Information Technology Management (ITM) Concentration

The ITM concentration is designed to facilitate flexible curriculum planning. Flexible curriculum planning is necessary because the IT field is made up of a variety of job types that exist across different departments, management levels and industries. This variety is evident in a comment from one student who recently attended an IT career exchange seminar.

“Hi Professor Gilleran, I have just gotten back from the IT career exchange seminar and may I say that it's amazing how many different [areas] an IT major can get into. I, like many others, thought that IT is just data management, and that working in the field means hours and hours of importing data without interacting with people.  [But] I was proven wrong, and I am glad […] because that means that IT is a lot more interesting than what I [had viewed] it to be.” (October 26, 2004)

While the various IT job types have a core set of knowledge and skills, each job type also has specialized knowledge and skills. The concentration requirements are designed to provide both core and specialized knowledge and skill sets. The core is gained through two required courses, which include MIS3660 Prototyping with Information Technology and MIS3640 Problem Solving or MIS3690 Web Technologies. The specialization is gained through two electives that are chosen from among several ITM courses. Students are guided in their elective selections by identifying a career interest, which more or less corresponds to one IT job type or position.

Course Planning and Sequencing Guidance

Required Courses (Usually Taken Junior Year)

Elective Courses (Usually Taken Senior Year)

General Guidelines

• Students who are undecided about a concentration should take one of the required courses in order to get a feel for the IT field
• While four courses will satisfy the ITM concentration requirements, students are advised that employers often look for a broad and comprehensive set of IT-relted courses that go beyond this number
• The best course sequence is to take the core courses first, and then follow with the elective courses. However, no sequencing is mandatory excepting those indicated as course prerequisites
• Any X5XX course may be used to satisfy General College Credit requirements (Management Elective or Free Elective), e.g., MIS3510, MIS3520, MIS3530, MIS3540, MIS4500
• Any X6XX course many be used to satisfy the Advanced Liberal Arts requirements or Free Elective requirements, e.g., MIS3620, MIS3640, MIS3650, MIS3660, MIS3680, MIS3690

Career Interests

The IT field has a variety of job types. This fact may be important to any student who has thoughts like -- "I don't know what I want to do when I graduate." -- In short, the variety of job types offers flexibility to move in different directions in terms of job interests as one proceeds through the curricula.

We identify four career interests, which are first summarized in terms of positions and courses.  Descriptions of each career interest follow. It is expected that students will be guided in identifying their career interest by an ITM concentration contact.

1.   IT Consulting (CON)

• IT Consulting may be appealing to students who are interested in managing information technology development projects, or in managing a firm’s information technology area.  The focus is on developing knowledge and skills related to understanding business areas, business processes, and information technology’s value-adding potential 
• Possible Positions: Consultant, Project Manager
  • In general, a consultant position involves analyzing the business and its operating environment, with a focus on understanding the business needs and with the goal of creating an application system to meet those needs.  A common career path leads to a project manager position, which oversees these efforts.  Specific activities may include interviewing clients, analyzing the competitive environment, writing application system design specifications, designing the user interface (screens and reports), and keeping current with industry and technology trends among others
• Students who pursue CON should choose their electives from the following courses:  
  • MIS3510 - Systems Analysis and Design
  • MIS3520 - Database in a Client/Server Environment
  • MIS4500 - Information Systems Project

2.   Business Application Development (BAD)

• Business Application Development may be appealing to students who are interested in building computer-based applications for businesses. Although the focus is on building Internet (or web-based) applications, students will learn the basic skills of computer-based application developers who work in various business environments on common technology platforms
• Possible Positions: Systems Analyst, Business Analyst, Process Analyst, Application Programmer
  • These positions generally involve building or maintaining real computer-based application systems for businesses. Specific activities may include programming, designing the user interface (screens and reports), designing processes and procedures, creating and running test procedures, conducting training programs and drafting system documentation among others
• Students who pursue BAD should choose their electives from the following courses:
  • MIS3672 - Advanced Web Development
  • MIS3680 - Advanced Software Design
  • QTM2601 - Discrete Math

3.   Business Application Analysis (BAA) 

• Business Application Analysis may be appealing to students who are pursuing a career as an entrepreneur or in another business area such as finance, marketing, accounting, operations, human resources or general management.  The general focus is on developing knowledge and skills related to applying information technology’s value-adding potential to a particular business area. Thus, a business application analyst has enhanced IT management skills to complement their background in another business area.  These combined skill sets will facilitate effective advocacy for the business area’s information and communication needs on both strategic and operational levels
• Possible Positions: IT Specialist, IT Liaison, Power User
  • Students with combined business-IT skill sets are uniquely positioned to identify creative yet practical IT-based solutions, and to understand the risks and limitations imposed by these solutions
  • Specific activities may include identifying the business area’s communication and information needs, performing a liaison role between the business area and IT department, and advising other business area colleagues on IT-related matters
• Students who pursue BAA should choose their electives from the following courses:  
  • MIS3530 - Electronic Business
  • MIS3540 - Managing with Information Technology
  • MIS3510 - Systems Analysis and Design
  • MIS3520 - Database in a Client/Server Environment
  • MIS4500 - Information Systems Project

4.   Security Information Systems (SIS)

• Security Information Systems may be appealing tostudents who are interested in acquiring the knowledge and skills related to designing and implementing security systems for companies.  Security systems help to protect the electronic-based information (e.g., a customer’s order) and communication (e.g., an employee’s email) that are stored in computers and transmitted over networks
• Possible Position: Security Analyst
  • In general, a security analyst is involved with protecting a company’s IT assets—including the pervasive technology infrastructure, the various databases and the associated security procedures. Specific activities may include keeping current on new security threats and response measures, identifying actual security weaknesses in a firm’s infrastructure, and designing and implementing innovative security measures
• Students who pursue SIS should choose their electives from the following courses:  
  • MIS3620 - Computer and Network Security
  • MIS3650 - Data Communications
  • QTM2601 - Discrete Math
  • QTM3602 or QTM3674 - Cryptology (QTM3602 or QTM3674)

Related Activities

Students who concentrate in ITM may consider working in the college’s Information Technology and Services Division (ITSD).  This division services the information technology and application needs of students, faculty and administrators through a wide variety of work efforts.  Potential employers generally value this kind of work experience that involves solving real problems.  Interested students may inquire with David Foscaldo at x6101 or foscaldo@babson.edu.

Students who concentrate in ITM may also consider working in the college’s Curriculum Innovation and Technology Group (CITG) area.  This area conducts and supports curricula development efforts, which often involve working with multimedia and assorted Internet technologies. Potential employers would also value this kind of work experience that involves applying innovative technologies for the design and delivery of web-based content. Interested students may inquire with Tova Duby at x4516 or tduby@babson.edu.  

Finally, there are typically many part-time jobs listed on the Babson Portal system. (Go to Web Links | Undergraduates | Student Services - Student Employment | Off-campus Jobs.)  Some of these jobs are technology-related.  A student who concentrates in ITM may find some interesting IT-related jobs in this listing.  Students who seek internships or full-time employment opportunities for after graduation are encouraged to view postings on eRecruiting (http://babson.erecruiting.com).

Students who concentrate in ITM may find the following seminar series interesting and informative.

• Babson Alumni Technology Council (BATC) Seminars.

ITM Concentration Contacts

The ITM Concentration contacts are Professors Donna Stoddard and Dawna Dewire.

• Professor Stoddard: dstoddard@babson.edu; x6449
• Professor Dewire: dewire@babson.edu; x6307