Information Technology
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Graduate Programs
Description
The MS program prepares students for a career as a computing professional, yet offers enough flexibility to allow a student to design a course of study suitable for preparation for doctoral work in information technology. The program is designed to offer graduate level educational opportunities with an applied computing perspective. It addresses the pre–service as well as occupational and career advancement needs of baccalaureate-prepared computer technologists. The program objectives are:
- To address the needs of Minnesota’s public and private enterprises by providing opportunities within the state of Minnesota for graduate study in applied computing area.
- To provide a graduate degree program for practicing information technologists who have clearly defined academic needs related to professional advancement and/or specialization.
- To offer a graduate program for baccalaureate students who want to continue their education and gain specialized knowledge and skills in any area of information technology.
- To expand the functional role of the Department of Information Systems and Technology in service to the Mankato area and the state of Minnesota.
These objectives are met by a curriculum with core studies in informatics in general including software development, networking, information security, databases and research methods. The core studies provide the foundation upon which students develop an academic program appropriate to their interests, culminating in a research experience.
Majors |
Program | Locations | Total Credits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Data Science MS | MS - Master of Science | 32 | |
| Information Security Risk Management PSM | PSM - Professional Science Master's |
|
30 |
| Information Technology MS | MS - Master of Science |
|
32 |
Certificates |
Program | Locations | Total Credits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cyber Risk Analysis GC |
|
9 | |
| Database Technology GC |
|
10 |
Policies & Faculty
Policies
Admission Requirements
In addition to meeting the general admission requirements of the College of Graduate Studies and Research, successful applicants must meet the following requirements for admission:
- The Graduate Record Examination (GRE) is required (contact department for specific requirements) if the applicant’s GPA is less than 3.0.
- Applicants must have an undergraduate degree in information technology, information systems, computer science, management information systems or a related field.
- Qualified students with other backgrounds may be granted provisional admission and are required to complete undergraduate courses in core areas of information technology.
- All students must meet all prerequisite requirements of the graduate level courses in which the student plans to enroll.
- Prerequisites for core courses will be considered deficiencies until satisfied.
For admission to the Information Technology MS Program, applicants must provide a one page statement of career interests and goals to the Computer Information Science Department.
International Students
International Students must take the TOEFL exam and score at least 550. Additionally, the student’s undergraduate transcript must be verified by a credential evaluation service if it is not from a US institution. International students should visit the CGSR’s international student website for additional information.
Financial Assistance
Teaching, Lab Project and Research Assistantships requiring professional computer knowledge are available in the CIS department and from various other departments and administrative offices. Applications are posted on the school’s Academic and Administrative Job Postings webpage.
MS Degree Policies
At least 50% of the credits required for the MS degree must be earned in courses restricted to graduate students and listed as 600-level (excluding Thesis and APP credits).
The requirement for the MS in IT degree is minimum 3.5 GPA in the core courses and 3.0 overall GPA.
Contact Information
273 Wissink Hall
CIS office (507) 389-1412cset.mnsu.edu/cis
Faculty
Chair
- Sarah Kruse, Ph.D.
