(Admission is contingent on final approval of the program by the CSU Chancellor's Office)
The Master of Science in Information Systems Technology (MSIST) prepares students for leadership positions in the areas of (1) Cybersecurity, and (2) business intelligence and information systems technology career tracks. The main objective is to graduate students who have the ability to identify and solve business problems, manage organizational risk, secure and manage computer network systems, ensure business continuity, design and implement data warehouses, and use business intelligence tools to collect, integrate, analyze, and use analytics tools to mine big data for the purpose of supporting managerial decision making at all control levels-frontline, managerial, and strategic. Graduates of both career tracks are able to use their analytics knowledge to fully exploit the opportunities provided by big data, i.e. nurture data-based, evidence-driven organizations. Specific positions for the cybersecurity career track include information security analyst, security manager, forensics manager, computer network analyst, database administrator, and computer network architect. Specific positions for the business intelligence and information systems technology career track include management analyst, business intelligence analysts, computer system analysts, business continuity planners, research analysts, IT project managers, and business application managers. The cybersecurity and in business intelligence and information technology career paths can also lead to strategic positions such as Chief Information Officer, Chief Information Security Officer, Chief Analytics Officer, Chief Data Officer, or Chief Business Architect. The program is open to all qualified students with a postbaccalaureate degree (major or minor) from an accredited college or university in any field. Students must have a keen interest in pursuing careers in cybersecurity, business intelligence, data analytics, and information systems technology.