University Corner: UMBC (University of Maryland, Baltimore County
Dr. Andrew Sears
Chair, Department of Information Systems
UMBC (University of Maryland, Baltimore County)
A: UMBC continues to be one of the largest producers of information technology students in the country. Our online master’s in information systems is becoming more popular amongst working IT professionals nationally and abroad. Our research-driven faculty and students examine, design, and evaluate information technologies for individuals and organizations, making our students true problem solvers and ideal employees for public and private sector organizations with significant IT requirements. Most research within the department fits into one of five core areas: artificial intelligence/knowledge management, database/data mining, decision- making support systems, human-centered computing, and software engineering.
UMBC’s Department of Information Systems offers a full array of programs including:
• B.S. in Information Systems
• B.A. in Business Technology Administration
• M.S. in Information Systems—on-campus and completely online
• M.S. in Human-Centered Computing
• Ph.D. in Information Systems
• Ph.D. in Human-Centered Computing
Q: Who are your students?
A: UMBC’s Information Systems students in general are a diverse population, working toward a degree that IT recruiters and HR professionals hold in high regard. Our master’s degree students tend to fall into one of three categories: (1) IT professionals in the private and public sector balancing busy work and domestic schedules who realize that this credential will help them accelerate their IT career, (2) working adults looking for a new career in the IT industry, or (3) individuals who recently completed their undergraduate studies and have decided to pursue a graduate degree before entering the workforce. Our online master’s students are much like their on-campus counterparts, except that they live and work in areas far from our campus and are more likely to be established IT professionals looking to take the next step in their careers.
Q: What benefits and services does your university provide to the student?
A: UMBC offers a full range of services that would be found at any public research university. Students in our online program receive advising, assistance with registration, access to UMBC’s library, and any other services that are needed either online or via the phone. For these students there are no fees, and books are included in the cost of tuition resulting in one simple tuition bill.
Q: What separates your university from others?
A: Many universities offer IT degrees and there are a growing number of universities offering online degrees. According to a recent report from the Computing Research Association, UMBC ranks in the top 10 for the number of undergraduate IT degrees awarded and in the top 20 for the number of IT Ph.D.s awarded. What distinguishes UMBC is that none of the institutions that grant more undergraduate degrees even make the list of the top 30 Ph.D.-producing institutions. This is what makes UMBC unique—the variety of degrees offered, the size of our programs, and our researchdriven faculty. This combination allows us to offer students a wide variety of courses that are informed by both current practice and the latest research.
Q: What unique advantages does your university offer to military customers?
A: Again, this is where our online master’s in Information Systems is highly beneficial. Military personnel currently enrolled in the program enjoy knowing that they can continue their studies no matter where in the world TDY or PCS assignments take them. For instance, some of our online students are active military personnel who are serving in countries such as Iraq and Russia. Flexibility with advanced education is a major consideration when you are balancing duty and family obligations. Our online master’s program will assist graduates in their career advancement whether in the military or eventually the civilian sector.
Q: What are the newest developments within your school that you think a military audience should know about?
A: Perhaps the most significant recent development is the introduction of new M.S. and Ph.D. programs in human-centered computing. Human-centered computing focuses on the design, implementation and evaluation of interactive information technology systems that are both usable and accessible. As a result, these degrees are interdisciplinary in nature, building on significant strengths within the Information Systems Department and incorporating coursework from both the Visual Arts and Psychology Departments.
Our faculty integrate their ongoing research into this curriculum, providing students with an opportunity to learn more about a wide variety of topics that are increasingly important given the role of IT in the military. Some of the areas of specialization include usability engineering, information visualization, collaborative applications, and mobile computing. One area of specialization can be particularly important for a variety of military applications—designing technology for use under challenging conditions—including situations where environment in which the interactions are occurring or the tasks in which an individual is engaged are particularly demanding. ♦
For more information, go to www.is.umbc.edu/