Fast Facts: 6 Specializations for IT Students at Marymount University

Young tech professional looking at computer and codes

In today's incredibly competitive field of technology, it can be difficult to differentiate yourself from the pack of job seekers competing for a particular position.

What is the solution to this problem? How can you distinguish yourself from other tech professionals? How do you make it clear to employers that you're a person with deep knowledge in one particular area of technology?

We're here to help you figure out how to set yourself apart from all of the other professionals who have a generic tech background and ultimately, land a career that will allow you to achieve your long-term professional goals.

Introducing MU's Information Technology Graduate Degree:

Getting a master's in Information Technology at Marymount University will prepare you to pursue and succeed in leadership roles in the IT industry. The program provides knowledge and skills across the entire range of topics in the industry — systems engineering, decision-making for IT, ethics and law, computer networking, database technologies, IT governance and strategy, Web development, and cybersecurity.

Today, Marymount University gives Information Technology students the option of selecting a specific track as part of their degree studies. Each degree track is designed to allow IT students to sharpen their knowledge in one particular area of study.

Marymount’s Information Technology graduate program is 36 credit hours, totaling eight core courses and four elective courses — the four elective courses go towards one of the six IT degree tracks. All graduate IT students complete their program by conducting an applied research project (IT 680 IT Master’s Project) in which they apply their skills to a real-world IT problem.

36TotalCreditHoursIT

Let's do a deeper dive into the specifics surrounding the six degree track options for Information Technology students at MU.

1. Cybersecurity

The Cybersecurity degree track prepares students for the cybersecurity field, the fastest growing segment of the IT workplace, particularly in the Washington D.C. area. Students cover the body of knowledge required by the major cybersecurity certification exams such as CISSP or CEH.

Students who have enrolled in the certificate program and successfully completed this track will receive the Computer Security and Information Assurance graduate certificate in addition to the degree.

2. Data Science

Data science is the fastest growing component of information technology, with a large number of jobs available, some of these in government and also many in the private sector. There are many different jobs in data science but the underlying driving factor behind high data science demand is the power of big data in many fields including business, technology, science, and median.

As data has exploded everywhere so the need to collect, manage, and analyze has also increased. Organizations are looking for additional “value” from their data and are hiring people with data science backgrounds to assist them. This NEW Data Science degree track focuses on the applied tools, technologies, and methodologies that make data science work in a variety of disciplines from business to healthcare.

3. Digital Transformation

Digital Transformation, the use of technology to transform business processes and end-to-end user experiences, is a major focus of government and industry today. Marymount's NEW Digital Transformation degree track teaches students to fully leverage the possibilities and opportunities of new technologies and their impact. There are a variety of new technologies including mobile, cloud, blockchain, and artificial intelligence.

Government and commercial companies are all trying to implement appropriate technology. Digital technologies and the ways we use them in our daily lives (personal, work, society) have changed the face of business and government and will continue to do.

4. Health Care Informatics

The Health Care Informatics degree track is designed for those who wish to pursue an information technology career in a heath care organization. Students who have enrolled in the certificate program and successfully completed this track will receive the Health Care Informatics graduate certificate in addition to the degree.

Information Technology students who chose this degree track will take the following four courses: Health Care Informatics, Security & Privacy of Electronic Documents, Health Care Management, and Health Care Reimbursement Systems.

5. Project Management & Technology Leadership

This track prepares students for the IT project management field in business and government which is expanding both locally and globally. Individuals with project management qualifications are increasingly sought by government agencies, government contractors, and other industries.

Students who have enrolled in the certificate program and successfully completed this track will receive the IT Project Management and Technology Leadership graduate certificate in addition to the degree.

6. Software Engineering

The Software Engineering track is designed for students who are interested in one of the exciting areas of modern day system development. Information Technology students who chose this degree track will take the following four courses: Programming Language Selection & Design, Operating Systems, Human Computer Interaction, and Computer Scripting Techniques.

A Hub for Technologists — Washington D.C.:

Technology plays a significant role in our daily lives and drives much of the business and government activities all over the world, not to mention in the Washington metropolitan area. Marymount’s location near Washington D.C. is particularly advantageous, as many government-related IT matters become the source of discussion and study.

View of Washington DC Capital

Marymount’s full-time IT faculty members – all of whom hold doctorate degrees – are hands-on practitioners and scholars. They conduct research, participate in professional activities including congressional committees, and continually participate in professional development opportunities.

These full-time faculty members currently conducting research in the following subjects:

Cybersecurity
Mobile Apps
Data Management
Open Source Software
Artificial Intelligence
Global Ethics
Technology for Health Care

Part-time faculty members support the program, bringing their real-world experience from organizations such as:

Aerospace Corporation
Department of Labor
Department of the Navy
Federal Bureau of Investigation
ManTech
Noblis, Inc.

Make Yourself Indispensable to Employers:

If you're thinking about getting a master's in Information Technology and pursuing one of the new degree tracks – Data Science and Digital Transformation - then check out the below blog articles for more information:

We hope that this information has been helpful as you consider transforming your future as a technologist. As a future leader in the field of technology, it's crucial that you strategically choose a respected graduate program. That's why we'd like to invite you to request more information or to attend one of our upcoming in-person or virtual events — to discover how the Marymount difference ties into your purpose.