Information Technology
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Bachelor of Science in Information Technology
Businesses rely on information systems and technology to be successful and efficient, and South University’s Bachelor of Science in Information Technology degree is designed to prepare students to purse becoming specialists* in the continually changing digital landscape.
With a foundation in computer programming, database design, network design, information security and the use of information technology to address business needs. There are three emphases students can select from as part of their IT degree: Comprehensive, Cybersecurity or Management. A broad range of electives are available to help improve students’ skills, no matter which emphasis they select. All three provide case studies and hands-on projects that are designed to develop the communication skills, critical thinking and technical competencies to be competitive in today’s technology-dependent workplace.
*South University does not promise or guarantee licensure, employment, or salary amounts.
IT Emphasis
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 emphases.
Find the Right IT Emphasis for You
- Comprehensive: In this emphasis, 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 emphasis 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 in which a diploma was earned, with a minimum CGPA of 1.5 on a 4.0 scale within 5 weeks of the start date (refer to Conditional Acceptance). Students providing a GED must meet the minimum required test score deemed as passing in each section as required at the time of testing.
The prospective student must also complete the university administered placement tests within the first quarter of attendance. 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 1.49 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 SAT requiring an essay portion, a combined ACT score of 18, or meet the criteria established for acceptance as a transfer student.
Students with a CGPA between 1.49 to 1.0 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.
Students with less than a 1.0 on a 4.0 scale do not meet the admissions requirements for South University.
Acceptable verification of high school graduation or the equivalent would include a high school transcript (official or unofficial), or GED scores and state-authorized examination scores (ex. HiSET, TASC). In states that maintain a database that serves as an official registry of high school and GED graduates, an excerpt from the official database documenting the student's graduation or GED completion may be used.
Campuses in South Carolina must be provided with official high school transcripts or GED scores.
Please see the policy on GPA Calculation for Admission for additional information
Conditional Acceptance
Students may be conditionally accepted by submitting unofficial copies of documentation required for the admission requirements. Conditional acceptance is allowed for 5 weeks beyond the start of the student’s first session. Failure to provide acceptable, official documentation, as stated in the admissions requirements, within 5 weeks from the start date will result in the following:
- Removal from class
- Cancelation of enrollment
- No final course grades
- No transcript
Students who do not provide acceptable documents for full, unconditional acceptance within the 5 week period will not be responsible for 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.
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 1.5 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.
To be admitted as a Transfer student into South University the prospective student must have earned 24 or more quarter credit hours or the equivalent (e.g. 16 semester hours), with a cumulative GPA of 1.5 from an acceptable accredited collegiate institution. Official transcripts from the collegiate institution(s) must be received within 5 weeks of the start date (refer to Conditional Acceptance), 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.
Students with 24 or more quarter credits with a CGPA of between 1.49 to 1.0 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 six courses of the suggested electives:
Emphasis in Comprehensive
Choose two courses from the list below:
Emphasis in Cybersecurity
Emphasis 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 emphasis: Comprehensive, Cybersecurity or Management. The emphasis 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 emphasis 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 emphasis 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 emphasis targets a growing demand for IT experts specialized in cybersecurity, to operate, maintain, protect and defend the mission-critical assets of organizations. This emphasis 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 virtual-labs and cybersecurity training resources.
The Information Technology Management emphasis 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. This program prepares 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 IT impacting rules and regulations like 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 skills required for managing IT budgets, projects and IT operations. The program includes core, major, and elective courses across emphasis tracks to help graduates build mastery in Industry Standards and prepare them for Industry Certifications:
- (ISC)2 CISSP
- CompTIA IT Fundamentals
- CompTIA Linux+
- CompTIA Network+
- CompTIA Project+
- CompTIA Security+
- ECC Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH)
- ECC Certified Incident Handler (CIH)
- ECC Certified Network Defender (CND)
- ECC Comp. Hacking Forensic Investigator (CHFI)
- ISACA CGEIT
- ITIL 4 Foundation
Note that courses that concentrate on industry certifications provide practice tests aiming at preparedness for the certifications, including the option to obtain a certification or certificate via the courseware, but do not include sitting for the actual certifications. Students who seek the formal industry certifications will want to schedule them individually.
Mission
The mission of the Bachelor of Science in Information Technology program is to combine individualized meaningful learning experiences in diverse technology areas. The BSIT program aims to support the advancement of knowledge, skills and intellectual curiosity for lifelong learning and practice in information technology.
Program Learning Goals:
The learning goals of the Bachelor of Science in Information Technology program are as follows:
Develop technical expertise:
- Equip students with comprehensive technical knowledge and skills. This includes a deep understanding of programming languages, database management, networking, cybersecurity, and software development.
Foster critical thinking and problem-solving skills:
- Cultivate critical thinking and problem-solving abilities among students. Aim to develop students' abilities to analyze problems, propose effective solutions, and adapt to evolving technological landscapes.
Promote teamwork and collaboration:
- Foster teamwork and collaboration skills among students. Students will learn to effectively communicate, collaborate, and leverage diverse perspectives to achieve common goals.
Instill ethical and professional practices:
- Instill a strong sense of ethics and professionalism in students. This includes promoting responsible use of technology, adhering to industry standards and best practices, respecting privacy, and confidentiality, and understanding legal and ethical considerations related to IT.
Program Student Learning Outcomes
Upon completion of the BSIT Program, graduates will be able to:
- Analyze a complex computing problem and apply principles of computing and other relevant disciplines to identify solutions.
- Design, implement, and evaluate a computing-based solution to meet a given set of computing requirements in the context of the program’s discipline.
- Communicate effectively in a variety of professional contexts.
- Recognize professional responsibilities and make informed judgments in computing practice based on legal and ethical principles.
- Function effectively as a member or leader of a team engaged in activities appropriate to the program’s discipline.
- Emphasis specific student learning outcome:
- Comprehensive emphasis graduates will also be able to use systemic approaches to select, develop, apply, integrate, and administer secure computing technologies to accomplish user goals.
- Cybersecurity emphasis graduates will also be able to apply security principles and practices to maintain operations in the presence of risks and threats.
- Management emphasis graduates will also be able to support the delivery, use, and management of information systems within an information systems environment.
Career Outlook
These are some of the career options* you can explore when you have earned your degree:
- Database Architects
- Software Developers
- Web and Digital Interface Designers or Managers
- IT Support/Help Desk
*South University does not promise or guarantee licensure, employment, or salary amounts.
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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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