Mastering the Domain

IST is enhancing its master’s programs to meet student and industry needs

Students pursuing a master’s degree do so for a variety of reasons—strengthening their abilities in pursuit of advanced career opportunities, transitioning to a new career, and preparing for a doctoral degree, among others.

The College of IST is undertaking several efforts to expand and evolve its master’s degree programs to support these goals and align with industry trends.

Most notably, the college has launched a new initiative where IST alumni who earned at least a 3.5 GPA will have their applications preferentially reviewed for fast-track acceptance if they apply to one of IST’s master’s degree programs within two years of earning their bachelor’s degree. This applies to students from any Penn State campus who apply to any of the college’s integrated undergraduate-graduate, master’s, and MPS degrees. Application fees for these individuals will also be covered by the college.

These students will increase the college’s already growing student population. This fall, the college welcomed its largest ever residential M.S. in informatics and M.S. in cybersecurity analytics and operations classes. Program leaders are now working to develop a more direct path for master’s students wishing to apply to the college’s doctoral program, as well as evaluating and refreshing course options across its two residential master’s programs and MPS in enterprise architecture and business transformation program offered through Penn State World Campus.

Similarly, the college is evolving its integrated undergraduate-graduate programs where academically talented students can pursue a bachelor’s and master’s degree at the same time—to allow any undergraduate student in the college to complete any of the college’s M.S. degrees.

In addition to enhancing its current offerings, IST is also creating new ones. The college recently launched two new graduate certificates through Penn State World Campus, including a supply chain risk management certificate in collaboration with the Smeal College of Business and a bridge certificate in information systems cybersecurity that aims to help students from non-STEM backgrounds transition into the industry.

Finally, a master’s degree in human-computer interaction is in development, which the college soon hopes to offer at University Park and through Penn State World Campus. While students can currently pursue a concentration in human-centered design in the M.S. in informatics program, the in-progress M.S. in HCI degree will provide students with the depth and breadth they need to become innovative leaders in this emerging field.