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Master of Science in Information Technology

Pursue a wide range of senior-level management and consulting career options with our 10-course online M.S. in Information Technology.

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Meet the Increased Demand for Computer and IT Managers with an Online Master's Degree in IT

Advance your future in information technology with our 10-course online master of science. Classes focus on the design, management, and deployment of networked systems, emphasizing cloud computing, big data collection and information security. Designed for those with a Bachelor's in IT and working professionals who want to pursue advanced graduate studies in the field, this online program emphasizes practical skills based on UNIX/Linux, Windows and Apple platforms. The curriculum also examines the technical and ethical foundation of general IT industry principles and standards.

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Earn Your Master's Degree in as Little as 18 Months

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No GRE Required

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Same Degree Online or On-Campus

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Earn a Top-Ranked Master's for Under $20k

Career Outlook

1.11M
Jobs (2020)
+2.8%
% Change (2020-2021)
99K/yr
Median Earnings
877,619
Annual Openings

Occupations

  • Business Analyst
  • Chief Information Officer
  • Chief Technology Officer
  • Corporate Security Officer
  • Director of Hosting and Managed Systems
  • Director of Information Technology
  • IT Consultant
  • Lead Systems Engineer Security Analyst
  • Manager of Information Services
  • Network Manager
  • Project Manager in Information Technology
  • Strategic IT Planner
  • Systems Analyst
  • Vice President of Informatics
Source: Lightcast, 2022
The median annual wage for computer and information systems managers was $139,220 in May 2017.
—U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2018

Key Takeaways

Through this program, you will learn:

  • Definitions and characteristics of contemporary operating systems
  • Principles, processes, and concepts of network management
  • Legal and ethical aspects of information management
  • How to extract and manage system-critical information
  • How to manage the software environments of commercial systems
  • How to manage the environments for local and metropolitan area networks
  • How to identify the appropriate compliance criteria for selective information management
  • How to train and supervise IT professionals
Success Story

"I was looking to change careers, so I did some research and found that UMass Lowell had the best online program that would work with my schedule and allow me to study at night. I have a family, two kids, and a full-time job. I wanted to improve my future, and I knew an education from UMass Lowell would give me better opportunities."

Kasidit B., Master of Science in Information Technology
Kasidit B.

Kasidit B.

One Success Leads to Another

Apply credits from lower credentials to higher ones. Our programs are designed to build upon themselves:

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Graduate Certificate Program in Cybersecurity
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Master of Science in Information Technology
OR
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Graduate Certificate Program in Systems Models and Management
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Master of Science in Information Technology
Employment of computer and information technology managers is projected to grow 12 percent from 2016 to 2026, faster than the average for all occupations.
—U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2018
Best Online Graduate Information Technology Program in the Nation by U.S. News & World Report Ranked as One of the Best Online Graduate Information Technology Programs in the Nation by U.S. News & World Report
Best Online Graduate Computer Information Technology Programs for Veterans in the Nation by U.S. News & World Report Ranked #14 Best Online Graduate Computer Information Technology Program for Veterans in the Nation by U.S. News & World Report

Curriculum Outline

- 10 courses total

System Infrastructures Courses (Choose 2)

Network Infrastructure Courses (Choose 2)

Software Management Courses (Choose 2)

  • MSIT.5180 Large Scale Application Deployment (3cr)
  • MSIT.5310 Project Management (3cr) - Available Spring 2023!
  • MSIT.5320 Managing Large Data Sets (3cr)

Program Electives (Choose 4)

Choose 4 additional MSIT.xxx courses from this Program Electives category or from any of the first three categories above, as long as you have not already taken the course to fulfill the above category requirements.

