2025 Undergraduate Catalog

Bachelor of Science in Computer Technology

The Bachelor of Science in Computer Technology degree provides practical knowledge and skills designed to prepare you for technical positions in the information and related computer industries regardless of your background. Pursuing this degree will afford you the opportunity to complement your mandatory industry certifications such as CompTIA Security+® and CompTIA A+® with a degree. The program covers a variety of subject areas to include soft skills in human relations, computer-based systems organization processes and components, web development fundamentals, productivity applications, programming essentials, communication and network technologies, database systems and information security management. Additional concentrations allow you to choose from dozens of specific courses in order to specialize in the technology area of interest for your current career. Successful completion of this online program provides practical skills often required for entry-level careers in the computer and information technology field.

Coursework in this program also meets various industry certifications including Microsoft Office® Specialist (MOS), Certified Internet Webmaster (CIW®), Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA®), Amazon Web Services (AWS®), and CompTIA A+, CompTIA Security+, and CompTIA Network+®. Please view course descriptions for complete details.

The program also has a completer option, which allows associate of science or arts degree holding students to transfer in a minimum of 60 semester hours of credits to expedite completing the degree - please see your advisor for more details.

Security+® and A+® are registered trademarks of CompTIA Properties, LLC.

Microsoft Office® is a registered trademark of Microsoft Corporation.

CIW® is a registered trademark of Certification Partners, LLC.

CCNA® is a registered trademark of Cisco Technology, Inc.

AWS® is a registered trademark of Amazon.com, Inc.

Network+® is a registered trademark of CompTIA Properties, LLC.

Degree Program Objectives

In addition to the institutional and degree level learning objectives, graduates of this program are expected to achieve these learning outcomes

  • Demonstrate effective interpersonal skills to communicate and collaborate.
  • Analyze computing requirements to solve problems.
  • Design computer systems or technology-based projects using appropriate hardware and software technologies.
  • Develop computer systems and technology-based projects using analytical, logical, and critical thinking skills.
  • Demonstrate understanding of ethical, legal, security, and social responsibilities as a professional in the technology industry.
  • Apply current skills and tools of software applications development, network architecture, data productivity and information security analysis.

Degree at a Glance

Degree Program Requirements

General Education (30 semester hours)

Major Required (72 semester hours)

Students must choose a concentration for this degree program and may select from a Concentration in Cloud Computing, Concentration in Information Security and Assurance, Concentration in Networking, or Concentration in Web Development.

Concentration in Cloud Computing (15 semester hours)

The concentration offers an introduction to the field of cloud computing. You will learn about cloud architecting, the fundamentals of building IT infrastructure on Amazon Web Services (AWS); it will teach you solutions architects and how to optimize the use of the AWS Cloud by understanding AWS services and how these services fit into cloud-based solutions, while maintaining recommended security and privacy. The concentration aligns with AWS Certification.

Objectives

Upon successful completion of this concentration, the student will be able to:

  • Identify appropriate cloud services such as Infrastructure-as-a-Service, Platform-as-a-Service, and Software-as-a-Service necessary to fulfill business requirements.
  • Select key resources to model service specifications and service contracts to perform service orchestration.
  • Design logical Service-Oriented Architecture (SOA) to convert into services implementable in today's cloud environments.
  • Demonstrate use of key tools to analyze an organization’s assets and verify if the cloud security and privacy implications are justifiable in implementing cloud computing.
  • Apply key principles of cloud computing and the security and privacy involved with this technology.
Concentration Requirements (15 semester hours)

Concentration in Information Security and Assurance (15 semester hours)

This concentration expands your knowledge of information technology security and, it helps you better apply critical security measures. Protecting sensitive or proprietary information is of paramount importance. Malicious security threats are on the rise and necessitates critical security strategies that incorporate information assurance, solid attack and defense tactics, risk management, auditing, planning and policies that will maintain the credibility and survival of the organization. The concentration focuses on addressing these information security needs in the industry.

Objectives

Upon successful completion of this concentration, the student will be able to:

  • Analyze user requirements to design, develop and deploy effective information security solutions.
  • Apply information assurance initiatives to protect an organization’s information assets.
  • Develop a security architecture consisting of tools, techniques, and technologies to prevent the penetration of networks, to detect attacks, and to defend an organization using effective countermeasures.
  • Develop effective assessment strategies to implement effective and proactive risk mitigation measures and risk management practices.
  • Examine various technologies and tools to assist with discovery and auditing in the world of security management.
  • Construct security plans and actionable and maintainable policies to create a holistic approach to cybersecurity for an organization.
Concentration Requirements (15 semester hours)

Concentration in Networking (15 semester hours)

The concentration extends your understanding of the principles and practices associated with local, distributed and enterprise networking. You will learn about basic routing and switching concepts, Virtual LANs (VLANs), Inter-VLAN routing, static routing and dynamic routing protocols, Single-Area OSPF, Access Control Lists (ACLs), Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP), Network Address Translation (NAT), wireless ad-hoc networks, and network and mobile security. The concentration aligns with Cisco Certified Entry Networking Technician (CCENT®) certificate as well as the Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA R&S) designation.

CCENT® is a registered trademark of Cisco Technology, Inc.

Objectives

Upon successful completion of this concentration, the student will be able to:

  • Identify user requirements to design, develop and deploy effective network solutions.
  • Analyze network designs, topologies, architectures, protocols, communications, administration, operations, and resource management for wired, wireless, and web-based networks.
  • Demonstrate the ability to configure routers, switches, static routing, dynamic routing, and Virtual LANs (VLAN).
  • Demonstrate the use of common network protocols.
  • Develop network security practices, processes, and plans used to maintain an effective and productive network.
  • Apply relevant wireless and mobile network security measures to address security threats.
Concentration Requirements (15 semester hours)

Concentration in Web Development (15 semester hours)

This concentration focuses on the principles and practices necessary to design, develop, and deploy web applications. You will study Internet communication and technology, Web browsing, multimedia on the Web, databases and Web search engines, business e-mail and personal information management, Internet services and tools. You will also explore search engine optimization (SEO) techniques, design effective user interfaces for websites, examine Web e-commerce development and how businesses and organizations may to use the Web to the buy and sell products and services online, and use Extensible Markup Language (XML) standard to create data formats to electronically share structured data.

Objectives

Upon successful completion of this concentration, the student will be able to:

  • Explain the principles and practices of Web technologies.
  • Apply search engine optimization (SEO) strategies.
  • Design effective user interfaces for websites, with an emphasis on designing for mobile technologies.
  • Summarize the growing trends of e-commerce development and how it is transforming businesses.
  • Demonstrate use of Extensible Markup Language (XML) standard to create a document structure.
Concentration Requirements (15 semester hours)

Final Program Requirement (3 semester hours)

  1. All literature courses require successful completion of ENGL101-Proficiency in Writing or ENGL110-Making Writing Relevant.

  2. All literature courses require successful completion of ENGL101-Proficiency in Writing or ENGL110-Making Writing Relevant.

  3. To be taken as the last course before graduation.

Overview

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