Information Technology

Information Technology

Do you love technology? Do you have a passion to know more about how software and technologies work together? With our information technology program, you can turn your interests into a fulfilling career in a rapidly growing field.

About

Information technology (IT) focuses on applying technology to solve problems in organizations. Students can concentrate their studies on areas such as security, user-interaction, network and systems administration, database administration and many others. Our IT program focuses on technology leadership.

Why Information Technology is in Demand

  • According to Business Insider, information technology is one of the fastest-growing industries in the United States.
  • Employment of computer and information technology occupations is projected to grow 13 percent from 2016 to 2026, faster than the average for all occupations. (Source: United States Department of Labor Statistics)
  • If the recent past is any indication of the future, the precise technology being used today will be outdated in a few years, creating the need for more IT specialists.
  • The median annual wage for computer and information technology occupations was $97,430 in May 2021. (Source: United States Department of Labor Statistics)

Is it for me?

Do You:

  • Have an aptitude for technology?
  • Have an interest in using technology to solve problems?
  • Spend a large amount of time using technology?

Five Reasons to Choose Scranton for Information Technology

1.
Active learning.   Hands-on, project-based learning and design experiences. Students use software and equipment in labs that undergraduates rarely get to use.
2.
Faculty Interaction.    Small classes capped at 25-30 students. Undergraduate studies are our focus. Faculty get to know you on an individual basis and are generous with their time and attention inside and outside of class.
3.
Industry experience.   Apply classroom knowledge to real world situations through working in industry and service. Students will be expected to complete internships or technical service projects through a capstone course.
4.
Outstanding value.   The Economist magazine has ranked Scranton as #22 in the nation for the impact education has on the earnings of its graduates, and information technology graduates are among the top of their class in starting salary.
5.
Jesuit education.   Academic excellence, liberal arts tradition, commitment to service, social justice and focus on the individual are all facets of a Jesuit education that benefit information technology students.
  • Preparing You For Personal & Professional Successplus or minus

    You will:

    • Learn how to analyze problems and come up with creative solutions using knowledge of computing
    • Develop soft skills necessary to act as a liaison to the users of technology, and the technical skills required to identify and analyze user needs
    • Have the confidence to work alone on projects and the adaptability to work as part of a team
    • Learn to use and implement current technical concepts and practices in the core information technologies of human-computer interaction, information management, networking, and web systems and technologies
    • Gain an awareness of professional ethical issues concerning the impact of technology on society and a concern for the environment
  • What You'll Learnplus or minus

    Curriculum

    Our IT program is designed for students with a wide range of academic strengths and interests. Because the program offers so many different career opportunities, it is accessible both to students whose strengths are people-oriented and to those whose strengths are more technical.

    Whether it be healthcare or big banks, a wide variety of cognate courses allows students to concentrate their studies in a specific area of their choice. 

    Click here to view the program curriculum.

    Research Projects

    In addition to courses in the major, students will be required to produce a major project in this area. This culminating project will demonstrate practical experience as well as theoretical knowledge.

    Information Technology Project is the capstone course normally taken during the fall semester of the senior year. Students individually design and implement a major project in the field of information technology from start to finish under the direction of a faculty mentor.

    Recent senior projects include:

    • Virtual private network security study
    • Health-related mobile application
    • Travel-oriented web site design/interface
    • University club organizational tool
    • Industry CRM project management (run jointly with MetLife)

    Loyola Science Center

    Many classes in the information technology program are held in the Loyola Science Center, which offers dedicated spaces for informal gatherings, student group work, student research and mediated classrooms.

  • Pursue Your Passion and Make a Differenceplus or minus

    While the information technology program is designed to be a terminal degree program, preparing students to enter directly into the workforce upon graduation, some students choose to continue their education at The University of Scranton and pursue either an MBA or MS in Software Engineering.

    Students in the IT program have the ability to apply into either our Accelerated Bachelor’s/MBA Program or our Accelerated Baccalaureate/Master's Degree in Software Engineering, BS/MS. Students pursuing their Master’s in Business Administration typically choose to follow a concentration in Enterprise Resource Planning.

Careers

Where will Information Technology take me?

Our goal is to produce graduates who are not only qualified for today’s marketplace, but also possess skills and initiative to continue lifelong learning that will be necessary to stay current in the rapidly-changing field of technology. To this end, the course requirements are distributed evenly between theoretical concepts and practical skills.

Employment

Most information technology graduates pursue professional employment, rather than graduate school, immediately following graduation. The job market in this industry is so strong that employers are competing for information technology graduates, and offering them excellent starting salaries. Students are prepared for employment in a wide variety of positions including:

  • business systems analyst
  • cybersecurity engineer
  • system administrator
  • IT recruiter
  • front-end developer
  • network security analyst
  • technical project manager

 

How Scranton Gives You a Competitive Edge

Competitive Edge

One of the many things students tell us they love about Scranton is that our faculty are very active in helping them achieve their career goals. As you walk across campus, you'll often see students chatting with faculty over coffee to bounce ideas.

Whether it's advising or providing letters of references for a competitive graduate school or that dream job, faculty make it their priority to get to know each student on an individual level. That deep level of understanding means that our faculty are not only dedicated teachers and strong researchers but advocates for you professionally.

Take the Next Step

Get the Facts

View PDF with Program Overview
& Curriculum

For More Information

Office of Admissions
The Estate
Scranton, PA 18510
1-888-SCRANTON or (570) 941-7540
570-941-7572
admissions@scranton.edu

Department of Computing Sciences
(570) 941-7774
cmps@cs.scranton.edu