START HERE COLLEGE OF INFORMATION SCIENCES AND TECHNOLOGY
Undergraduate Programs
ist.psu.edu
The Information Age is here, and there’s no going back. There is only forward into what lies ahead. And you get to decide what comes next. The opportunities and challenges of tomorrow call for independent thinkers and team players. Skilled communicators and passionate creators. Risk-taking, idea-making, critical-thinking innovators. That’s who we are. The College of Information Sciences and Technology brings knowledge and experience from a variety of fields‑—business, computer science, psychology, math, sociology, art‑—to address the world that exists where people, information, and technology intersect. And it all happens within a leading global university, allowing us to leverage nearly endless resources, the world’s largest alumni network, and a collaborative academic community all designed to set you up for career success. We are programmers, analysts, and consultants. Digital architects, scientists, and engineers. We are individuals with diverse experiences and circumstances who bring our perspectives together to create a positive impact and open doors for a world of changemakers.
We are ready for what comes next. Are you?
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FAST FACTS
$71,000 Average full-time starting salary
1,900 100
84
%
%
Undergraduate students
Of students complete an internship before graduating
Of students receive a job offer from an internship provider
6/15
$20
300+
Majors/Minors
Average intern salary (hourly)
Organizations recruit IST students annually
200+
Annual events for students and employers to connect
21
Campuses offering IST courses and degrees
7,300
17
2,300+
50%
IST student organizations
#1
Positions posted to Nittany Lion Careers for IST students last year
Best Alumni Network - Penn State (2019 Princeton Review)
IST Alumni
#5
Of students complete multiple internships
Among universities recruiters trust for the most prepared students (2020 WINS corporate recruiter survey)
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B.S. in
CYBERSECURITY ANALYTICS AND OPERATIONS
You’ll get hands-on training to ensure the safety of critical information and assets by mastering the technical skills, risk management strategies, and analytical methods used to safeguard data and systems. Through real-world simulations, you’ll learn how to anticipate and analyze cyberattacks and how to clearly communicate threat and vulnerability issues to top-level decision-makers.
ist.psu.edu/DiscoverCyber
Real-World Experiences Cyberthreats don’t stop when class is over. That’s why you can take your skills to compete in global challenges like the Collegiate Cyber Defense Competition and the College Penetration Testing Competition. These events mimic the activities performed during real-world penetration testing activities, challenging you to protect, exploit, and analyze network vulnerabilities, and then report your findings to executive leadership. It’s hands-on experience that will prepare you to take on one of the fastest growing careers in the world.
BRIANNA MALCOMSON ’11
Principal Security Engineer, Atlassian Secures internal technology assets and tools used by employees, reviews security strategies to protect from attack, and develops and evaluates solutions to improve the company’s security posture. “Knowing the fundamentals of risk analysis and security theory has given me an advantage in the cybersecurity industry because I can speak knowledgeably from a theoretical standpoint when implementing practical solutions. It’s also been fun to lead industry groups and shape the direction of corporate red teaming as people explore the differences between traditional IT shops and the big tech startup world and to help educate people on ways to adapt.” 4 College of Information Sciences and Technology
B.S. in
DATA SCIENCES
(APPLIED DATA SCIENCES OPTION)
Take advantage of expertise from three Penn State colleges to learn the technical fundamentals of data sciences and the skills to manage and analyze large-scale unstructured data. The Applied Data Sciences option within the major is offered by the College of IST and focuses on using big data to discover strategic insights, predict trends, and inform better decisions.
ist.psu.edu/DiscoverDS
Real-World Experiences Data sciences are critical in every industry—technology, entertainment, health care, economics, and even disaster relief. Today, we can gather a lot of data quickly. But making sense of it to drive strategic change is a bigger challenge. Through a variety of projects in and out of the classroom, you’ll use real data, specialized software, and machine learning methods in a big data cloud environment to learn the principles, methods, and tools to support discovery and decision-making.
JASON LALLY ’05
Special Consultant to the Chief Data Officer, State of California
Assists the California State Chief Data Officer in implementing the data strategy to support data and analytics use throughout the state. “There’s a magic that happens when you can light a path around technology or data and bring that perspective to somebody who has deep subject matter expertise in an area like public health. And when those things come together and you can move something forward, it’s absolutely one of the best feelings in the world.”
