Associate of Science in Information Technology

Associate of Science in Information Technology Overview

As more and more companies and organizations integrate sophisticated technologies into every facet of their operations, the demand for qualified professionals to develop and manage these systems will continue to grow. If you have a flair for computing and a desire to pursue a career in this field, consider an IT degree. Enroll in the South University Associate of Science in Information Technology (IT) online program.

Students who participate in this IT program will have the opportunity to learn the fundamentals of IT and gain the knowledge and capabilities that corporations and organizations are searching for. Our experienced faculty can teach you the skills that will resonate within the real world.

The online AS in Information Technology offers students access to an industry-related, application-oriented educational program focused in:

• Database Design and Development
• Client-Server 3-Tier Development
• Web/Internet Software Development
• Object-Oriented Program Design and Modeling

Graduates receiving information technology degrees from our Associate's IT program will be prepared to pursue entry-level IT positions in virtually any sector, including business, healthcare, finance, government, and education.

Employment Opportunities

"Employment of computer support specialists and systems administrators is expected to increase by 18 percent from 2006 to 2016, which is much faster than the average for all occupations. In addition, this occupation is expected to add 155,000 jobs over the projection decade. Job prospects should be best for college graduates who possess the latest technological skills, particularly graduates who have supplemented their formal education with relevant work experience."

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2008-09 Edition, Computer Support Specialists and Systems Administrators, on the Internet at http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos268.htm.

Academic Requirements

To be admitted to the Associate of Science in Information Technology program online at South University, the prospective student must be a high school graduate OR have the equivalent GED (General Education Development certificate).

After meeting this qualification, applicants must:

1. Achieve a satisfactory score on either the SAT I, the ACT, or the CPTs OR
2. Meet the eligibility requirements for a transfer student.

Getting Started

Set a course for your own career growth by enrolling in our Information Technology associate's degree online program. Click here to get started.

Associate of Science in Information Technology - 92 Total Hours

Students pursuing the Associate of Science in Information Technology degree are required to take a total of 23 courses as follows:

• 17 foundation courses - 68 credits
• 6 major courses - 24 credits

All courses are 4 quarter credits in length.

Foundation Curriculum - 68 Credits
Students are required to take 17 foundation courses as follows:

ACC1001 - Accounting I

ACC1001 is the first of a three-course sequence focusing on how stakeholders rely upon accounting information to assist them in their decision making activities. ACC1001 introduces accounting as the "language of business"—the tool used to communicate the effects of an organization's business activities on its income, financial position, and cash flows. The course provides an overview of the financial accounting system, including: the role of accounting in business; the format, content, and use of financial statements; the impact of transactions on the financial statements; the regulatory environment of accounting; and the accounting standard-setting process.

Prerequisite(s): None.

Credits: 4

BIO1020 - Biology I

Principles of Biology I is the first in a two-course sequence in biology. The course introduces biology, scientific methods, biological chemistry, cells, energy for life, basic genetics, and biotechnology. The course also compares human and plant organization and function. The student will also complete writing assignments that will introduce the student to scientific literature.

Prerequisite(s): and ENG1001 Co/Pre-Requisite MAT0099

Credits: 4

BUS1101 - Introduction to Business

An introduction to business functions and their opportunities. Students will also be given information about resources available to them through a variety of sources, including the university.

Prerequisite(s): None.

Credits: 4

BUS2021 - Spreadsheet and Database Application

Prerequisite(s):

Credits: 4

BUS2023 - Business Communications

This course is designed to prepare students to organize and compose effective business correspondence and technical writing. The basic principles of writing and approaches for writing various types of communications are stressed.

Prerequisite(s): ENG1001

Credits: 4

ENG1001 - Composition I

Students will be introduced to college-level writing processes, including theme, composition, and research. Emphasis will be placed on refining individual skills, writing styles and voices, and on writing procedures. Selected readings in prose, drama, and poetry supplement the course and provide topics for discussion and writing assignments.

Prerequisite(s): ENG0099 or Exemption

Credits: 4

ENG1002 - Composition II / Literature

This course is designed to introduce the student to fiction, poetry, and drama and, through literary analysis and interpretation, to develop the life skills of critical thinking and written expression.

Prerequisite(s): ENG1001

Credits: 4

ENG2001 - Composition III

The goal of this course is to refine the student's reading, writing, and critical thinking skills. By analyzing ineffective arguments and constructing effective ones, the student will discover how ambiguity, evasiveness, vagueness, and obscurity weaken his or her credibility as a writer.

