Information Systems Technologies M.S. Admission
Please refer to “The Graduate Admissions Process” section for general graduate admission information and requirements.
1. Submit a Graduate Application
A $35 non-refundable application fee is required.
2. Submit official transcripts
Students without a technology-related undergraduate degree or a sufficient level of technology experience or expertise are encouraged to take IST-5500 (Fundamentals of Technology). This course introduces students from a non-technology background to the concepts and terminology with which instructors in graduate-level technology courses expect students to be familiar.
Official transcripts should be sent electronically or by mail to:
Wilmington University
Office of Graduate Admissions
31 Read's way
New Castle, DE 19720
Any transcripts from institutions outside of the United States require an official course-by-course evaluation by a NACES.org approved agency.
Note: In order to receive financial aid, a transcript listing a Bachelor's degree conferral must be on file.
3. Submit a Wilmington University Code of Conduct Policy form
4. Program Planning Conference
For assistance in scheduling your Program Planning Conference with your Graduate Advisor, please contact Admissions:
Call: 877-967-5464 Text: 302-203-9516 Email: admissions@wilmu.edu
5. Register for IST 7000
Research is an integral part of graduate studies. The Master of Science - Information Systems Technologies program uses the APA Research Format for all research papers. If you are not familiar with this citation system, please consider taking IST-5000, our introductory academic writing lab.
If you are an international student, please click here for additional information.
Program Purpose
The express purpose of Wilmington University’s Master of Science program in Information Systems Technologies is to provide and advance the knowledge, skills, and abilities needed by perspective and current Information Technology (IT) professionals for managing information systems. Students completing the program will obtain a better understanding of the relationship between business requirements and technology solutions with an emphasis on applying a systems approach when integrating information technology into strategic business/education/government activities. Moreover, the program capitalizes on the inter-disciplinary nature of modern information systems and the settings in which they are implemented, the MS-IST Program includes four career concentrations.
Program Competencies
The graduate student who successfully completes the Information Systems Technologies program will be expected to:
I. Oral Communication
II. Written Communication
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Write with clarity and precision using correct English grammar: mechanics (punctuation) and usage (sentence structure and vocabulary).
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Exhibit competence in writing for specific purposes, diverse audiences, and genres.
III. Disciplined Inquiry
IV. Information Literacy
V. Ethics
VI. Integration Component
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Evaluate the relationships and dependencies associated with planning, organizing, designing, managing, and implementing Information Systems in an organization.
VII. Business Application
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Apply various models and methods for planning, organizing, designing, managing, and implementing Information Systems within a modern organization.
In addition to the general program competencies listed above, the Information Assurance, Technology Project Management, and Web Design concentrations contains additional concentration specific competencies. These competencies are:
Information Assurance
- Apply the principles of Information Assurance used to manage risks related to one or more of the following: Use, Processing, Storage, and Transmission of information or data.
- Assess the ethical practices associated with implementing IA policy, Standards and Regulation combined with systemic interrelationships within an organization
Technology Project Management
- Identify, define, and analyze various aspects of Technology Project Management Knowledge.
- Define and analyze organizational influences upon Technology Projects.
Web Design
- Apply Web Design operations and tools.
- Evaluate and apply Web Design quality and standards.
Program Design
Students who successfully complete the graduate degree program in Information Systems Technologies will possess a working command of current informational practices that can immediately be applied in business, educational, and governmental organizations regardless of size. Degree recipients will be capable of managing complex projects from inception to completion, including professional services engagements and the acquisition and management of informational infrastructure. The managerial nature of this program is closely aligned with the business curriculum at Wilmington University, but with a decidedly technological (or alternatively, a “design”) leaning. As each student is expected to choose a concentration that caters to their vocational predispositions, competencies in the management of specifically tailored aspects of technology, and the synergies attributable to an interdisciplinary learning approach, are expected to be program outcomes. Students graduating from the MS-IST program should be prepared to provide leadership in the Information Systems (IS) field. Graduates will have the following skills, knowledge, and values:
- A core of IS knowledge
- Integration of IS and business foundations
- Broad business and real world perspectives
- Communication, interpersonal, and team skills
- Analytical and critical thinking skills
- Specific skills leading to a career
Information Systems Foundations
Students without a sufficient level of information technology experience or expertise may be required to complete a placement exam prior to entering the MS-IST Program. Students who do not successfully complete the placement exam will be required to take the IST Fundamentals course – IST 5500 within their first semester of the MS-IST Program. IST 5500 is not a MS-IST Core course and cannot be used as an IST elective in the MSM or MBA Programs.
MS-IST Core Course Requirements (15 credits)
The five core courses listed below are required for program completion.
