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Online Graduate Certificate in Systems Models and Management
Advance your knowledge of contemporary operating systems deployment, network and systems administration, lifecycle management of large-scale applications and managing virtual hardware and software configurations with UMass Lowell's online Graduate Certificate in Systems Models and Management.
This four-course online program is ideal for systems administrators, network managers and other IT professionals who have an undergraduate Degree in Information Technology, Computer Science, Information Systems or related degrees. Applicants should be familiar with C programming as well as pre-calculus math, statistics and discrete structures.
Courses completed in this graduate certificate program can be applied toward UMass Lowell's Online Master's Degree in Information Technology.
Complete in 9 Months
One of the Most Affordable Tuitions in the Nation
No GRE Required
Career Outlook
One Success Leads to Another
Apply credits from lower credentials to higher ones. Our programs are designed to build upon themselves:
Curriculum Outline
Choose 4 Courses
- MSIT.5110 Network and Systems Administration - Available Summer 2025!
- MSIT.5170 Operating Systems Foundations
- MSIT.5180 Large Scale Application Deployment
- MSIT.5190 Virtual Systems
- MSIT.5430 Intrusion Detection Systems - Available Fall 2025!
- MSIT.5650 Cloud Computing - Available Fall 2025!
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Note: You do not have to be enrolled in the program to take a course. Try a course before applying into the program if you would like, by enrolling now as a "non-degree" graduate student, you can begin taking graduate courses this semester. Complete the Non-Degree Course Registration Form , and fax it to the Registrar's Office at 978-934-4076.
Course Descriptions
MSIT.5110 Network and Systems Administration (3cr)
This course introduces the concepts and techniques of systems and network administration. The course covers topics in a wide range from host management, network management, host and network security to automating system administration. In this course learners will be installing and configuring various popular network based services in a Linux environment.
MSIT.5170 Operating Systems Foundations (3cr)
This course investigates the organization and deployment of contemporary operating systems. The process model is examined both generically and in the context of the current Linux/Unix and Windows implemantations. Process attributes such as address spaces, threads, channels and handles, access rights, scheduling behavior and states and state transitions will be studied. Memory management, deadlock management and the file system development are also evaluated. A subsystem of system configuration options will be considered during the course in order to highlight the functional deployment of the core OS issues discussed. Pre-req: BS in IT or equivalent. Cannot be used toward MS or PhD in Computer Science.
MSIT.5180 Large Scale Application Deployment (3cr)
This course will develop a systematic framework for the life cycle management of large scale applications. Beginning with requirements assessments, and impact analysis, and continuing through regulatory compliance, lifetime maintenance, scalability concerns, and end-of-life evolution, the material in this course will characterize the stages and transitions of large scale applications. Deployment and management tools will be examined in the context of live applications, with an emphasis on convergent analysis and configuration. Several case studies will be considered, including operating systems, database applications, mailing systems and collaboration systems.
MSIT.5190 Virtual Systems (3cr)
This course will investigate the current state of virtualization in computing systems. Virtualization at both the hardware and software levels will be examined, with emphasis on the hypervisor configurations of systems such as Vmware, Zen and Hyper-V. The features and limitations of virtual environments will be considered, along with several case studies used to demonstrate the configuration and management of such systems. Para-virtualized software components will be analyzed and their pros and cons discussed. Processor and peripheral support for virtualization will also be examined, with a focus on emerging hardware features and the future of virtualization.
MSIT.5430 Intrusion Detection Systems (3cr)
Intrusion Detection Systems is a survey of the hardware and software techniques that are applied to the detection, identification, classification and remediation of compromised information systems. From this introduction to intrusion detection systems, students will develop a solid foundation for understanding IDS and how they function. This course will give students a background in the technology of detection network attacks. It will introduce all the concepts and procedures used for IDS (intrusion Detection Systems) and IPS (intrusion Prevention Systems). Students will have hands-on experience with implementing and configuring software and hardware based IDS in a network infrastructure. This course is designed with a network administrator in mind.
MSIT.5650 Cloud Computing (3cr)
This course starts with an overview of modern distributed models, exposing the design principles, systems architecture, and innovative applications of parallel, distributed, and cloud computing systems. The course will focus on the creation and maintenance of high-performance, scalable, reliable systems, providing comprehensive coverage of distributed and cloud computing, including: Facilitating management, debugging, migration, and disaster recovery through virtualization. Clustered systems for research or ecommerce applications. Designing systems as web services. Principles of cloud computing using examples from open-source and commercial applications.