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B.S. in
ENTERPRISE TECHNOLOGY INTEGRATION
Help organizations operate more effectively and efficiently by gaining expanded knowledge in cloud computing and database technologies and how they connect with business concepts. You’ll learn skills in analyzing organizational needs, formulating and implementing technology-based solutions, and evaluating outcomes that stretch within and across organizations.
ist.psu.edu/DiscoverETI
Real-World Experiences Organizations of all sizes and from all industries rely on technology to meet their goals. You’ll inspire solutions by integrating tech into health care facilities to improve the patient and physician experience, by creating a project management platform to strengthen communication between members of different organizations, and by consulting with business executives to understand their needs and employ solutions to make their organization more efficient.
LINDSAY LANGLEY ’13
IT Product Owner, Chick-fil-A
Manages the direction, strategy, and implementation of the integration between third parties and the Chick-fil-A application programming interfaces. “I love working with the business and development teams to make sure that we were creating something that they really needed and not just something they thought they wanted. I'm on calls every day with delivery services, making sure I'm in the loop on issues they may be having with their third-party delivery. You can't always see the work that my team does from an end-user perspective, but you still need that integration for it to work out.” 6 College of Information Sciences and Technology
B.S. in
HUMAN-CENTERED DESIGN AND DEVELOPMENT
Understand how people use technology, and how to design, build, and evaluate technologies to enhance their experience. You’ll learn methods, techniques, and tools useful in shaping technology to support human activity. You’ll work on real-world problems and projects to develop a portfolio of your work, and apply human-centered design methods in a chosen focus area.
ist.psu.edu/DiscoverHCDD
Real-World Experiences Well-designed technology puts users first. You’ll do the same in class by working with organizations like Gilson, a snowboard and ski manufacturing company, to develop software and mobile applications that improve how people interact with their products and use their services. You’ll research user needs, design use cases, and prototype applications—and anything else you can dream of to improve how users interact with technology.
JESSIE DEMMERT ’19
UX Designer/Applications Engineer, Siemens Digital Industries Software Partners with design engineers to develop and implement software design changes, create policies, and design UX methods and testing with a special focus in VR products.
“A user’s feelings play a huge role in UX, and designers tend to overlook it. Understanding technology and how people interact with it is the basis for UX, and I pull from my IST knowledge constantly when implementing the UX methods in my work. Technology is more than just the code. UX helps make technology logical for the user so that they can fulfill their needs in a timely fashion.” ist.psu.edu
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B.S. in
INFORMATION SCIENCES AND TECHNOLOGY
Study how people use technology and revolutionize the role it plays in the way we live, work, and play. You’ll build an understanding of core information technologies, the information environment, and emerging social, ethical, and legal implications of the Information Age.
ist.psu.edu/DiscoverIST
Real-World Experiences Information is the world’s most valuable asset, and technology is part of everything we do. When they intersect with people and society, that’s where you’ll find yourself in IST. You’ll tackle projects that make an impact in the community and the world, such as exploring how and why social media users become fixated on specific celebrities, gaining the knowledge to create STEM programs for underprivileged children, and identifying technology solutions to help non-profit organizations make the most of their limited resources.
ASHLYN SPARROW ’10
Assistant Director, Weston Game Lab, University of Chicago Designs video games that encourage social change in areas like diversity and inclusion, climate change, and public health. “Video games are one of the few mediums where you can try something you’ve never experienced before and put on someone else’s shoes. If we constantly think, ‘it’s just a game,’ that doesn’t allow us to think about the emotions or experiences that we could be having within a game. There are so many interesting things that we could be doing and so many more people could be playing these games if we move beyond the current topics.” 8 College of Information Sciences and Technology
B.S. in
SECURITY AND RISK ANALYSIS
Prepare to recognize, communicate, and address the analytic needs of a wide range of security and risk domains. You’ll work to understand the strategic and tactical levels of intelligence collection, analysis, and decision-making; explore legal, ethical, and professional issues; and leverage the role of technology in the field.
ist.psu.edu/DiscoverSRA
Real-World Experiences Global organizations like NATO train partners in strategies to combat terrorism, and respond to natural disasters, system failures, and other events. They’ll rely on you to develop the training and deploy tactics to keep people, organizations, and nations safe. You’ll explore how criminals use cryptocurrency, analyze information to drive informed responses, and understand deception and counterdeception are used to exploit vulnerabilities.
