MS in IT Core Concentrations

A concentration is a group of courses that focus on one (1) computing topic area within the academic discipline of information technology. The concentrations areas offered by the Information Technology Department (IT), along with those areas pre-approved from other departments at RIT, are detailed below. Click on the the course number links to see course descriptions and prerequisites. The general prerequisites and required background for a concentration are detailed after the list of courses in each concentration.

Each student works with the IT Graduate Program Coordinator to develop an individual plan of study that achieves technical depth, in some aspect of information technology, reletive to his or her personal interests and goals. A plan is composed of nine (9) courses, selected across the available concentration areas, structured as follows:

  • Three (3) highly-related, three-course concentrations, or
  • Two (2) concentrations in synergistic areas: one with four (4) courses and a second with five (5) courses.

The plan must be approved prior to beginning study. All courses pre-suppose completion of the MS/IT program prerequisites. Students are also expected to either have completed, or be taking, the MS/IT core course when they begin concentration study.

The Department of Information Technology updates the courses included in each concentration area as appropriate to stay current with technology. If you started study under a previous set of concentration areas and you have questions about how to complete a given concentration within your plan of study, please contact the IT Graduate Program Coordinator.

Web Site and Multimedia Development

(available on-campus only)

Interactive Multimedia Development (introductory concentration)

  • 4004-745 Foundations of Human-Computer Interaction
  • 4004-737 Website Design and Technology
  • 4004-730 Interactive Media Implementation
Prerequisites: 4004-741 and solid programming experience. This is the introductory/foundation concentration for this curricular area. It is intended for individuals who do not have prior background in website design and interactive media development but would like to either do a 3-course overview concentration or prepare for more in depth study in this area.

Multimedia Application Development

Prerequisites: 4004-730 and 4004-737 from the introductory concentration above.

Web Application Development

  • 4004-739 Programming for the World Wide Web
  • 4004-751 Web-Database Integration
  • 4004-xxx (prerequisites as appropriate plus prior approval of Graduate Coordinator)
Prerequisites: Completion of a two-course programming sequence, 4004-737 from the introductory concentration above, and a database course such as 4002-720 or higher. Plus other prerequisite(s) as appropriate for the third course selected

XML Data Management

Prerequisites: Completion of a two-course programming sequence or 4002-714, 4004-737 from the introductory concentration above, and 4002-739 which can be taken concurrently with 4002-770.

The User Experience

(available on-campus only)

Interface Architecture

  • 4004-757 Graphical Elements of the User Experience
  • 4004-802 Perspectives on Computer Mediation
  • 4004-804 Building Tools for Creative Practice
  • 4004-806 Innovation and Invention

Prerequisites: 4004-730 and 4004-745 from the introductory concentration above. This concentration focuses on the visual perception, interaction style, and the sensory aspects of creating functional user interfaces for both technological and artistic computer-mediated experiences.

Human-Computer Interaction

(partially available in distance format)

  • 4004-745 Foundations of Human-Computer Interaction

Prerequisites: This concentration requires completion of all MS/IT bridge and core courses or equivalent pre-approved background/experience. Students also need a solid background in web technology, including 4004-730 or equivalent pre-approved background/experience. Courses may be used towards either a 3-, 4- or 5-course concentration with approval of the Graduate Coordinator.

This concentration is taken from our newly approved MS in Human-Computer Interaction. Contact the IT Graduate Coordinator at ITGradCoord@it.rit.edu for more information.

Game Design

(available on-campus only)
  • 4004-731 History & Critical Analysis of Comp. Games and Interactive Entertainment
  • 4004-728 Interactive Narrative
  • 4004-732 Game World Design
  • 4004-734 Online Identity, Social and Community Behavior

Prerequisites: Completion of 4004-741 which is a prerequisite course for the MS. Contact Prof. Jacobs in the IT Department at sxjnce@rit.edu for more information. Students may also be interested in 4004-744, Building Online Communities, and computer graphics courses from the Interactive Media Design & Animation Department in the School of Film and Animation.

The courses in the Game Design concentration are taken from our MS degree in Game Design and Development. See http://www.it.rit.edu/it/grad/msgdd/ or contact either the IT graduate coordinator (ITGradCoord@it.rit.edu) or Prof. Andrew Phelps, the games program director, at amp5315@rit.edu for more information about this program.