Course Descriptions

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. 3 credits.
Prerequisites:

MSIT, IT Certificate Program

This course examines the strategies for deploying and auditing secure systems. IT auditors primarily study computer systems and networks form the point of view of examining the effectiveness of their technical and procedural controls to minimize risks. Risk analysis and the implementation of corresponding best practice control objectives will be studied. The material will include methodologies that help auditors to: Discover what's really going on at a point in time; Find out about potential problems, before it's too late to fix them; Evaluate business situations objectively; Make informed, if difficult decisions; Implement corrective actions, changes and improvements where needed. 3 credits.
Prerequisites:

MSIT,IT Certificate Program

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. 3 credits.
Prerequisites:

MSIT, IT Certificate Program

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. 3 credits.
Prerequisites:

MSIT, IT Certificate Program

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. 3 credits.
Prerequisites:

MSIT, IT Certificate Program

This course will focus on existing and proposed technologies for storing digital information. Both hardware and software issues will be examined, beginning with device and controller organization and proceeding through aggregation techniques, interconnect architectures and host consideration. At each level, specific components will be evaluated with respect to critical storage criteria, such as bandwidth and latency, fault tolerance, infrastructure requirements and cost. Students must already have completed a bachelor's degree in a related discipline and must meet all undergraduate prerequisite requirements specified for graduate IT programs to enroll in this course and in a graduate career. 3 credits.

This course explores the application of knowledge, skills, tools, and techniques that project managers use when managing information technology projects as well as the current IT factors that affect IT project management decision making. Special emphasis will be placed on learning the best practices currently used by organizations and practitioners to ensure the best chance for project success by learning and applying the concepts of managing scope, risk, budget, time, expectations, quality, people, communications, procurement, and externally provided services. Students will be expected to perform research in the above areas as well as using tools such as Microsoft Project to solve project management related problems. Special attention will also be placed on the issues affecting project managers today such as PMOs, virtualization, green IT, and out sourcing. Practical examples will be used to demonstrate the concepts and techniques, plus you will receive hands on experience by working on a case study. 3 credits.
Prerequisites:

MSIT,IT Certificate Program

The amount of data generated by businesses, science, Web, and social networks is growing at a very fast rate. This course will cover the algorithms and database techniques required to extract useful information from this flood of data. Data mining, which is the automatic discovery of interesting patterns and relationships in data, is a central focus of the course. Topics covered in data mining include association discovery, clustering, classification, and anomaly detection. Special emphasis will be given to techniques for data warehousing where extremely large datasets (e.g.,many terabytes) are processed. The course also covers Web mining. Topics covered include analysis of Web pages and links (like Google) and analysis of large social networks (like Facebook). 3 credits.
Prerequisites:

MSIT,IT Certificate Program

"DevOps" is a set of practices to support software development and business operations in live production environments. By using agile practices and automation, these practices enable software to be developed and deployed to users quickly and with high quality. In this course you will learn DevOps tools and techniques. Tools include micro services, continuous integration and deployments, monitoring, and infrastructure-as-code. Techniques include oh DevOps engineers blur traditional roles of IT, development, release engineering, and quality assurance. Case studies in DevOps from companies such Amazon and Facebook will be studied. For experimentation purposed, Linux will be used on AWS together with open source tools such as Jenkins, Ansible, and Kubernetes. Students must already have completed a bachelor's degree in a related discipline and must meet all undergraduate prerequisite requirements specified for graduate IT programs to enroll in this course and in a graduate career. 3 credits.

This course explores the differences between the Traditional Project management and the Agile management approaches, introduces the principles of Agile Development through applications within each major Project Management process: Project Initiation, Project Planning, Project Execution, and Project Closing. The project will be developed in a timely manner, using Agile techniques that encourage frequent adaptation, self-organization, accountability and with a focus towards rapid delivery. upon completion, students will understand how to apply Agile principles and practices, recognize ways to increase team performance through better communication and close involvement of stake holders, and recognize the key success criteria for implementing Agile Projects. 3 credits.
Prerequisites:

MSIT,IT Certificate Program

Today, we are surrounded by big data applications. Smartphone and sensor data, medical and scientific data, financial data, web and text data, and social network data are just a few examples. As a result, mining useful information and discovering knowledge from the big data are increasingly important. It is fair to say that, without data mining, we would not be able to make good use of this large amount of data. In this course, we learn the state-of-the-art techniques in data mining and analysis. Topics include types and properties of data, exploring data, classification, association analysis, cluster analysis, and anomaly detection. 3 credits.
Prerequisites:

