basic Financial Analysis for Managers (6 q.h.)

You cannot lead or manage effectively without understanding the numbers. The purpose of this course is to provide non-financial managers with the rudiments of financial problem solving. Students will be introduced to and develop basic analytical tools and concepts. Topics covered include financial statement analysis, budgeting forecasting and planning, project planning and management, and risk management.

IT Strategy, Management, and Policy (6 q.h.)

This course examines how information technology supports corporate goals. Readings and case studies will illustrate how IT may be employed to support a variety of business goals. Management issues such as the types of information systems, the impact of information systems on individuals and organizations, IT policies, outsourcing, and the use of IT as a competitive strategy will be discussed along with technological issues such as database management systems, electronic data interchange, decision support systems, and expert systems.

Practicum (2 q.h.)

Students are required to develop a proposal that includes a risk analysis and basic budget for a simple IT application and the infrastructure components on which it would rely.

Quarter 3

Leveraging Database Technologies (6 q.h.)

This course introduces students to the design and use of database systems to manage and extend the value of enterprise data. Covers conceptual database design and data modeling; the relational data model and relational query languages; the capabilities of modern database management systems; data warehousing; database integrity, security and backup/recovery.

Database Practicum (2 q.h.)

This course focuses on the skills associated with database creation, use, and administration. Topics include: creating queries, linking files, cross-indexing, designing forms and reports. Students are required to specify and implement a database application.

Object Oriented Programming (6 q.h.)

Students will examine object-oriented components and characteristics including classes, inheritance, and polymorphism. In addition, students are taught how to write, debug, and execute Java programs and how to create Java applets and applications. Practice exercises will make use of J2EE and EJB. Other techniques covered include threads, multimedia, exception handling, images, Java IO, sequential files, random access files, networking, utility classes, and operations on bits. This course will also focus on applets, AWT, graphics, event handling, images, Java IO, sequential files, random access files, networking, utility classes, hashtables, string tokenizer, and operations on bits.

Quarter 4

Statistics and Business Decision Models (6 q.h.)

This course introduces students to the collection and organization of econometric data. It also explores modeling as a method for gaining insight into the underlying mathematical structure of business problems. Students will be taught how to use specific modeling techniques, such as linear programming and simulation.

 Information Technology Legal Issues and Risk Management (6 q.h.)

As the Internet has become a mainstream medium for commercial transactions and business activities, IT security and legal issues have become a major factor in business today. This course will focus on the tools and skills needed to assess and manage risk in an organization. Students will be taught best practices for protecting intellectual property and confidentiality, safeguarding consumers against identity and account theft, and protecting a company from criminal and civil suits.

Quarter 5

Information Systems Design and Development (6 q.h.)

This course provides students with a thorough and practical introduction to the methodologies, models, tools and techniques used in modern system development. The content covers clientserver and web system architecture, project lifecycle models, project management techniques, requirements elicitation, analysis, documentation, management, CASE tools, case analysis, business rules, system design approaches and graphical modeling with the Unified Modeling Language (UML). Students will analyze and document a business process, prepare a project plan, complete a system analysis and design model, and gain experience with project management tools.

Network Concepts and Applications (6 q.h.)

This course introduces basic principles of computer networks and networking APIs (e.g., Application Program Interfaces). It uses examples from many real-world operating systems and networks (UNIX, Linux,Windows, TCP/IP, Ethernet, ATM, token rings) to reinforce the concepts. The course also addresses both theoretical aspects such as performance modeling, and analysis, and practical considerations of implementing Internet protocols.

Network Security Lab (2 q.h.)

This course provides students with the opportunity to explore the practical elements of information and network security awareness and related design and deployment decisions in a secure lab environment. Teams of students will experiment with designing, deploying, and securing services and applications.

Quarter 6

Electronic Commerce and Web Services (6 q.h.)

This course covers the use of the Internet and Web technologies used by businesses and other enterprises to communicate with partners and customers. Topics include the definition and types of e-commerce, online payment mechanisms, online auctions and e-marketplaces, and policies for the internet economy. The course content will introduce Internet/Web architecture, protocols and authoring tools (e.g., HTML, CSS, JavaScript); domain name services; and the use of web service standards and frameworks (e.g.,

Intercultural Communications (3 q.h.)

The world is shrinking. The ease of travel, the pervasiveness of communication technology, and the realities of economic/ political interdependence has made it essential to communicate in intercultural settings. This course discusses the impediments to effective intercultural communication and strategies for overcoming them.

Final Project (3 q.h.)

This course requires students to demonstrate the skills learned throughout the term by developing an end-to-end proposal and plan for an IT application and the infrastructure upon which it will rely. The proposal will include a justification, budget, architecture document, presentation, and a project plan.