Graduate Certificate Requirements
Students enrolled in graduate certificate programs through UMass Lowell must complete all courses indicated in the curriculum outline. Students may complete the certificate program at their own pace by registering for and successfully completing one or more courses each semester, depending upon his/her personal time constraints. Students are required to maintain a minimum grade point average of 3.000 with no more than one course grade below B to receive the certificate.
Online courses meet throughout the year during the Fall, Spring and Summer semesters (see Calendar for details). Online students generally log into their online course website one or more times per week to retrieve lectures and assignments or to participate in a chat session. Online students should expect to spend 6 to 10 hours per week engaged in course-related activities for each course. For more information on online courses, visit our online program home page .
Completing a Graduate Certificate Program
Graduate certificate courses must be completed within a five-year period with a minimum 3.000 grade point average and no more than one course with a grade below B. Once all courses for a graduate certificate have been completed, students must complete and submit the Graduate Certificate Clearance Form. Students must submit their clearance form to their coordinator. The coordinator will apply them in SIS, Graduation Tracking.
Tuition & Fees
Tuition at UMass Lowell is typically half the cost of private colleges, and our online tuition is among the lowest in the nation. Tuition for online programs offered through the Division of Graduate, Online & Professional Studies is the same whether you live in-state, out-of-state or outside of the U.S.
Summer 2025 Tuition |
Cost Per Credit | Cost Per 3-Credit Course* |
|---|---|---|
Graduate |
||
| Online | $600 | $1,800 |
| Online Business1 | $655 | $1,965 |
| Online Education2 | $470 | $1,410 |
| Online 7000-Level Education | $655 | $1,965 |
| Online HyFlex | $750 | $2,250 |
| Select Online Nursing M.S. courses3 | $750 | $2,250 |
| Select On Campus courses4 | $600 | $1,800 |
| All other On Campus courses5 | View Here | |
Additional Costs |
Cost |
|---|---|
| Term Registration Fee | $30 |
| Returned Check Fee | $30 |
| Graduate Degree and Certificate Application | $50 |
Please note: Tuition and fees are subject to change.
Looking for Financial Assistance?
UMass Lowell offers a variety of financial aid and scholarship options.
Apply
Admission Requirements
While the certificate program is designed to be readily accessible to students who have completed a bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Information Technology or Information Systems, we understand that the IT community includes many individuals who have completed degrees in other majors and have made career adjustments to the field.
To accommodate the community at large, our specific certificate program admission requirements are:
- Mathematical experience to include a minimum of one semester of Precalculus, one semester of Discrete Mathematics and one semester of Statistics, or the equivalent experience
- C Programming proficiency, to include a minimum of one class of C Programming and one class of data structures, or the equivalent experience
For Graduate Certificate Programs, Please Submit:
- An application
- An application fee*
- An official transcript indicating a completed bachelor's degree. If your bachelor's degree is from outside the United States, you may be required to take the TOEFL examination.
- No Graduate Record Exam (GRE) is required for graduate certificate programs
F1 student visas are not issued for this program. Applications can be completed and submitted at any time during the year. Your application will be processed as soon as all admission materials have been received. You may apply to more than one certificate program but can only take 12 credits maximum before enrolling in an advanced degree. Learn more about specific application requirements for your program of interest.
Count Your Graduate Certificate Toward a Master's Degree
Credits earned from a graduate certificate may be used toward a related graduate degree.
Graduate Program Admissions Requirements
Admission to all graduate programs at UMass Lowell is contingent upon successful completion of a bachelor's degree. In many cases, applicants may register for a course before formally applying to the program; however, students requiring financial aid may want to wait until they have been formally accepted into the program to ensure that their course(s) will be covered. Contact UMass Lowell's Office of Graduate Admissions if you have questions about the application process.
Questions Regarding Your Graduate Application?
Email Graduate_Admissions@uml.edu or call 800-656-4723 (for U.S. students) or 978-934-2390 (for international students).
For General Assistance:
For general questions about registering for courses or to find out who the advisor is for your graduate program, call 800-480-3190. Our admissions and advising teams are here to help!