CSCE Graduate Restrictions

This course focuses on enterprise-level information security, privacy and regulatory compliance through study of the rapidly emerging Information Governance (IG) discipline which is applied to electronic documents, records management and output of information organization-wide. The key principles of IG will be examined including the security, privacy and compliance of corporate e-documents/records as well as email, social media, instant messaging, cloud computing, and mobile computing. The student will learn how IG leverages existing information technologies to enforce policies, procedures and controls to manage information risk in compliance with legal and litigation demands, external regulatory requirements, and internal governance objectives. 3 credits.
Prerequisites:

MSIT,IT Certificate Program

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. 3 credits.
Prerequisites:

MSIT,IT Certificate Program

This course focuses on best practices for designing and building a comprehensive Cybersecurity Program based on the NIST Framework for Improving Critical Infrastructure Cybersecurity ("The Framework"). The Framework was issued on February 12, 2014, as directed by President Obama in Executive Order 13636. This framework provides guidance for reducing cybersecurity risk for organizations, and this course will examine its basic tenets of: "Cybersecurity Fundamentals", techniques applied to "Building a Controls Factory", "Cybersecurity Programs" "Establishing Cybersecurity Centers of Expertise" and "The Cybersecurity Program Implementation Roadmap". 3 credits.

This course introduces the use of reverse engineering techniques to find and analyze the behavior of malware in binary form. The topics include basic static analysis, basic dynamic analysis, advanced static analysis, advanced dynamic analysis, shell code analysis, malware behavior and anti-reverse engineering. To take this course, students shall have experience in the C programming language. Knowledge of assembly language is preferred although not necessary since the course will have a crash mini-course in X86 disassembly covering assembly language. The students will do the assignments and labs on either their own computers or in a virtual lab environment. Students must already have completed a bachelor's degree in a related discipline and must meet all undergraduate prerequisite requirements specified for graduate IT programs to enroll in this course and in a graduate career. 3 credits.

This course focuses on the best approach for organizations to develop a ransomware protection strategy, plan / program and operational practices to defend against damaging ransomware attacks. The class includes an overview of recent ransomware attacks, the top trends of today's ransomware variants, a model for describing common tactics and techniques used by ransomware gangs (based on the MIRE ATT&CK framework, tools and playbooks used by the top ransomware families. The class discusses common ransomware controls models (NIST Risk Management Framework and Cybersecurity Framework), ransomware best practices (NIST SP1800 Ransomware Practice Guides and CISA MS-ISAC Ransomware Guide), as well as training and workshops based on Red Team, Blue Team and Purple Team Exercises. 3 credits.
Prerequisites:

Students must already have completed a bachelor's degree in a related discipline to enroll in this course and in a graduate career.

This course provides an introduction to the fundamental concepts in the design and implementation of computer communication networks, their protocols, and applications. Topics to be covered include: an overview of network architectures, applications, network programming interfaces (e.g. sockets) , transport, congestion, routing, and data link protocols, addressing, local area networks, network management, and emerging network technologies. Cannot be used toward MS or D.Sc. in Computer Science. 3 credits.
Prerequisites:

MSIT, IT Certificate Program

This course is aimed to provide students with a solid understanding of key concepts of computer network security and practical solutions to network security threats. Topics to be covered include common network security attacks, basic security models, data encryption algorithms, public-key cryptography and key management, data authentication, network security protocols in practice, wireless network security, network perimeter security and firewall technology, the art of anti-malicious software, and the art of intrusion detection. Pre-Req: BS in IT or Equivalent. Cannot be used toward MS or D.Sc. in Computer Science. 3 credits.
Prerequisites:

