Associate of Arts in Information Technology

Overview

The Associate of Arts in Information Technology (AAIT) degree program is designed to provide students with the necessary technologies to support organizational activities. Students in the AAIT program learn about the design, operation, and maintenance of computer systems, software, and networks for data processing and delivery. This degree teaches students how to address fundamental information technology challenges and identify current and emerging solutions that can help organizations. Students will learn technical skills that will prepare them for entry-level IT positions. Graduates of this program can apply all of their courses toward a Bachelor of Information Technology degree.

 Program Mission

The Department of Information Technology (DIT) mission is to provide students with factual, theoretical knowledge and systematic lifelong learning skills while focusing on applied, innovative learning that advances professional careers in IT in networking and security and matches the skills and core competency requirements of jobs in the local and regional industries.

 Program Goals 

The following goals have been identified to facilitate achieving the program mission. The DIT will:

1. Adequately prepare highly qualified graduates capable of identifying solutions and designing, implementing, monitoring, and evaluating IT-related projects, as well as understanding allied IT knowledge and specialized theories in networking and security, standards, and relevant regulations.
2. Build comprehensive foundations in research methodologies and quantitative techniques to enable graduates to design, develop, implement, and systematically evaluate IT projects
3. Strengthen and develop the communication abilities and reflective thinking of graduates to effectively carry out IT trends, innovations, research, and project management outputs.
4. Build and reinforce among graduates the philosophical nature of ethics as applied to the IT professions.
5. Develop a collaborative working spirit and a team-leading mindset to aid in the completion of innovative solutions necessary to solve IT-related problems.
6. Cultivate professional roles in context among graduates to use IT tools to efficiently deliver emerging market information technology system requirements.

Program Educational Objectives

The PEOs for the Bachelor of Information Technology (BIT) program classify the learning themes-dimensions that graduates must achieve within four years of graduation. The graduates will be expected to apply foundational or disciplinary knowledge to existing IT and related networking and security problems ethically, and demonstrate communication competence, teamwork, and leadership. Specifically, the graduates will be able to:

1. Acquire comprehensive principles of information technology to ensure lifelong learning to demonstrate the ability to solve complex IT networking and security interdisciplinary problems.
2. Gain an understanding of research methodologies and quantitative techniques to systematically design, develop, implement and evaluate IT projects.
3. Articulate information technology trends and current practices in both written and oral communication.
4.  Ascertain ethical and professional standards in all IT-related practices.
5. Work efficiently with teams with diverse cultural and interdisciplinary orientations to collaboratively integrate novel designs, solutions, and emerging technologies to IT-related projects contributing to community needs.
6. Enhance professional role in context in integrating IT competencies and tools to design efficient information technology systems that are adaptable to emerging market needs.

Student Outcomes

Upon completion of the BIT program, the graduates will be able to:

1.  Analyze a complex computing problem and to apply principles of computing and other relevant disciplines to identify solutions.
2.  Design, implement, and evaluate a computing-based solution to meet a given set of computing requirements in the context of the program’s discipline.
3.  Communicate effectively in a variety of professional contexts.
4.  Recognize professional responsibilities and make informed judgments in computing practice based on legal and ethical principles.
5.  Function effectively as a member or leader of a team engaged in activities appropriate to the program’s discipline.
6.  Use systemic approaches to select, develop, apply, integrate, and administer secure computing technologies to accomplish user goals.