Your Future Career in Information Technology

With an associate degree in IT, you can build the skills that will get you started in a career that will grow along with you. Read on to discover the doors that an associate degree in IT can open up for you. 

• Computer Network Support Specialist
  
  Analyze and troubleshoot an organization’s computer network problems, and perform routine backups and maintenance to keep the systems running smoothly. 
• Certified Computer Technician
  
  Install, maintain, and troubleshoot hardware and software for networks and individual users. 
• Systems Analyst
  
  Analyze how well a business’s IT systems fit its needs — and implement creative solutions when those systems need improvement.
• Application Developer
  
  Take an app from concept to reality as you design and code software for computers and mobile devices.
• Web Designer
  
  Create, develop, and code web pages for computers and mobile platforms.

With a bachelor’s degree in IT, you have your pick of exciting careers. The field is always growing; and by the time you graduate, there may be new career paths that haven’t even been defined yet. Read on to learn about the exciting career opportunities that are available to you with a bachelor’s degree in IT. 

• Computer Network Architect
  
  Design, review, update, and secure network systems for businesses. 
• Network Administrator
  
  Maintain the hardware and software for a business’s network and file servers. 
• Computer Network Support Specialist
  
  Aid and advise all users in an organization, answering any IT questions or issues on a day-to-day basis.
• Certified Computer Technician
  
  A+ certified technicians inspect, diagnose and repair hardware and software for both individual computers and networks. 
• Systems Analyst
  
  Provide network and database management support; analyze costs and client needs to find the best systems for their business purposes. 
• Application Developer 
  
  Create, test, and program apps for computers and mobile devices. 
• Webmaster 
  
  Maintain both the content and design of websites across all platforms, coding new functions as the need arises. 
• Database Administrator (DBA)
  
  Database administrators maintain and secure a company’s vital data, including such as financial information and client records.
• Project Manager 
  
  Oversee IT project teams, developing work plans to see jobs through, on time and under budget ,from start to finish. 
• IT Business Analyst
  
  Bridge the gap between business stakeholders and other IT professionals to develop and modify practical systems solutions. 
• Cyber Data Analytics Expert
  
  Develop strategies to protect systems against attack using data analytics methods. 
• Computer Forensic Specialist  
  
  Investigate, gather, and analyze digital evidence from electronic devices for law enforcement investigations and courtroom trials. 
• Homeland Security Consultant
  
  Consultants develop long-range plans for Homeland Security IT systems, and help manage and coordinate cyber defense incidents in real time. 

What can you do with an IT (information technology) degree?

Look all around you. 

Actually, look no further than the screen you’re reading from right now — this text, these images, and the systems used to get them to you. It’s all IT: Information technology. 

IT has changed everything about the world we live in, and it shows no signs of slowing down. That’s why, at Monroe’s School of Information Technology, we’re always looking ahead to what’s next. The IT field that’s always growing, always evolving, and always in demand, with more and more career paths opening every day. It’s also a rewarding field: each and every day, people need you to keep the gears of the world running smoothly. 

Not sure whether there’s an IT career that’s right for you? With so many to choose from, you won’t be unsure for long. Read on to learn about the many careers that wait for you with a degree in information technology. 

 

What will I learn with a degree in information technology? 

It might be more appropriate to ask what you won’t learn. In IT, there are an awesome number of subjects you can master; and at Monroe, you’ll have the guidance and the resources to tackle them all. You can earn degrees in Computer Information Systems (AS and BS) and Computer Networks and Cybersecurity (BS). With each one, you’ll gain proficiency in core concepts before moving onto more advanced skills.

When you pursue an associate degree in Computer Information Systems, you’ll start off by gaining a solid foundation in the state-of-the-art hardware and software. You’ll then move on to mastering:

• Web Design - Learn Hypertext Markup Language (HTML) and Cascading Style Sheets (CSS) to create, format, and refine Web pages, including text, images, hyperlink, lists, tables, frames, and forms. 
• Programming Logic - Using the C++ programming language, learn to design and code computer solutions to common problems found in mathematics, science, and business. 
• Networking Basics - Learn the fundamentals of networking, including how to configure Cisco routers in both local-area networks (LANs) and wide-area networks (WAN).
• Systems Analysis and Design - Discover how to implement every phase of a System Development Life Cycle (SDLC), learning skills in communications, economic analysis, and project planning in order to support a business’s needs. 
• Databases - Learn to create, maintain, update, and query databases using Structured Query Language (SQL) on industry-standard software.

Once you understand where your greatest strengths lie, you’ll also be able to take electives to specialize in more advanced subjects.

In addition to the core curriculum of the associate degree, with a bachelor’s degree in Computer Information Systems, you’ll stay on the cutting edge of subjects including:

• Wireless Technology - Learn how to plan, design, and implement wireless network systems using Cisco, Bluetooth, and WAP technologies. 
• Advanced Programming - Once you’ve gained experience with C++, move on to learn advanced features like Procedural programming and OOP (Object Oriented Programming).
• IT Project Management - Knowing tech is one thing; putting it to use in service of a business’s objectives is another. Learn how technology can shape the way an organization runs.
• Network Security - Once you’ve developed the systems that help a business run, you need to protect them. Learn to control the privacy, integrity and authenticity of data and resources within a network.

And you’ll be ready to take on more advanced electives including: 

• Virtual Desktop Interface (VDI) -  Gain an in-depth understanding of both public and private cloud computing environments; and learn to build and manage virtual networks, desktop infrastructures, and data centers.
• Hacking-Prevention Tools - Learn how to use port scanning, protocol analyzing and vulnerability assessment tools to take your network security to the next level. 
• Cryptography - Study secure communications techniques that can keep electronic communications safe from prying eyes. 
• Object Oriented Programming - Most programming languages — including C++, Java, and Python — support Object Oriented Programming (OOP). You can use OOP to develop applications that employ graphical user interfaces, graphics, and network communications.
• VR Networks - As virtual reality becomes more and more common in user interfaces, learn what goes into building and maintaining the networks that allow it to run smoothly.
• Grid Processing - Computing tasks like weather modeling require the analysis of huge data sets — too much for any one computer to handle. Learn about what goes into building the computer grids that can perform functions that would be impossible otherwise. 

IT opens up a world of possibility in business. But with possibility comes vulnerability. That’s why cybersecurity is so important. With a degree in Computer Networks and Cybersecurity, you’ll gain the technical skills to become an essential part of any business — the first line of defense against cybercrime. 

In addition to the fundamentals of hardware, software, at networks, you’ll learn about:

• Network Security - Protect the privacy, integrity and authenticity of data and resources in networks both large and small.
• Network and Computer Forensics - When cyberattacks are successful, they can be hard to detect. Learn how to assess damage and detect and identify intruders.
• Attack Methods - Denial-of-service (DoS) attacks, SQL injection attacks, malware — these are just some of the many ways hackers can find their way into your systems. Learn just what you’ll be up against as you defend against cybercrime.
• Cryptography - Stop cyber crime before it happens with secure communications techniques that can keep intruders out.
• Ethical Hacking - To test the security of your systems, you may need to hack them yourself. Learn how to think like a cybercriminal, so you can better defend your networks from attack. 

No matter where you work, when malicious cyberattacks happen, you’ll be ready.