PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

Some Quick Facts about the Online Program:

UMBC’s online Master of Science in Information Systems is designed for professionals working in the IT field who want to advance their career. The graduate degree program which comprises 34 credit hours of coursework offers you the following:

• A comprehensive Master’s program in Information Systems developed and supervised by UMBC’s campus-based research faculty
• Courses and instruction you can apply to your job today that will place you in an elite category of IT professionals
• 100% online learning—no classroom attendance required. You can even apply and register online
• Access to an online advisor for one-on-one guidance, feedback and support
• A convenient way to earn a recognized graduate degree without giving up your personal life
• The option to complete your degree in as little as two years
• No requirement for GRE scores
• Qualification for all federal financial aid programs—including employer reimbursement if offered by your employer

The program—also open to individuals without prior experience or education in information systems—features courses that address issues associated with project management in an information systems environment, as well as those also derived from critical focus on the following research areas:

• Database / Data Mining
• Human-Centered Computing (HCC)
• Software Engineering / System Analysis and Design
• Application Domains (such as Health Informatics)

What You Can Expect from UMBC’s Online Master’s in IS:

Flexibility: At this stage in both your personal and professional life convenience is at a premium. This is why we adapted our on-campus graduate program to a completely online format. Busy adults can complete course work in their own timeframe. Professionals who travel can use their downtime in between meetings or in their hotel room to study. With semesters starting in the fall, spring and summer you can complete your degree in as little as two years with 24 hour access to coursework, lecture examples and study materials.

Faculty: There are no “satellite” faculty members educating UMBC’s online students. Our online faculty comprises educators who teach on campus at UMBC in the university’s ITE (Information Technology and Engineering) Building. As a UMBC online graduate student, you will have access to your instructors and your online advisor to make your UMBC online experience a satisfying one while you advance your career.

Specialization: UMBC, a fully accredited honors university in Maryland with a reputation in science research has carefully considered what it means to offer online graduate education for distance learners and what is expected as an optimum outcome for the online student. The online Master of Science Program in Information Systems delivers a curriculum that is current and evolving to meet the needs of industry professionals. Courses reflect and address today’s IT industry topics, establishing a forward thinking process for tomorrow’s industry challenges. Our research faculty is an essential element for our ongoing course development.

Credentials: A master’s degree from UMBC adds strength and respect to your resume. This credential is looked upon with respect by colleagues, professional recruiters, HR professionals, and IT industry leaders. Part of the UMBC mission is to build on our established reputation as an entrepreneurial research institution in the Baltimore-Washington corridor. Therefore, the corporate partnerships we maintain through BWTech@UMBC and TechCenter@UMBC help keep the university on the vanguard of emerging technologies. This, in turn, allows us to offer an IS graduate program that truly supports what is happening in the IT industry. What’s more, according to the National Science Foundation’s (NSF) 10-year rankings of recognized institutions, UMBC is #2 in the awarding of degrees in computer and information sciences.

Community: Distance learning does not mean you have to sacrifice being connected to research and industry news or IS Department research and academic events. As an online student you are always in touch with UMBC’s Department of Information Systems at www.is.umbc.edu. As our online community of faculty, students, alumni, and staff grows you can tap into the information associated with these resources at will, during and well beyond your graduate studies.