MSIT, IT Certificate Program

Identifying, preserving and extracting electronic evidence. Students learn how to examine and recover data from operating systems, core forensic procedures for any operating or file system, understanding technical issues in acquiring computer evidence and how to conduct forensically sound examinations to preserve evidence for admission and use in legal proceedings. 3 credits.
Prerequisites:

MSIT, IT Certificate Program

This course covers principles and practices of wireless networks, including cellular networks, wireless LANs, ad hoc mesh networks, and sensor networks. The potential attacks against these wireless networks and the security mechanisms to defend these networks will be discussed. Topics to be covered include cellular network architecture, wide-area mobile services, wireless LANs and MACs, introduction to emerging wireless networks, survey of malicious behaviors in wireless networks, securing wireless WANs and LANs, securing wireless routing, securing mobile applications, wireless intrusion detection and prevention, challenges in securing next-generation wireless networks, and privacy issues in wireless networks. 3 credits.
Prerequisites:

MSIT, IT Certificate Program

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. 3 credits.
Prerequisites:

MSIT, IT Certificate Program

This course is a continuation of the 94.565 Cloud Computing course and will cover in further detail such topics as Cloud Based Storage, Virtualization, Service Oriented Architecture (SOA), High Availability, Scaling, and Mobile Devices. The course will also study the role of Open Source cloud software such as Hadoop, OpenStack and others. Similar to the first course where hands-on projects included the use of Cloud Services such as Amazon Web Services (AWS), Google Apps and App Engine, and Windows Azure, this course will continue with those services and add others such as Rackspace and VMware. Current articles and publications in this fast moving field of Cloud Computing will also be followed. 3 credits.
Prerequisites:

MSIT.5650. This course may be used towards UMass Lowell’s M.S. in Information Technology; it cannot be used towards UMass Lowell’s M.S. or Ph.D. in Computer Science.

Program Requirements

To be recommended for a University of Massachusetts Lowell master's degree, candidates must satisfy all of the general requirements below, plus any additional requirements that may be required by the department through which the program is offered. Any additional requirements for this program are either listed below or may be found in the University's Graduate Program Catalog.

General Requirements:

  • Students must complete the program of study designed by the Department in which they are enrolled and approved by the University.
  • Satisfactory grades in all subjects offered for the degree must be earned. See Academic Standing.
  • All financial obligations, including tuition, fees and expenses, must be satisfied as evidenced by completion.
  • Upon completion of all their courses, graduate degree candidates must submit a signed Declaration of Intent to Graduate (DIG) form to their coordinator. The coordinator will apply them in SIS, Graduation Tracking.

Graduate Program Policies

In applying for a degree program or registering for courses, each student assumes full responsibility for knowledge of and compliance with the definitions, regulations and procedures of UMass Lowell as set forth on our website. For additional information, please refer to the Graduate Program Policies found within the UMass Lowell Graduate Catalog.

Tuition & Fees

At UMass Lowell, we believe that students should have as much information as possible up front so they can make informed decisions before enrolling in a degree program or signing up for a course.

Tuition for all undergraduate courses offered through the Division of Graduate, Online & Professional Studies is the same for both in-state and out-of-state students. Tuition for all online graduate courses is also the same for both in-state and out-of-state students. Tuition is priced per credit. To calculate the tuition for a course, simply multiply the per-credit tuition by the total number of credits per course. Exception: If the total number of course contact hours is greater than the total number of credits, the per-credit tuition is instead multiplied by the total number of contact hours.

Spring 2023 Tuition

 Cost Per Credit Cost Per 3-Credit Course*

Graduate
Online $585 $1,755
Online Business** $655 $1,965
Online IT and Engineering*** $600 $1,800
Online Education $470 $1,410
Graduate Online Education Courses in the Ed.D. and Ph.D.**** $495 $1,485
On Campus View Here View Here
*If the number of contact hours exceeds the number of credits, tuition is calculated by multiplying by the total number of contact hours.
**Applies to ACCT, BUSI, ENTR, FINA, MGMT, MKTG, MIST and POMS courses.
***Applies to CHEN, CIVE, EECE, ENGN, MECH, PLAS and MSIT courses.
****Applies to graduate online education courses in the Ed.D. and Ph.D.