Application Development

(available in distance and on-campus formats) Prerequisites: This concentration requires a two-course object-oriented programming sequence or equivalent pre-approved background/experience. If the student has solid knowledge of Java programming (equivalent to 4002-714), another course may be substituted. 4002-720 and 4004-745 can be used towards this concentration.

Software Project Management

(available in distance format only) Prerequisites: This concentration requires 2 or more years of full-time employment experience in the software development process plus solidl object-oriented programming skills. The faculty recommend that 4002-820 be taken last.

Electronic Commerce

(available in distance format only)

This concentration is currently under review by the faculty and is not expected to be available for the 2008-9 year.

Technical E-Commerce Prerequisites: This concentration requires completion of the MS/IT prerequisite bridge and core course, or equivalent pre-approved background experience. Students need a solid background in programming, web technology, database concepts and experience in the issues relevant to the field of information technology.

Learning & Performance Technology

(available in distance and on-campus formats)

Prerequisites: This concentration requires completion of all MS/IT bridge and core courses or equivalent pre-approved background/experience.

A 45-credit, distance-learning MS degree in Learning & Knowledge Management Systems, from which this concentration draws, is also available. Contact the IT graduate coordinator for more information (ITGradCoord@it.rit.edu) or check the LKMS website for more information.

Database

(partially available in distance format **)

Prerequisites: This concentration requires background in object-oriented programming. If 4002-360 has been taken, 4002-720 is not needed. 4002-821, which requires 4002-710, may also be part of this concentration.

Bioinformatics

(available on-campus only)
  • 4002-762 Introduction to Bioinformatics Computing
  • 4002-763 Advanced Bioinformatics Computing

Prerequisites: This concentration area is just becoming available. It requires background in discrete math (1016-265) and programming. Background in biology is helpful. Contact Prof. Anne Haake (arh@it.rit.edu) for more information.

The department of Networking, Security, and System Administration (http://www.nssa.rit.edu) offers graduate degrees in networking and system administation and in computer security - with both on-campus and online study options. Click here for more information.

MS/IT students are welcome to include up to four (4) graduate courses in networking, system administration or security as part of their plans of study. Course options are specified in the three concentration areas below.

Networking

(partially available in distance format)
  • 4055-761 Principles of Sys Administration
  • 4055-815 Introduction to Routing and Switching (available on-campus only)
  • 4055-755 Secure Wireless & Wired Data Networks

Prerequisites: This concentration requires 4055-746, Telecommunications Network Protocols, (equivalent to 4050-351) as a prerequisite. Students without scripting background should also consider 4050-402, OS Scripting, or 4055-721, Perl for System Administration. A fourth course may be included with permission of the IT Graduate Coordinator.

System Administration

(partially available in distance format)
  • 4055-721 Perl for Sys Administration
  • 4055-761 Principles of Sys Administration
  • 4055-780 Computer System Security (available on-campus only)
Prerequisites: This concentration requires 4055-746, Telecommunications Network Protocols, (equivalent to 4050-351) as a prerequisite. Students without UNIX/Linux background should also consider 4050-402, OS Scripting (on-campus only). A fourth course may be included with permission of the IT Graduate Coordinator.

System Survivability

(partially available in distance format)
  • 4055-761 Principles of Sys Administration
  • 4055-755 Secure Wireless & Wired Data Networks
  • 4055-780 Computer System Security (available on-campus only)
Prerequisites: This concentration requires 4055-746, Telecommunications Network Protocols, (equivalent to 4050-351) as a prerequisite. Students without scripting background should consider taking 4050-402, OS Scripting, or 4055-721, Perl for System Administration, as a prerequisite. A fourth course may be included with permission of the Graduate Coordinator.

Students interested in computer crime and ethics may be interested in 0110-745, Legal & Ehtical Issues in Technology Intense Environments (contact Prof. Oliver at blobbu@rit.edu).

Special Topics

Students can use this option to design one (1) concentration from other courses offered by the IT Department or from graduate-level coursework offered by other departments at RIT or other universities. Prior approval from the IT Graduate Coordinator is required. Applicable prerequisites must be completed.

Concentrations Offered by Other RIT Departments

Students are permitted to complete one (1) concentration (up to a maximum of 12 graduate credits) from another department at RIT with the permission of the IT Graduate Program Coordinator. The following concentrations are pre-approved:
  • Technology Management
  • Information Systems
  • Telecommunications Technology
  • Automated Manufacturing
  • Health Systems Administration
  • 3D Digital Computer Graphics
Contact the IT Graduate Coordinator for more information.
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