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Electives

(9 credits)

The program offers a wide variety of elective courses covering information systems, telecommunications, information security, knowledge management, and IT management. Students should contact an adviser for suggestions on fields of study and courses that relate to those fields. Students choose three courses from the following:

 

  • 771.710 Organizational and Legal Issues in Technology

    With the advent of information systems, complex legal issues have developed concerning the planning, management, operation, and support of technology functions. This course provides a background in legal theory in the context of technology’s impact on business operations. Topics include ownership, intellectual property rights, software licensing, liabilities, contracting, and privacy. (3 credits)

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  • 771.713 Business Processes and Change Management

    Organizations are implementing new technology and applications as integral parts of their operations. This course examines the structure of business processes, effective ways to engineer them, and best practices to restructure them in response to changing strategic direction. Topics include business process re-engineering and continuous process improvement. The course focuses on the need for integrated planning to maximize the positive impact of new technology on business operations. Students explore the critical element of dealing effectively with change in technology-intensive organizations and managing change as a routine part of the management challenge. (3 credits)

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  • 771.715 International Business and the Electronic Marketplace

    The World Wide Web and electronic business allow any business anywhere to enter the global market. Competing in the global market requires information systems to provide and access accurate information and respond to inputs from a wide variety of sources. Managers must be aware of issues that have little or no impact in a domestic market. Topics include data ownership, international data flow, security and legal issues, cultural considerations, support issues, and varied management styles.

    Notes: Prerequisite may be waived for students in the International Business concentration. (3 credits)

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  • 771.716 Database Management Systems: Structure & Design

    This course provides students with an understanding of today’s database structures (hierarchical, relational, and object-oriented). Other topics include data warehousing, data mining, open data structures, development, methodology, and implementation. (3 credits)

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  • 771.751 The Internet and Electronic Commerce

    The Internet affords great opportunities for conducting business transactions that do not require physical proximity. This course describes the fundamental components and issues involved with electronic commerce, such as Internet fundamentals, business process analysis, electronic payment methods and systems, security, certificates, EDI, standards, and commerce servers. (3 credits)

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  • 774.760 Satellite, Wireless and Distributed Network Systems (formerly Wireless and Broadband Communications)

    This course explores the use of satellite, wireless and distributed networks for wide-area data communications. Technologies and topics studied include commercial and military satellites, direct broadcast satellites (DBS), low and medium earth orbiting (LEO and MEO) and geostationary (GEO) satellites, and wireless networks including very small aperture terminals (VSAT) and vehicle fleet tracking along with networks protocols, designs, and operations. (3 credits)

    Prerequisite(s): BU.770.610

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  • 772.820 Info Tech Internship

    Students work for a semester on an information technology-oriented internship, with approval from the internship sponsor and IT Department chair. Internships involve working on-site at the sponsor’s location on a regular weekly basis for an agreed-upon number of hours. The student keeps a weekly journal of his or her activities during the internship, which will be submitted at the end of the internship. In addition, the student prepares a formal written paper on an agreed- upon project, based upon the internship, and gives a presentation on the results of the paper and internship activities. The journal, formal paper, and presentation will be given to the internship sponsor and IT Department Chair at the end of the internship

    Notes: Prerequisite(s): Completion of all MS/ITS courses and at least one MS/ITS elective courses. (3 credits)

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  • 773.700 Database Development and Programming

    This course builds on the knowledge and skills obtained in 770.515 Database Management Systems: Structure and Design. Students work with a contemporary DBMS to develop a database and queries and generate reports. Topics also include programming special requirements and distributed and security issues. (3 credits)

    Prerequisite(s): BU.771.716

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  • 773.701 Data Mining and Discovery Informatics

    Discovery informatics is the study and practice of effectively employing the full spectrum of computing and analytical sciences and technologies to discover knowledge by identifying and validating patterns in data. Students learn strategies, methods, and tools associated with this emerging methodology, including data mining, the knowledge discovery process, identification of structural patterns in data, decision trees, classification and association rules, evaluation and validation of discovered patterns, visualization, and ethical and privacy issues. (3 credits)

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  • 773.721 Competitive Intelligence

    Competitive Intelligence (CI), as defined by the Society of Competitive Intelligence Professionals (SCIP), is a systematic and ethical program for gathering, analyzing, and managing external information that can affect an organization’s plans, decisions, and operations. Students learn to apply the CI process and CI-related methodologies, techniques, and tools to better analyze an organization’s current and future competitive position. Students will apply analytical and socio-technical techniques to improve organizational decision making as related to CI, and should understand the issues related to the collection, analysis, and management of external information. (3 credits)

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  • 773.750 Advanced Topic in Information Technology

    Each term, this course explores a different evolving technology, its function, and its use in developing state-of-the-art system applications. Through projects and outside readings, students learn the concepts and working components of the new technology and its effective application.

