Doctor of Science in Information Technology (DScIT) General Information

The Doctor of Science in Information Technology is a unique collegiate program in the Middle Georgia region that fulfills MGA's mission to provide "high-quality programs connected to community needs." It will also help establish MGA as a leader for the "economic" life of central Georgia. The program is innovative and unique to the middle Georgia region and to the university system. The program’s interdisciplinary structure blends innovation, strategy, and technology to empower world-class organizations. An applied research project allows students to find solutions to complex information technology challenges.

The program aligns with and is complementary to Middle Georgia State College's ABET-accredited Bachelor of Science in Information Technology and the Master of Science in Information Technology housed in the Department of Information Technology. This program is uniquely positioned in Central Georgia to address the mission and to meet the needs of both the 21st-century student and employer. IT fuels the regional economy by producing top-quality graduates who will be successful in 21st-century careers. The D.Sc. program will help IT leaders progress to senior roles developing strategic operations for organizations worldwide.

The DSIT program requires students to complete 54 hours of graduate coursework. The program is cohort-based and admits students in the Fall. Admitted students can continue to work while completing their education, but there is no part-time track of the program.

Please call Graduate Admissions at 478.929.6865 for additional information or contact Dr. Vicky Sandoval in the School of Computing at 478.744.0327 or

 

Admission Requirements

To apply and view the required documents, go to the DscIT Graduate Admissions page.

 

Program of Study

The program of study is a cohort model (students begin and complete the program at the same time as one group), with all classes online, except for brief residencies at the beginning and end of the program. Ideally, students will complete the program in two years, with two short sessions each semester for a total of 54 hours. 

Students are responsible for the curriculum in the catalog for the year they matriculate, but if curricular changes are made after matriculation, the student may choose the new curriculum. Please see the Program of Study below:

Summer Semester (Year One)

ITEC 7000 Doctoral Seminar I (includes Residency #1; Term 1)

Fall Semester (Year One)

ITEC 7110 Research for Decision Making (Term 1)
ITEC 7200 Design Thinking & Innovation (Term 1)
ITEC 7210 Leading Disruptive Technology in Organizations (Term 2)
ITEC 7230 Information Technology Strategic Planning (Term 2)

Spring Semester (Year One)

ITEC 8100 Data Science & Analytics Strategy (Term 1)
ITEC 8110 Organizational Strategy for Cybersecurity Management (Term 1)
ITEC 8120 Information Technology Policy, Compliance, and Legal (Term 2)
ITEC 8130 Information Technology Project and Program Management (Term 2)

Summer Semester (Year One)

ITEC 7120 Statistical Analysis for Decision Making (full Summer Term)
ITEC 8140 Contemporary Issues in Information Technology (full Summer Term)

Fall Semester (Year Two)

ITEC 7130 Advanced Research for Decision Making (Term 1)
ITEC 7140 Qualitative Analysis for Decision Making (Term 1)
ITEC 7220 Leadership Development (Term 2)**
ITEC 7150 Research Design Proposal (Term 2)

** NOTE: This cour se requires students to participate in the Lyceum 360 Leadership Assessment in collaboration with the Leaders Lyceum . An assessment fee of $350.00 will be included at the time of registration. 

Spring Semester (Year Two)

ITEC 8900 Doctoral Research Project (Full Semester)
ITEC 8950 Doctoral Seminar II (Term 2 Session; Residency #2)

 

DScIT Research Repository

The DScIT Research Repository includes a repository of doctoral research papers. The research papers in this repository have been approved by the Graduate Faculty of the School of Computing at Middle Georgia University as partial fulfillment of the requirements for Doctorate degrees conferred by the University.

 

Do you want to know about Financial Aid?

The U.S. Department of Education (DOE) has approved Middle Georgia State University to offer financial aid for all its graduate degrees (which includes the DScIT starting in 2021). To begin your financial aid paperwork, please contact the Financial Aid Office. We also urge all prospective students to look into third-party (private) loans, which often have very competitive interest rates; educational support from your place of work; TAP approval from your University System of Georgia institution; and/or VA benefits separate from other funding sources. For VA benefits, please contact Carolyn Clark with the Registrar’s Office at 478.757.2681 or email her at . 

The total cost of the program will be approximately $20,000. We encourage all students to talk with their FA advisors about student loans and to familiarize themselves with the University System of Georgia’s initiatives on student debt at its Know More Borrow Less page: https://www.usg.edu/know_more_borrow_less/