Curriculum 

Curriculum

The McIntire School at the University of Virginia has carefully developed a curriculum that addresses the needs of management and technical professionals who have IT budgetary, management, or decision-making responsibilities. The faculty reviews the curriculum continually, based on input from corporate sponsors, to ensure that the program is current and relevant.

The M.S. in MIT Program is based on a 30-credit-hour curriculum that integrates technical and business-related knowledge and skills. The curriculum is organized into a series of four lock-step modules. Each module focuses on helping students learn to deliver greater business value through IT knowledge.

Module I: IT Architecture (two-week residency)

Module Leader: Stefano Grazioli

Key Faculty: Stefano Grazioli, Karen Jansen, Mike Morris, Ryan Nelson, David G. Smith, Randy Smith, Barb Wixom

IT Architecture provides the technology foundation for the program. Key areas are covered at a level of detail appropriate for managers and include:

• Enterprise IT architectures
• Business process modeling
• Data modeling and database design
• Data communications and network design
• Object-oriented technologies
• IT security
• Web 2.0

MORE INFORMATION about Module I 

Module 2: IT Project Management

Module Leader: Ryan Nelson

Key Faculty: Tom Bateman, Rich DeMong, Mike Morris, Ryan Nelson, Susan Perry Williams

IT Project Management is designed to develop more effective project managers through its coverage of concepts, techniques, and technologies relevant to the manager of an IT project. At the end of the module, students will be able to:

• Apply principles of effective project management
• Understand rapid application development techniques
• Manage project lifecycles to ensure effective estimation and scheduling, staffing, budgeting, and activity-based costing
• Use more effective negotiating skills and effectively manage change

MORE INFORMATION about Module 2

Module 3: Enterprise IT Management 

Module Leader: Glenn Browne

Key Faculty: Glenn Browne, Peter Gray, Stefano Grazioli, Lynn Hamilton, Linda Pittenger, Randy Smith, Barb Wixom  

Enterprise IT Management examines the body of knowledge associated with managing the IT enterprise, including operations, enterprise systems, integration, business intelligence, and emerging IT. Students in the course will learn to:

• Manage portfolios of IT projects
• Effectively integrate information and operations across the enterprise
• Harness organizational information for more effective decision making
• Deliver a competitive advantage for organizations through effective use of IT

MORE INFORMATION about Module 3  

Module 4: Strategic Management

Module Leader: Peter Gray

Key Faculty: Tom Bateman, Rob Cross, Stefano Grazioli, Bob Kemp, Peter Maillet, Ryan Nelson, Rick Netemeyer, David C. Smith, Randy Smith 

Module 4 focuses on the creation of business value though IT. The module explores the transformational – sometimes disruptive – role of IT in business strategy and the challenges of managing technology and innovation in the networked era. The relationship between IT and strategy is examined from a variety of perspectives: finance, marketing, control and performance measurement, and leadership and human resources. Sample topics include:

• Strategic positioning and industry analysis
• Strategic management of technology and innovation
• IT strategy and the CIO
• IT governance
• Measurement of IT value
• Risk management
• Leadership

MORE INFORMATION about Module 4