Prerequisite(s): ENG1001

Credits: 4

FIN2005 - Introduction to Finance

This course exposes the student to a wide range of important issues in managerial finance, including such topics as the role of finance in organizations and principles of financial analysis and control.

Prerequisite(s): ACC1001

Credits: 4

ITS1101 - Foundations of Information Technology

This course introduces students to Information Technology in a non-programming context and provides students with a solid foundation in computer organization, computer systems, operating systems, safety issues and technologies.

Prerequisite(s): None

Credits: 4

ITS1104 - Human-Computer Interface

This course introduces the current theories, methods, and issues in human-computer interaction. Topics such as usability and evaluation of computer interfaces; drama, narrative, and interface; interface and representation; and the politics of interface design will be covered. Students will develop a design project, using interactive designs appropriate for the client and/or target audience.

Prerequisite(s): ITS1101

Credits: 4

ITS1105 - Theory of Computation

This course introduces students to the foundations of computational theory.  Topics that will be covered include truth tables, Boolean logic, state-based computing, logic, computability, algorithms, and computational complexity.  This course will deliver the foundational information for further study of computer architecture and software engineering.

Prerequisite(s): ENG1002 ITS1101

Credits: 4

MAT1001 - Intermediate Algebra

Concepts of algebra including linear and quadratic equations, polynomials, exponents, logarithms and functions. Emphasis on graphical representations of functions. This course is designed to build an adequate background for the college-level mathematics, science and business courses.

Prerequisite(s): and ENG1001 Co/Pre-Requisite MAT0099 or Exemption

Credits: 4

MAT1500 - College Mathematics

College Mathematics covers the fundamentals of several areas of mathematics, including set theory, logic, geometry, graph theory, probability, and statistics.

Prerequisite(s): MAT0099

Credits: 4

MGT2037 - Principles of Management

The latest major approaches and techniques of management are studied, including planning, systems management, new organizational concepts, computer influence, controlling, and quantitative measurement.

Prerequisite(s): BUS1101

Credits: 4

UVC1000 - Strategies for Success

Designed to help entering students develop a more effective approach to college success, this course emphasizes positive self-evaluation, goal-setting, and motivation; practical skills of successful students; effective use of the library and the many sources of information available; and the concepts and tools of critical thinking, and their applications.

Prerequisite(s): None

Credits: 4

Social Science Elective - Choose One:

POL2076 - American Government

This course is an introduction to American politics and government, focusing on political processes and institutions and on contemporary political issues.

Prerequisite(s): ENG1002 or ENG2001 Co/Pre-Requisite

Credits: 4

PSY1001 - General Psychology

The fundamental questions guiding this course are relatively simple. In what ways are we all alike and in what ways are we different? And why? Although these questions may be simple, the answers, as we shall see, are complex, interconnected, and too often invisible to the untrained eye. Different families... different backgrounds...different sexes... different cultures...different ethnic groups...different ways of looking at things...different behaviors...different values—how are we to understand this incredible diversity of human experience so that we can navigate successfully in an increasingly chaotic and shrinking world? The intent of this course is to examine the psychological foundations underlying the identity of the "self," "identity" and "world view" in an effort to understand the differences that exist from culture to culture, from generation to generation, from family to family, from profession to profession, and from individual to individual.

Prerequisite(s): None

Credits: 4

SOC1001 - Introduction to Sociology

This course, a scientific study of human social activity, will provide the student with a new way of looking at the world. In learning about the sociological perspective, the student will be challenged to see the general in the particular, the strange in the familiar, and the importance of the global perspective.

Prerequisite(s): None

Credits: 4

Major Curriculum - 24 Credits
Students are required to take 6 major courses as follows:

ITS2103 - Networking Fundamentals

This course introduces students to the study of basic networking terminology, concepts, components (hardware) and basic network design. Investigation of functions required to operate computer communications networks will also be addressed.

Prerequisite(s): ITS1101

Credits: 4

ITS2104 - Programming Logic

This course introduces the beginning programmer to structured program logic without focusing on any particular language. Much emphasis is placed on developing sound programming techniques including flowcharting, modularization, and pseudo code.