Additional Costs
Term Registration Fee $30
Late Fee $50
Graduate Degree and Certificate Application $50

Please note: Tuition and fees are subject to change.

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Registration

Current students can register using SiS Self-Service. New students who have not already applied and been accepted to a program must use the Non-Degree Registration Form.

You can take courses without being officially enrolled in a certificate or degree program, but you must meet course prerequisites. Registrations are accepted on a first-come, first-served basis. Class size is limited. We recommend that you register early to reserve your place in class.

For more information, please visit our Registration Page.

New Students

If you have not already applied and been accepted to a program.
Register with Non-Degree Reg. Form

Current Students

If you have applied, been accepted to and are currently enrolled in a program.
Register with SIS Self-Service

Questions?

Email our Advising Center for assistance, or call 800-480-3190 to speak with an advisor.

Please Note: While every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the information presented within this website, the Division of Graduate, Online & Professional Studies reserves the right to implement new rules and regulations and to make changes of any nature in its program, calendar, locations, tuition and fees. Whenever possible, appropriate notice of such changes will be given before they become effective. In applying for a degree program or registering for courses, each student assumes full responsibility for knowledge of and compliance with the definitions, regulations and procedures of UMass Lowell as set forth on our website. For additional information, please refer to the Graduate Program Policies found within the UMass Lowell Graduate Catalog.

Why should I earn a Master's in Information Technology?

A Master's Degree in IT will prepare you for top-salary, senior-level management and consulting positions, information security and IT strategic planning functions, and many other career opportunities.

Do I need a background in IT to complete this program?

Yes, this program requires proficiency in Information Technology or a related field. In addition to possessing a bachelor's degree, you must demonstrate:

  • Mathematical maturity: You must complete at least one semester of precalculus, one semester of discrete mathematics, and one semester of statistics or possess equivalent experience.
  • C Programming proficiency: Include a minimum of one semester of C Programming and one semester of Data Structures or the equivalent experience.
If you do not meet the above requirements, you may take additional undergraduate courses to meet the requirements.

What is required to earn an M.S. in Information Technology?

You must complete all 10 courses (30 credits) of the M.S. in Information Technology degree curriculum and maintain an academic standing of a 3.0 GPA or above to earn your diploma. Also, all financial obligations, including tuition, must be satisfied. Please see Master's Degree Requirements for more information.

Can I complete a graduate certificate within my master's degree curriculum?

Yes, you may increase your credentials upon graduation by completing a Graduate Certificate in Cybersecurity or Systems Models and Management while completing the master's degree.

Master of Science in Information Technology Admission Requirements

  • Completion of an undergraduate BS or BA degree from an accredited institution
  • No GRE required
  • Mathematical Maturity: Students should have completed a minimum of one semester of precalculus mathematics, one semester of discrete mathematics and one semester of statistics as part of their undergraduate studies, or possess the equivalent experience
  • C Programming proficiency, to include a minimum of one semester of C Programming and one semester of Data Structures, or the equivalent experience.
  • F1 student visas are not issued for this program since it is offered exclusively online.

Note: Students who do not meet the requirements above may need to take additional undergraduate courses in order to meet the requirements.

Applying into a Graduate Degree Program

All applicants must submit:
  • An application
  • An application fee
  • A statement of purpose
  • Two letters of recommendation
  • Official transcripts
  • Resume
    Required for certain programs such as the Master's in Business Administration and the Master of Science in Health Informatics and Management

For specific information regarding any of the above application materials (which may vary for some programs), please see UMass Lowell's Graduate Application Requirements at https://www.uml.edu/Grad/Process/.

Applications can be completed and submitted at any time during the year. Each application is processed — and each applicant notified — as soon as all admissions materials have been received and reviewed. For additional details, please visit https://www.uml.edu/grad/.

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 they have formally applied into 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.

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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!

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