The minor is designed primarily for students who desire to augment the knowledge gained through their major-related courses with a foundation of information technology (IT) topics and their application within organizations to achieve organizational objectives. Completing this minor provides students with the necessary skills to improve their attractiveness to employers in our technology-driven society.

The minor requires a minimum of 18 credits, including 12 credits of core courses. Beyond these requirements, students must select two additional technical focus courses (6 credits) of which one course must be at the upper 300- or 400-level. Minimum 2.5 GPA is needed in completed 100- and 200-level IT core and foundation courses, and a minimum C in IT 106 or IT 109 is required in order to declare the IT minor. Minimum "C" grade in all IT courses is required to earn the IT minor. Students pursuing the IT minor should consult with an advisor to select their additional courses.

Admissions

Declaration of Minor

Mason students interested in declaring the Information Technology Minor must earn a C or higher in (IT 106 or IT 196 or IT 109 or CS 112) and earn an average of 2.50 across any courses attempted from (IT 102 or MATH 125), IT 104, IT 105, (IT 106 or IT 196 or IT 109 or CS 112), and any technical focus courses being applied to the IT minor. Grades in approved course substitutions taken at Mason will be included.

Note: IT courses at the 300 and 400 level are restricted to students who have declared an Information Technology major, minor, or undergraduate certificate, and to students in the BAS or BIS program. IT 293 Applied IT: Junior Transition and IT 343 IT Project Management are restricted to students who have declared an Information Technology major. Students who have declared an Information Technology Minor will not be permitted to take IT 293 or IT 343.

Policies

Grades

Students must have a C or better in any course that satisfies a prerequisite for an IT course. To graduate with the Information Technology Minor, students must have a GPA of 2.00 or better across all courses applied to the Information Technology minor. Additionally, if a technical focus course requires a minimum B in a specified course, students will be held to meeting this prerequisite. Eight credits of coursework must be unique to the minor.

For policies governing all minors, see the Undergraduate Policies section of this catalog.

Banner Code: INFT

Minor Requirements

Total credits: 18

Core Courses

IT 102Discrete Structures3
or MATH 125 Discrete Mathematics I (Mason Core)
IT 104Introduction to Computing (Mason Core)3
IT 105IT Architecture Fundamentals3
IT 106Introduction to IT Problem Solving Using Computer Programming3
or IT 109 Introduction to Computer Programming
Total Credits12

Technical Focus Courses

Select 6 credits from Technical Focus Courses (at least 3 upper division credits)6
Total Credits6

Students must satisfy all prerequisites and other requirements in order to take any of the courses listed below. Courses chosen for the technical focus must be chosen with a coordinator in the Information Sciences and Technology department. Not all courses are offered each semester.

IT 206Object Oriented Techniques for IT Problem Solving3
or IT 209 Introduction to Object Oriented Programming
IT 207Applied IT Programming3
IT 213Multimedia and Web Design3
IT 214Database Fundamentals3
IT 223Information Security Fundamentals3
IT 300Modern Telecommunications3
IT 306Data Structures and Algorithms in Java3
IT 309Data Structures and Algorithms in Python3
IT 314Database Programming3
IT 315Mobile Development3
IT 322Health Data Challenges3
IT 324Health Information Technology Fundamentals3
IT 331Web I: Web Development3
IT 332Web Server Administration3
IT 335Web Development using Content Management Systems3
IT 341Data Communications and Network Principles3
IT 352Security Administration of Linux Systems3
IT 353Information Defense Technologies3
IT 357Computer Crime, Forensics, and Auditing3
IT 366Network Security 3
IT 369Data and Application Security3
IT 390Rapid Development of Scalable Cloud Applications3
IT 409Python Web Programming3
IT 410Web Programming3
IT 414Database Administration3
IT 415Information Visualization3
IT 429Security Accreditation of Information Systems3
IT 431Web II: Advanced Web Development3
IT 442Cloud Infrastructure3
IT 445Advanced Networking Principles3
IT 451Cloud Services Management3
IT 455Wireless Communications and Networking3
IT 461Application Development in Cloud3
IT 462Applied Cyber Threat Analysis3
IT 466Foundations of Cryptography and Security3
IT 467Network Defense3
IT 471Big Data on Cloud Systems3
IT 481Cloud Security3
IT 484Voice Communications Technologies3
IT 488Fundamentals of Satellite Communications3