eHow
May 9, 2011
As society becomes increasingly reliant on technology, careers in information technology (IT) are expected to show steady growth. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, of the top 10 occupations with the greatest number of job openings for bachelor's degrees, four are in the field of computer systems. IT is a viable, practical career goal, and post-secondary institutions are developing programs of study to meet the market demand for IT specialists. North Carolina colleges and universities offer various programs in IT and related fields.
Information Technology Curriculum
The Association for Computing Machinery establishes standard guidelines for the computing disciplines' curricula. Coursework in a standard IT program may include classes in web systems and technologies, information architecture, digital media, web development, vulnerabilities and social software, and professional standards courses.
Information Technology Programs
Information technology deals with the practical application of computer technology in business, government, healthcare and other organizations. North Carolina colleges and universities that offer IT programs are as follows: Campbell University (IT & Security); Guilford College (Computing & IT); Lenoir-Rhyne University; Methodist University (concentration in Computer Art, Multimedia and Programming); East Carolina University (Information and Computer Technology); North Carolina A&T University (Electronics, Computer and IT); UNC Charlotte; UNC Pembroke; UNC Wilmington (minor); Winston-Salem State University (Computer Science & IT).
Program of Study
Information technology programs of study require computing and math courses. Some also include a physics requirement. The UNC Pembroke Bachelor's of Science in Information Technology program, for example, requires the following courses: Freshman Seminar, Composition I, Pre-calculus, WWW Information, Composition II, Introduction to Algorithms, Introduction to Programming, Introduction to Statistics, Object-Oriented Programming, Discrete Structures, Introduction to Programming C/C++, Fundamentals of Computer Systems, Software Development and Professional Practices, JAVA Programming, Human-Computer Interaction, Introduction to System Administration and Shell Scripting, Data Structures, Operating Systems and Networking, Calculus with Applications and a capstone project in information technology, as well as university-wide and major electives.
After Graduation
Many IT graduates begin their careers as entry-level computer programmers or software engineers. According to the Wall Street Journal, the IT fields expected to boom in the near future include cyber-security, cloud computing, mobile- and Web-based game and application programming, and Web analytics. It would be beneficial to focus some electives credits on graphic design and business courses. CNBC reports that 2010 information science and systems graduates were among the highest paid upon entering the workforce, with a starting salary of $54,000.
References
College Board: Hottest Jobs for College Graduates
Association for Computing Machinery: Curricula Recommendations
University of North Carolina at Pembroke: Bachelor of Science in Information Technology
The Wall Street Journal: A Career in Information Technology
CNBC: Highest Paid Bachelor's Degrees: 2010
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