Prerequisite(s):

Credits: 4

ITS2105 - Programming I

This course builds on the foundation developed in Programming Logic. Students are introduced to the elements of structured programming related components such as overall program design, constraints, variables, functions, procedures, logic and code control, error trapping, error handling, interactive coding techniques, etc

Prerequisite(s): ITS2104

Credits: 4

ITS2106 - Programming II

This course provides a more in-depth use of tools introduced in Programming I and introduces object-oriented programming (OOP), GUI, classes, libraries, overloading and inheritance. Introduction to object oriented programming techniques. Elementary data structures including lists, stacks, and queues. Dynamic storage allocation concepts. Interactive debugging techniques and use of recursion.

Prerequisite(s): ITS2105

Credits: 4

ITS2110 - Database Design & Development

This course introduces students to database basic concepts, conceptual data models with case studies, common data manipulation languages, logical data models, database design, normalization, facilities for database security/integrity, and applications.

Prerequisite(s): ITS1104 ITS2104

Credits: 4

ITS2111 - Multimedia Web Development

This course will provide a basic understanding of the methods and techniques of developing a simple to moderately complex Web site. Using the current standard Web page language, students will be instructed on creating and maintaining a Web site. After the foundation language has been established, the aid of an internet editor will be introduced. A second Web-based language will be included to further enhance the Web sites.

Prerequisite(s): ITS1101

Credits: 4

Software Requirements:

• Adobe Acrobat Professional
• Microsoft Office Professional
• Norton Antivirus
• Microsoft Project
• Microsoft Viseo
• Adobe Flash
• Adobe Photoshop
• Adobe Dreamweaver
• Visual Studio

Minimum Technology Requirements:

• PC: As a general guideline, students should not have computer specifications less than a Pentium III CPU, Windows XP with Service Pack 2, and 1 GB of RAM.

Internet Requirements:

56K or faster Internet connection is required for online courses, however broadband is strongly encouraged.

Web Browser Requirements:

PC: At least one of the following browsers with Java enabled:

• Internet Explorer 6.0 (supported)
• Internet Explorer 7.0 (recommended)
• Internet Explorer 5.5 (supported)
• Firefox 1.x (supported)
• Firefox 2.0 (recommended)
• Firefox 3.0 (supported)

Mac: At least one of the following browsers with Java enabled:

• Safari 3.0 (supported for OS X)
• Safari 2.0 (recommended for OS X)
• Safari 1.2 (supported for OS X)
• Firefox 1.x (supported)
• Firefox 2.0 (supported)
• Firefox 3.0 (supported)

Software may be purchased through JourneyEd.

Dr. Theodor Richardson

Dr. Theodor D. Richardson earned his Ph.D. in Computer Science and Engineering with a concentration in multimedia and image processing and a Master’s degree in Computer Science and Engineering at the University of South Carolina, as well as a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science and Mathematics from Bethany College in West Virginia. He has taught on ground as well as hybrid and online classes, and believes fundamentally in the value of quality education.

Prior to teaching, Dr. Richardson worked as a freelance web designer for eight years, lending his skills to companies like United States Steel. He has also received NSA Certification in Information Assurance and Security. In addition to reviewing books for Choice magazine on a regular basis, Dr. Richardson has published several conference and journal papers in the area of image and data visualization and has contributed several chapters to books on how to maintain data integrity on the web.

Dr. Richardson was appointed as Interim Chair of the Information Technology Department at South University in March of 2008, a position he currently holds.

Dr. Bruce Huang

Dr. Huang earned his Ph.D. in Applied Computer Science from Northcentral University, his MBA from the University of Dallas, and his Bachelor of Science in Computer Science from the University of Texas. He has been working in the information technology industry for over twenty-three years, in positions that range from executive management at Fortune 500 companies like IBM to entrepreneur at small startups that grew from zero to over $20 million in revenue before being acquired. Today Dr. Huang focuses on teaching graduate students and completing his books on technology and leadership.

Mrs. Ruth Roberman

Mrs. Roberman received her Master’s degree in Mathematics Education from Florida State University and her Bachelor’s degree in Business/Computer Science from Florida Southern College. She then took numerous graduate level mathematics and accounting courses and has taught both mathematics and accounting at the college level.

Before working with college students, Mrs. Roberman taught high school mathematics, managed the books for a law office, and was the education director of a learning center. Teaching online at South University is by far her favorite job because she gets to help adult learners with a subject she enjoys, and she also gets to work with a great team. Many of her students are fearful of mathematics, and Mrs. Roberman likes helping them conquer their fears. She sees mathematics as puzzles to be solved, and believes that logical ability and step-by-step thinking are important for every South University graduate.