Information technology, also commonly referred to as IT, is a rapidly evolving and expanding field that is changing the way every individual — and every industry for that matter — interacts with computers, their systems and their components. The information technology boom is nowhere near over — in fact, many believe it is just beginning to gain momentum.
Information technology as a discipline is constantly evolving as new technologies emerge and new threats to security arise. A practical example of this evolution is the introduction of new specializations within the larger IT discipline. Three of the newest emerging subfields are cloud computing, data science and game design & development. Read on to learn more about how Marymount University has responded to the evolution within the industry by augmenting the Information Technology degree with three new specializations.
Exploring Marymount’s undergraduate IT program
Offered through Marymount’s College of Business, Innovation, Leadership and Technology (BILT), the Bachelor of Science in Information Technology degree program prepares students to meet the evolving technological needs of every sector — especially in health care, the sciences, engineering, business, entertainment and education. Grounded in a liberal arts education, students walk away from their undergraduate years well-rounded and well-prepared for their professional careers. The required major coursework for the Information Technology degree is designed to provide students with a comprehensive overview of the field, as well as hands-on learning experiences that will enable them to translate IT theory into practice.
Students will also participate in three IT seminar courses throughout their undergraduate degree, as well as a capstone project and an internship during their senior year. Upon graduation, students are well-equipped to immediately begin a career in information technology in government or industry.
Augment your IT degree with specializations in today’s fastest-growing IT fields
To meet the undergraduate degree requirements, students will need to select a specialization, and they typically declare this during their sophomore year. These specializations are designed to tailor the undergraduate degree to fit an individual’s interests and career goals. Students can take more than one specialty, and increasing numbers are doing so due to an increasingly competitive workforce.
To meet the demand of the growing and evolving IT industry, Marymount added three specializations in Cloud Computing, Data Science and Game Design & Development. Cloud computing is one of the fastest growing technology fields, as virtually all organizations — an astounding 96 percent — use cloud computing in some way. Through Marymount’s specialization in Cloud Computing, students will gain a solid understanding of cloud technologies and their operation, including selection, operations and security.
Data science is another fast-growing part of the information technology field. With the massive increase of data that is being stored and collected, the need for qualified professionals to collect, analyze and store that data is becoming crucial. Through Marymount’s specialization in Data Science, students will gain a solid understanding of data science and analytics, including data acquisition, data wrangling, data analysis and data visualization.
Game design and development is a rapidly growing industry, with the global video game market generating over $180 billion in 2021. Gaming combines skills from several fields including computer science, programming and graphic design. Marymount’s specialization in Game Design & Development has a particular focus on the development aspect of gaming, and students use the frameworks and tools that are commonly used in the industry today.
Cloud Computing: career outlook, salary and job titles
Cloud computing is the ability to run applications, support business operations, store and protect data and perform a host of other computing functions through an online, offsite web server, as opposed to a traditional on-premise hardware network. Cloud computing is no longer seen as new on the technological stage, but has been embraced as the new normal for most businesses and industries. Furthermore, the portion of budgets being allocated for cloud computing services continues to expand and now stands at 30 percent in 2022.
Compared to all IT professionals, not only are those with cloud computing skills in higher demand, but they also earn the highest salaries — with an average annual salary of $78,000 for entry-level positions. Students who specialize in this area will be qualified for positions working as a Cloud Consultant, Cloud Architect or Cloud Tech Support Specialist.
Data Science: career outlook, salary and job titles
At its heart, data science is using problem-solving and critical thinking to address the practical challenges of businesses. As technology continues to integrate into all aspects of business operations, managers and executives are realizing the importance of having knowledgeable professionals on their team who specialize in gathering and interpreting data. But many businesses are finding that they need help managing their data. In fact, according to Ataccama’s Enterprise Data Readiness Report, 79 percent of executives and 75 percent of line of business users face problems with data quality — and using poor quality data in analytics and AI initiatives can lead to misinformed business decisions.
Compared to all IT professionals, data scientists are competitively compensated and earn an average annual entry-level salary of $68,000. Students who specialize in this area will be qualified for positions working as a Data Visualization Analyst, Junior Modeling and Data Analyst or Artificial Intelligence Data Scientist.
Game Design & Development: career outlook, salary and job titles
A favorite activity for students in the field of information technology, game design and development has established itself as a legitimate field of study that offers students the opportunity to enter either the gaming industry or other software fields. Although gaming for personal recreation is a wildly popular and lucrative pastime, the widespread prevalence of technology in industry and education points to more applications for games and game design. Gaming is emerging as a tool to be used in education, health care, defense, first responder training and more.
Game designers and developers are compensated according to their level of experience and their competency in the field, and can expect to earn an average entry-level annual salary of $59,000. Students who specialize in this area will be qualified for positions working as a User Interface Programmer, Entry-Level Software Engineer or UX Designer.
If you are thinking about diving into the fast-paced and continually changing field of information technology, we invite you to reach out and request more information about our program. If one of these specializations aligns with your interests, you can learn more about what Marymount has to offer. We look forward to hearing from you soon!
