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Information Sciences and Technology

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University Park, College of Information Sciences and Technology (ISTBS)

Not all options are available at every campus. Contact the campus you are interested in attending to determine which options are offered.

PROFESSOR HENRY C. FOLEY, Program Coordinator

This major is structured to provide students with the theoretical frameworks and skill sets necessary to compete and be productive in the information technology-intensive global context that defines the new "Information Age." Specifically, the degree will be focused on a program that will build an understanding of core information technologies and related areas of study; will prepare students for the practical application of various information sciences and related technologies; and engage students in sharpening their abilities to think critically and to work in teams. All this will be done with considerable interdisciplinary integration in order to expose students to the cognitive, social, institutional, and global environments of IST. Team projects in most courses, a required internship, and a senior capstone experience provide additional, focused venues for involving students in the cutting-edge issues and technologies of the field.

INFORMATION SYSTEMS: DESIGN & DEVELOPMENT OPTION: This option is focused on expanding the skills needed to develop advanced information technology systems using state-of-the-art tools and techniques. The emphasis is on providing the student with both knowledge in the design, implementation, testing and evolution of complex software systems as well as a set of project-oriented, team-programming experiences.

INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY: INTEGRATION & APPLICATION OPTION: This option is designed to prepare students to use information technology to realize a variety of system-based goals (e.g., reliability, accessibility, efficiency, etc.). It is focused on developing a theoretical foundation and the skill set needed for integrating information technology into different systems for the purpose of enhancing system performance. The emphasis is on providing the student with both the theoretical frameworks needed to use information technology as a system attribute as well as a set of application-oriented experiences and skills.

INFORMATION CONTEXT: PEOPLE, ORGANIZATIONS, AND SOCIETY OPTION: This option focuses on how information technology affects social change and the delivery of information to the consumer. This includes the human-machine interface; organization and retrieval of information; digital libraries; information and telecommunications services; information and media industry structures; software services and intermediaries; telecommunications and information law and policy; sociological aspects of technology change; multimedia; and art, design, and aesthetics.

Entrance Requirements: To be eligible for entrance to the Information Sciences and Technology (ISTBS) major, students must:

be taking, or have taken, a program appropriate for entry to the major as shown in the Bulletin, including approximately 60 credits of course work.
have completed the following entrance-to-major requirements with grades of C or better in each: IST 110(3); IST 210(4); and IST 220(3). These courses must be completed by the end of the semester during which the entrance-to-major procedure is carried out.
have achieved a minimum cumulative grade point average of 2.00 prior to and through the end of the semester during which the entrance-to-major procedure is carried out.

For the B.S. degree in Information Sciences and Technology, a minimum of 125 credits is required.

Scheduling Recommendation by Semester Standing given like (Sem: 1-2)

GENERAL EDUCATION: 45 credits
(12 credits are included in the REQUIREMENTS FOR THE MAJOR)
(See description of General Education in front of the Bulletin.)

FIRST-YEAR SEMINAR:
(Included in ELECTIVES or GENERAL EDUCATION course selection)

UNITED STATES CULTURES AND INTERNATIONAL CULTURES:
(Included in REQUIREMENTS FOR THE MAJOR)

WRITING ACROSS THE CURRICULUM:
(Included in REQUIREMENTS FOR THE MAJOR)

ELECTIVES: 7 credits

REQUIREMENTS FOR THE MAJOR: 85 credits
(This includes 12 credits of General Education courses: 6 credits of GQ courses; 3 credits of GS courses; and 3 credits of GWS courses.)

COMMON REQUIREMENTS FOR THE MAJOR (ALL OPTIONS): 64 credits

PRESCRIBED COURSES (33 credits)
CMPSC 101 GQ(3)[1], IST 110 GS(3)[1], IST 210(4)[1], IST 220(3)[1], IST 230(3)[1], IST 240(3)[1] (Sem: 1-4)
STAT 200 GQ(4) (Sem: 3-6)
IST 495(1)[1] (Sem: 3-8)
IST 301(3)[1], IST 331(3)[1] (Sem: 5-8)
IST 440W(3)[1] (Sem: 7-8)

ADDITIONAL COURSES (10 credits)
ECON 002 GS(3), ECON 004 GS(3), or ECON 014 GS(3) (Sem: 1-4)
ENGL 202C GWS(3) or ENGL 202D GWS(3) (Sem: 1-4)
MATH 110 GQ(4) or MATH 140 GQ(4) (Sem: 1-4)

SUPPORTING COURSES AND RELATED AREAS (21 credits)
Attainment of third-level proficiency in a single foreign language (12 credits). Proficiency must be demonstrated by either examination or course work. See the admission section of the general information in this Bulletin for the placement policy for Penn State foreign language courses. (Sem: 1-4)
Select 6 credits of international courses in foreign culture from College-approved list (Sem: 5-8)
Select 3 credits[1] at the 400 level in emerging issues and technologies from College-approved list (Sem: 5-8)

REQUIREMENTS FOR THE OPTION: 21 credits

INFORMATION SYSTEMS: DESIGN & DEVELOPMENT OPTION: 21 credits

PRESCRIBED COURSES (3 credits)[1]
IST 311(3) (Sem: 5-8)

ADDITIONAL COURSES (6 credits)[1]
Select 6 credits from IST 411(3), IST 412(3), or IST 413(3) (Sem: 5-8)

SUPPORTING COURSES AND RELATED AREAS (12 credits)
Select 12 credits from College-approved list (Sem: 5-8)

INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY: INTEGRATION & APPLICATION OPTION: 21 credits

PRESCRIBED COURSES (9 credits)[1]
IST 302(3), IST 420(3), IST 421(3) (Sem: 5-8)

SUPPORTING COURSES AND RELATED AREAS (12 credits)
Select 12 credits from College-approved list (Sem: 5-8)

INFORMATION CONTEXT: PEOPLE, ORGANIZATIONS, AND SOCIETY OPTION: 21 credits

PRESCRIBED COURSES (6 credits)[1]
IST 431(3) and IST 432(3) (Sem: 5-8)

ADDITIONAL COURSES (3 credits)[1]
IST 302(3) or IST 413(3) (Sem: 1-4)

SUPPORTING COURSES AND RELATED AREAS (12 credits)
Select 12 credits from College-approved list (Sem: 5-8)

[1] A student enrolled in this major must receive a grade of C or better, as specified in Senate Policy 82-44.

Last Revised by the Department: Summer Session 2009

Blue Sheet Item #: 37-06-049

Review Date: 4/14/09

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This is the official bulletin of The Pennsylvania State University. Programmatic expectations for General Education are those in effect at the time of admission to degree candidacy, and college and major requirements are those in effect at the time of entry to college and major. These are accurately indicated in each student's degree audit.

The University reserves the right to change the requirements and regulations listed here and to determine whether a student has satisfactorily met its requirements for admission or graduation, and to reject any applicant for any reason the University determines to be material to the applicant's qualifications to pursue higher education. Nothing in this material should be considered a guarantee that completion of a program and graduation from the University will result in employment.

The University Faculty Senate has responsibility for and authority over all academic information contained in the Undergraduate Bulletin.