Information Technology with Information Architecture Track

Over the last couple of decades, the world has become incredibly dependent on data and information management. The field of Information Technology is growing rapidly because technology is an integral part of every business. Within the technology field, Information Architecture is also rapidly growing, and graduates of an information architecture program have found success in the for-profit and nonprofit sectors.

The Information Technology degree at the University of Massachusetts Boston is offered by both the College of Science and Mathematics and the College of Management, allowing students to gain knowledge in both the technical aspects and the business aspects of IT. After completing their core classes, each student completes courses in a specific track, allowing them to build a specialized IA degree that they will need in their careers.

There are nine core classes that every Information Technology student takes. These are IT Problem Solving, Managerial Statistics, Introduction to Java Part I, Introduction to Java Part II, Relational Databases, Web Fluency, Introduction to Linux/Unix, Introduction to Networks, and Social Issues and Ethics in Computing.

Students then choose a track: System Administration, Computer Forensic, Business Intelligence, or Information Architecture. In the Information Architecture Track, students are required to take Enterprise Software, Introduction to Information Security, Integration Methodologies and Tools, and System Analysis and Design. Finally, students choose two more electives, allowing them to learn more about topics that interest them.

This is presented as a full-time on-campus undergraduate degree. Students generally complete the IA degree and track in four years, although they have more time. Transfer students may transfer 100- and 200-level core classes from another institution, but need to complete all upper-level coursework at the University of Massachusetts Boston. The university makes special effort to collaborate with employers to teach students what they need to know to succeed professionally.

Towards the end of their time in the information architecture program, all students take a course in Project Management as well as a capstone class. The project management course allows students to develop their skills in management for both physical and software projects. In the capstone course, students work on a semester-long project and present that project at the end of the semester – this provides hands-on experience that will help students pursue their career goals.

Undergraduate applicants may either submit the UMass Boston application or the Common Application (an application system that allows students to apply to multiple universities at once). The university offers generous financial aid options both in the form of scholarships and loans, making it possible for most students to earn a UMass IA degree. The school also collaborates with local community college, in case students would prefer to save money by completing some courses at the community college level.

The University of Massachusetts Boston is the third-largest campus in the UMass System. It is located on the Columbia Point peninsula in Boston and is the only public university in the city. It was established in 1852 as Boston State College and became UMass Boston in 1964. The school enrolls more than 16,000 students.