Faculty
500 Level
Credits: 4
Students will gain foundational skills in health informatics, systems analysis, data modeling, data gathering, data retrieval, data governance and systems security to create useful information for health-related decision making. This course does not count toward the MS IT degree.Prerequisites: none
Credits: 4
Concepts and algorithms used in computer graphics, including polygonal and curved images in both 2 and 3 dimensions, representation of solid objects, and color and illumination models. Pre: With permission by the instructor.Prerequisites: none
Credits: 4
This course endeavors to provide the student with a solid understanding of the principles, techniques and tools involved in advanced object-oriented programming as it is practiced in enterprise industries. The successful student should have a distinct advantage in the marketplace. Pre: With permission by the instructor.Prerequisites: none
Credits: 4
This course provides an introduction to data science, discusses opportunities and challenges associated with data science projects, and develops competencies related to data collection, data cleaning, data analysis, and model evaluation. The course focuses on hands-on exercises using data analytics tools.Prerequisites: CIS 223, CIS 340
Credits: 4
Current practice and future directions in robotics, including robot anatomy, kinematics, sensors, sensor interfacing and fusion, mobile robotics, real-time programming, vision and image processing algorithms, and subsumption architecture. Pre: With permission by the instructor.Prerequisites: none
Credits: 4
Extensive coverage of SQL, database programming, large scale data modeling, and database enhancement through reverse engineering. This course also covers theoretical concepts of query processing, and optimization, basic understanding of concurrency control and recovery, and database security and integrity in centralized/distributed environments. Team-oriented projects in a heterogeneous client server environment.Prerequisites: none
Credits: 4
This course provides science and study of methods of protecting data, and designing disaster recovery strategy. Secure database design, data integrity, secure architectures, secure transaction processing, information flow controls, inference controls, and auditing. Security models for relational and object-oriented databases. Pre: With permission by instructor.Prerequisites: none
Credits: 4
The course explores big data in structured and unstructured data sources. Emphasis is placed on big data strategies, techniques and evaluation methods. Various data analytics are covered. Students experiment with big data through big data analytics, data mining, and data warehousing tools.Prerequisites: none
Credits: 4
The course includes information warfare principles and technologies. The key areas are: Information warfare concepts; Protocols, Authentication, and Encryption; Network attach techniques, methodologies, and tools; Network defense; Malware: trojans, worms, viruses, and malicious code; Electronic crimes and digital evidence. Pre: With permission by the instructor.Prerequisites: none
Credits: 4
Advanced coverage of data communication, networking and security protocols. Topics include: data transmission methods, error detection and recovery, flow control, routing, data throughput, security issues, and performance analysis of existing and emerging protocols for secure communication between the many points within a computer network and across the internet. Pre: With permission by the instructor.Prerequisites: none
Credits: 4
Network and server systems administration include: domain administration; file system management; networked printers; user management; and workstation configuration. Network programming experience will be gained through programming assignments/projects in Layered Software Systems, HTTP Server, UDP (TFTP or DNS), CGI program, IPV6, RPC/SCTP. Pre: With permission by the instructor.Prerequisites: none
Credits: 4
This course provides an understanding of existing and emerging mobile and wireless data networks, with an emphasis on digital data communications. Students will gain an understanding of the unique considerations that must be given to network protocols for wireless and mobile communication as well as their applications. Pre: With permission by the instructor.Prerequisites: none
Credits: 4
This course is designed to give students the skills required to write applications for mobile devices (smartphones and tablets). Topics to be covered include interacting with the UI, using an emulator/simulator, application lifecycle, moving from one screen to another, services, alarms, broadcast receivers, maps API, location based programs, gps, persistence, hardware sensors, and web applications.Prerequisites: none
Credits: 4
Topics include software quality assurance, software quality metrics, software configuration management, software verification and validation, reviews, inspections, and software process improvement models, functional and structural testing models.Prerequisites: none
Credits: 4
This course discusses concepts and techniques for design, development and evaluation of user interfaces. Students will learn the principles of interaction design, interaction styles, user-centered design, usability evaluation, input/output devices, design and analysis of controlled experiments and principles of perception and cognition used in building efficient and effective interfaces. Group project work.Prerequisites: none
Credits: 4
HTTP Protocol; Presentation abstractions; Web-markup languages; Client-side programming; Server-side programming; Web services; Web servers; Emerging technologies; Security; Standards & Standard Bodies; Techniques for web interface design; User-centered design; Visual development environments and development tools; Measure the effectiveness of interface design. Pre: With permission by the instructor.Prerequisites: none
Credits: 4
An introduction to all important aspects of software engineering. The emphasis is on principles of software engineering including project planning, requirements gathering, size and cost estimation, analysis, design, coding, testing, implementation, and maintenance. Group project work.Prerequisites: none
Credits: 4