8100 - Integration/Capstone course
The process of “integration” constitutes the capstone emphasis of the MS-IST program. After students complete the five IST core courses and, at least, three concentration courses, they need to synthesize what they have learned. Furthermore, system integration is a pervasive aspect of IS practice. Integration can be viewed from three perspectives: a) Integrating the Enterprise; b) Integrating the IS Function; and c) Integrating IS Technologies. The capstone course 8100 is required for program completion. Management and Management Information Systems students will complete IST 8100. Web Design students will complete DSN 8100. Information Assurance students will complete SEC 8100 and Technology Project Management students will complete IPM 8100. Since each concentration has a concentration specific 8100 course, the final grade of one capstone course cannot be substituted for another capstone course (e.g., the final grade for IST 8100 cannot be used as a substitute for the final grade of SEC 8100).
Note: Attending the first 8100 class meeting is required. An absence from the first class meeting will result in an administrative drop from the course.
Concentration
A concentration consists of five or more related courses that prepare a student for a specialization in their chosen program.
Information Assurance Concentration (18 credits)
Concurrently or after completing the IST core requirements, students will complete the prerequisite course SEC 6010 and four (4) other SEC 6000 series courses from the following list as well as the concentration specific 8100 integration/capstone course.
Integration/Capstone Course
| SEC 8100 | Information Assurance Integration/Capstone Course | 3 |
Management and Management Information Systems Concentration (18 credits)
Concurrently or after completing the IST core requirements, students will complete five (5) courses from the following list as well as the concentration specific 8100 integration/capstone course.
Integration/Capstone Course
| IST 8100 | Integrating the Enterprise, IS Function, and IS Technologies | 3 |
Technology Project Management Concentration (18 credits)
Concurrently or after completing the IST core requirements, students will complete five (5) courses from the following list as well as the concentration specific 8100 integration/capstone course.
| IPM 6000 | IT/IS Project Scope Development and Management | 3 |
| IPM 6010 | IT/IS Project Scheduling | 3 |
| IPM 6030 | IT/IS Project Risk Management | 3 |
| IPM 6040 | IT/IS Project Quality Management | 3 |
| IPM 6050 | Agile Project Management | 3 |
| IPM 6090 | Special Topics in IT/IS Project Management | 3 |
Integration/Capstone Course
| IPM 8100 | IT/IS Project Management Integration/Capstone Course | 3 |
Web Design Concentration (18 credits)
Concurrently or after completing the IST core requirements, students will complete the pre-requisite course DSN 6000 and four (4) other DSN 6000 series courses from the following list as well as the concentration specific 8100 integration/capstone course.
| DSN 6000 | Web Design and Architecture | 3 |
| DSN 6030 | Advanced Multimedia and Animation | 3 |
| DSN 6040 | Web Design with JavaScript | 3 |
| DSN 6050 | Markup Languages Advanced Authoring | 3 |
| DSN 6060 | Database/Web Design Integration | 3 |
| DSN 6070 | Web Design with Visual Basic | 3 |
| DSN 6080 | Internet Development/Design for Competitive Advantage | 3 |
| DSN 6090 | Topics in Web Design and Programming | 3 |
Integration/Capstone Course
| DSN 8100 | Web Design Integration/Capstone Course | 3 |
Supervised Field Experience/Internship (3 credits)
Students in the final year of the program who have completed the majority of the program requirements will be required to enroll in a semester-long, three-credit hour supervised field experience/internship. A majority of the program means students have successfully completed their concentration specific 8100 integration/capstone course and, at least, three concentration courses before registering for IST 8101.
Note: Attending the first 8101 class meeting is required. An absence from the first class meeting will result in an administrative drop from the course.
There are three possible options for IST 8101 students:
- Option one provides students in the Web Design Concentration an opportunity to design and develop an electronic portfolio.
- Option two enables students to gain practical IT experience through a technical internship while documenting these IT experiences using the Action Research methodology.
- Option three provides students with means to examine current IT related issues such as risks to data privacy, integrity, and security, cloud computing, physical security, and artificial intelligence through a structured investigative process.
The Complete MS-IST Curriculum
The MS-IST program can be completed in a minimum of 36 credits by students with considerable preparation. Such students would take:
- 15 credits of core courses (IST7000 - IST7100), (i.e., IST 7xxx series courses)
- 3 credits of integration/capstone course (8100 capstone course)
- 15 credits in a concentration
- 3 credits of Field Experience/Internship (IST8101)
Qualifications for Degree
To qualify for the Master of Science degree in Information Systems Technologies, a student must successfully complete a minimum of 36 credit hours (12 courses) for each IST concentration, including an Integration Capstone Component and a Field Experience/Internship. Both are intended to enhance a student’s occupational interest through the correlation of theory and practice. Students must maintain a minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.0. The program must be completed within five years.