    Notes: Since the topic changes from semester to semester, this course can be taken twice for credit (i.e., 6 credits for Advanced Topics). Prerequisite(s): Completion of all MS/ITS courses. (3 credits)

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  • 773.752 Basic Web Site Development and Information Architecture

    The rapidly evolving capabilities of World Wide Web client browsers provide important opportunities for Intranet/Extranet applications. This course presents fundamental Web design principles as well as the current HTML coding model, practices, and standards. Example applications are explored and students construct their own application Web pages. (3 credits)

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  • 774.701 Telecommunication Systems and Network Design Analysis

    Building on the core telecommunication and analysis courses, students undertake the integration of networking systems that can be applied to business operations and needs. Participants examine these networking technologies, with particular attention to how these systems are used effectively in an organizations' technologies to create telecommunication. (3 credits)

    Prerequisite(s): BU.770.610

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  • 774.702 Global Enterprise Sys

    Modern enterprise network systems are complex, multi-vendor, and vital to organizations functioning. They include Local Area Networks (LAN) integrated with Network Management Systems (NMS) that are comprised of internetworking devices, bridges, routers, gateways, and backbone interfaces. This course covers the fundamentals of LAN and NMS technologies with emphasis on design and operation procedures. Topics cover various aspects of LAN and NMS standards, internetworking systems, devices, routers, gateways, and backbone interfaces. Hardware and software tools for NMS and configuration management, along with management policies, and standards operating are also discussed. (3 credits)

    Prerequisite(s): BU.770.610

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  • 774.715 Financial Issues in Managing a Secure Operation

    This course addresses the risks (financial, reputation, business, and third party), costs, return on investment, and other business issues in developing a secure operation. Topics include qualitative and quantitative risk analysis, audits, metrics, responses to threats, and developing cost-effective solutions given constraints in money, assets, and personnel. (3 credits)

    Prerequisite(s): BU.773.719

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  • 774.716 Security Architecture

    This course builds on Information Security Foundations and focuses on the various security models and architectures. Students review hardware and software security measures, network security standards, LAN/WAN/MAN security, wireless and VPN security, security protection levels, encryption standards, internal versus external access protection, firewalls, and intrusion detection systems. (3 credits)

    Prerequisite(s): BU.773.719

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  • 774.717 Implementing Effective Information Security Programs

    This course focuses on the personnel, legal, regulatory, and privacy issues that constitute many of the basic management areas that must be considered in developing and implementing an effective information security program. The course also emphasizes the need for reasonable policies and procedures to ensure compliance. The course discusses many domestic and international laws and regulations that affect what can and can not be done legally to secure systems. Specific topics include HIPAA, GASSP, security best practices, political issues in the organization, implementation of an enterprise-wide security strategy, and finally, the organization, roles, staffing responsibilities, and funding. (3 credits)

    Prerequisite(s): BU.773.719

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  • 774.750 Advanced Topics in Telecommunications

    This seminar-style course allows students to examine contemporary developments in the telecommunication field through exploration of current technological, operational, political, and regulatory issues affecting the industry. Discussion takes place within the context of development and implementation of effective telecommunication systems in response to current technological and world events. (3 credits)

    Prerequisite(s): BU.770.517

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  • 774.760 Satellite, Wireless and Distributed Network Systems (formerly Wireless and Broadband Communications)

    This course explores the use of satellite, wireless and distributed networks for wide-area data communications. Technologies and topics studied include commercial and military satellites, direct broadcast satellites (DBS), low and medium earth orbiting (LEO and MEO) and geostationary (GEO) satellites, and wireless networks including very small aperture terminals (VSAT) and vehicle fleet tracking along with networks protocols, designs, and operations. (3 credits)

    Prerequisite(s): BU.770.610

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  • 776.716 Knowledge Management Systems

    Students learn the fundamental principles of knowledge management (KM) and a wide range of KM strategies, techniques, and technologies that can be introduced to improve the effectiveness and competitiveness of organizations. Topics include enhancing organizational communication and innovation; capturing, mapping, and structuring knowledge; using KM for human capital strategies; supporting and enhancing collaboration; creating and sustaining a knowledge-sharing culture; leveraging advances in artificial intelligence and expert systems; managing and measuring intellectual capital; and designing effective knowledge management systems. (3 credits)

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  • 776.754 E-Business Security

    This course discusses what e-business security is, what it hopes to accomplish, problems encountered in migrating from legacy to Web-based e-business models, and Internet security and Web privacy from both client and server perspectives. Topics include internal transaction security, basic cryptography, SSL, active content security issues (PKI, Java, ActiveX, JavaScript, VB Script), Web privacy, secure server configuration (hardening, access controls, encryption), CGI scripting, remote authoring, administration, and firewalls. (3 credits)

    Prerequisite(s): BU.773.719

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