COREY LEE ’12
Enterprise Security Executive, Microsoft Helps enterprises and educational institutions modernize their security strategies and respond to emerging security threats. “SRA was perfect for me because it merged tech with problem solving. It let me explore all of these different aspects—analytics, economics, computer science, risk analysis—and how to put those ideas together. It gave me an understanding of how to break down complex problems. The diversity of what I learned gave me a holistic educational experience and has been practical to life in general.” ist.psu.edu
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CREATING YOUR FUTURE
Technology is ever-changing, and so are the careers that create, use, and study them. As you progress through the college, you’ll identify and refine your career interests through courses, student organizations, and experiential opportunities. Along the way, our dedicated Career Solutions team will help you identify the tools you need to build your interests and put your unique skillset to work in a meaningful career.
Career Preparation
Required Internship
Through resume reviews, networking workshops, employer events, and two career fairs for companies looking to hire IST students, there are plenty of ways to explore professional opportunities with some of the world’s most innovative companies, organizations, and agencies. No matter where you want to go or what you want to do, we’ll work with you to prepare you for life after graduation.
Nothing enhances your education and prepares you for professional life like an internship. That’s why every IST student is required to complete at least one before graduating, letting you test-drive a particular set of job duties, a company, or a career path. For most students, their internship experience is a critical step in landing their first job.
DISCOVERING YOUR PATH
The career opportunities for College of IST graduates are nearly endless and incredibly versatile. Our graduates bring expertise and innovation to a variety of positions—from their first jobs to the executive suite—in business, health care, defense, technology, and countless other industries. Our programs respond to changing industry needs and prepare you with the technical expertise, business savvy, and communication skills employers want. Visit ist.psu.edu/discover-your-path to explore some of the jobs accepted by recent IST graduates and see what opportunities might be available to you with a degree from the College of IST.
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SUPPORTING YOUR JOURNEY
At IST, you’ll find a community of individuals who know we are stronger together. Our faculty, staff, and alumni are dedicated to your success as a student and wellness as a person, helping you to reach your goals and have a positive impact on the world. Whether you’re walking into your first class or walking across the graduation stage, you’ll find a team of people and resources to support you at every step of your journey. That’s what communities do.
Academic Advising Helping you plan for your academic goals and make informed choices. ist.psu.edu/advising
Career Solutions Connecting you to professional development experiences and resources to prepare for life after graduation. ist.psu.edu/careers
Inclusion and Diversity Engagement Creating an equitable environment and preparing you to be a leader in the global community. ist.psu.edu/diversity
Learning Resources Providing professional and peer-led services, like peer tutors and learning assistants, to help you excel in the classroom. learning.ist.psu.edu
Student Affairs Providing cultural, spiritual, physical, and mental health resources to ensure your success as a student. studentaffairs.psu.edu
Student Engagement Enhancing your time on campus through student organizations, education abroad, and research opportunities. ist.psu.edu/engage
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Office of Undergraduate Recruiting College of Information Sciences and Technology The Pennsylvania State University E103 Westgate Building University Park, PA 16802-6823
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Photography by College of IST or Penn State. The majority of photos in this publication were taken prior to the start of the novel coronavirus pandemic, before social distancing and mask guidelines were enforced.
The publication is available in alternative media on request. The University is committed to equal access to programs, facilities, admission, and employment for all persons. It is the policy of the University to maintain an environment free of harassment and free of discrimination against any person because of age, race, color, ancestry, national origin, religion, creed, service in the uniformed services (as defined in state and federal law), veteran status, sex, sexual orientation, marital or family status, pregnancy, pregnancy-related conditions, physical or mental disability, gender, perceived gender, gender identity, genetic information, or political ideas. Discriminatory conduct and harassment, as well as sexual misconduct and relationship violence, violates the dignity of individuals, impedes the realization of the University’s educational mission, and will not be tolerated. Direct all inquiries regarding nondiscrimination policy to the Affirmative Action Office, The Pennsylvania State University, 328 Boucke Building, University Park, PA 16802-5901; Email: aao@psu.edu; Tel: 814-863-0471. U.Ed. IST 21-19