This course is designed to give students the skills required to design and develop video games. The primary focus of the course is on mobile game development, game design principles and user-centered design methodologies. A play-centric approach to game design and development will be studied, discussed and applied in the production of a game demo.Prerequisites: none
Credits: 1-4
Special topics not covered in other courses. May be repeated for credit on each new topic.Prerequisites: none
600 Level
Credits: 3
Research methodology in general and in computer science. Data and research sources. Analysis of existing research. Preliminary planning and proposals. Conceptualization, design, and interpretation of research. Good reporting. Same as CS 600. Pre-req: An elementary statistics course.Prerequisites: none
Credits: 3
Special topics in computer science research not covered in other courses. May be repeated for credit on each new topic.Prerequisites: none
Credits: 1
Students attend seminar presentations and present a research topic at one of the seminars. Same as CS 602. Pre-req: consentPrerequisites: none
Credits: 3
This course is a continuation of Artificial Intelligence (IT 530). Emphasis is placed on advanced topics and the major areas of current research within the field. Theoretical and practical issues involved with developing large-scale systems are covered. Same as CS 630. Pre-req: IT 530Prerequisites: CIS 518
Credits: 3
The design of large-scale, knowledge¿based data mining. Emphasis on concepts and application of machine learning using big data. Examination of knowledge representation techniques and problem¿solving methods used to design knowledge¿based systems. Pre-req: instructor permission requiredPrerequisites: CIS 518
Credits: 3
In-depth study of advanced topics such as object-oriented databases, intelligent database systems, parallel databases, database mining and warehousing, distributed database design and query processing, multi-database integration and interoperability, and multilevel secure systems.Prerequisites: none
Credits: 3
In this course, students will design and implement distributed big data architecture. The architecture consists integration of homogenous and heterogeneous databases and other structured and unstructured data sources. Students will apply concepts of distributed recovery and optimization, and other related topics.Prerequisites: none
Credits: 3
Content covered will include the following: scientific process; sampling bias; hypothesis tests; confidence intervals; risk analysis vs assessment; statistical analysis concepts. Issues with qualitative and quantitative risk analysis methodologies. Exposure to and practice with multiple risk analysis methodologies, including at least one that is considered a standard.Prerequisites: none
Credits: 3
This course examines the organizational leadership structure and competencies of healthcare and/or IT organizations, the governance planning process, financial management, ethical and legal decision-making, privacy, and data-based best practices that balance organizational and regulatory requirements with feasible cost-effective solutions.Prerequisites: none
Credits: 3
Content covered will include the following: analyze audience; define report outline and objectives for target audience (IT, executives, audit & compliance); ethos/pathos/logos concepts; white papers. Data misrepresentations, intentional or unintentional; appropriate use of data visualization tools and dashboards; representing needle in haystack data (low volume, high risk).Prerequisites: none
Credits: 3
Risk management strategies. Human factors, resistance to change. Design, development and evaluation of security controls; catalog of security controls; performance metrics. Management oversight; cost-benefit analysis, business impact analysis; policies, processes, standards. Technical, administrative, physical controls.Prerequisites: none
Credits: 3
This course will focus on research, design, and analysis of computer networks and data communications systems. The course will also entail detailed examination of modern communication standards, protocol systems and their implementation. Additional topics may include transmission technology, packet switching, routing, flow control, and protocols. Same as CS 662. Pre-req: IT 562 or 564Prerequisites: none
Credits: 1-4
Problems on an individual basis. Pre-req: consentPrerequisites: none
Credits: 3
Advanced software design, analysis, and development techniques under realistic time and budget constraints. Hands-on project management techniques. Emphasis of concepts through immersion in a team project of significant size. Same as CS 680. Pre-req: IT 580Prerequisites: none
Credits: 3
Statistical package programs used in data collection, transformation, organization, summarization, interpretation and reporting, statistical description and hypothesis testing with statistical inference. Interpreting outputs, Chi-square, correlation, regression, analysis of variance, nonparametrics, and other designs. Accessing and using large files (U.S.Census data, National Health Survey, etc.). Same as CS 690. Pre-req: a statistics coursePrerequisites: CIS 518
Credits: 1-6
A course designed to upgrade the qualifications of persons on-the-job. Pre-req: consentPrerequisites: none
Credits: 3
Student will integrate their health-related background with the practical application of scientific and professional knowledge, behavior, and skills. Students will employ health advocacy strategies, principles of quality improvement, healthcare policy knowledge, and cost-effectiveness as part of an inter-professional team to analyze data and develop a strategy to impact practice improvements in order to increase the quality and efficiency of healthcare delivery, improve satisfaction, or manage health-related costs.Prerequisites: none
Credits: 1-2
Preparation of a master's degree alternate plan paper under the direction of the student's graduate advisor. Pre-req: consentPrerequisites: none
Credits: 1-12
Provides students with opportunity to utilize their training in a real-world business environment working under the guidance and direction of a faculty member. (A maximum of 4 credits apply toward a degree in this department.) Pre: consent Fall, Spring, SummerPrerequisites: none
Credits: 1-6
Preparation of a master's degree thesis under the direction of the student's graduate advisor. Pre-req: consentPrerequisites: none
