IT Major

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Major Requirements  


The IT program can be successfully completed in 8 full-time semesters with an average of 15 credits each semester as shown in the Sample Schedule.  Usually, all the IT core and foundation courses are offered during the summer semester with the exception of IT 492 and IT 493.  There is, however, no guarantee.  The requirements listed here are for those students whose catalog year is 2007-2008.  If your catalog year is prior to 2007, please check the advising sheet for your specific catalog year.

The 120 semester hour degree requirement consists of GMU General Education requirements, IT foundation and core courses, courses required for the chosen IT concentration area and electives.

9 credits of Mathematics and 11 hours of Natural Science credit are required. 8 of the Natural Science credits must be approved lab courses that form a sequence.

The required Math courses are MATH 108, MATH 112 and IT 250. Note that although MATH 112 does not require sophomore status, students are advised not to take these classes as freshmen.  Please check the MATH requirements for your catalog year as they may differ.

At least 30 semester hours toward the BS in Information Technology degree must be earned at George Mason University, and at least 45 semester hours of the degree requirements must be level 300 or above.

The Information Technology degree program is based at the GMU Prince William campus, although 100-level and 200-level courses will also be available at Fairfax.

Students pursuing the BS in Information Technology must complete requirements for at least one of four IT Concentration areas: 1) Information Security and Network Administration; 2) Networking and Telecommunications; 3) Web Development and Multimedia; and 4) Database Technology and Programming

IT Foundation and Core Requirements

In addition to University General Education [GE] requirements, including humanities and social sciences as well as mathematics and basic sciences requirements, the IT major requires IT foundation, core, and concentration courses as described below. Each concentration includes a seven-hour capstone design project. It is expected that the student will complete the capstone design project over a period of two consecutive semesters. 

  1. IT Foundation Courses.
    All IT majors must complete the following foundation courses.
    • IT 101 Introduction to Information Technology (3)
    • IT 103 Introduction to Computing (3)
    • IT 108 Programming Fundamentals (3)
    • IT 212 How Computers Work (3)
    • STAT 250 Introductory Statistics (3)
  2. IT Core Courses.
    All IT majors must complete the following core courses.
    • IT 207*  Applied IT Programming (3)
    • IT 213 Multimedia and Computer Graphics (3)
    • IT 214 Data Base Fundamentals (3)
    • IT 223 Information Security Fundamentals (3) (formerly IT 221)
    • IT 300 Modern Telecommunications (3)
    • IT 304 IT in the Global Economy (3)

      or both of the following:

      CS 105  Computer Ethics and Society (1)
      CS 306 Synthesis of Ethics and Law for the Computing Professional (3)

    • IT 341 Networking Essentials (3)
    • IT 343 IT Resource Planning (3) (formerly IT 443)
    • MSOM 300 Managing Financial Resources (3)
    • MSOM 301 Managing People and Organizations (3)
    • SYST 469* Human Computer Interaction (3) (*not required for catalog year Spring 2004 or earlier)
  3. Capstone Design Courses.
    All Information Technology majors must complete a two-semester sequence of approved capstone design courses.
    • IT 492 Senior Design Project I (3)
    • IT 493 Senior Design Project II (4) or IT 468 Cyber Security Capstone (4)
    4.           or IT 468  Cyber Security Capstone
  4. Concentration Courses
  5. Other Requirements
    • COMM 100      Public Speaking (3)
    • Natural Science  11 credits of natural science, of which 8 credits must be a 2-semester lab sequence chosen from the list of courses approved for gneral education.
    • MATH 108       Introductory Calculus with Business Applications (3)
    • MATH 111*     Linear Mathematical Modeling(3)(*required for catalog year prior to Fall 2006)
    • MATH 112       Discrete Math for BSIT (3)
        (Students are advised not to take MATH 112 as freshmen)
  6. Electives
     You may take any course as an elective except courses with course codes: PHED, MLSC, BIS and PRLS.  Although these courses will show up on your transcript as credits if you take them, they will not be counted towards the required 120 program credits.  Note that transfer students do not have to take elective courses if they have already completed the required number of elective credits by transferring credits they have taken in their previous institution as elective credits into the IT program.