Master of Science (MS) - IT Project Management - DePaul 

Master of Science (MS) - IT Project Management - DePaul

The Master of Science in IT Project Management is for working professionals who have either a technology undergraduate degree or two years of IT work experience and wish to advance their careers by filling the growing need for IT project managers.
 

MS in Information Technology Project Management 2009


The MS in IT Project Management is intended for graduate students who wish to prepare for careers leading and managing IT project teams. The lack of project and program management skills has long been known to be a major factor in IT project failures.

Over the past decade, it has become apparent that placing individuals with strong training in the breadth of project management skills significantly improves the likelihood of bringing an IT project in successfully on time, and on budget.

This growing awareness is leading to increased demand for skilled IT project and program managers. But demand for these skills currently outstrips the supply of qualified candidates.

This is a high-level program preparing graduates for mid to high level project and program management positions. Core IT skills are assumed. Students focus on leveraging those skills to build leadership practices that enable quality work.


What Students Learn From This Program

  • In-depth knowledge of project management skills, including risk management, procurement and contract management, time and cost estimating, controlling and tracking techniques (scope statements, work breakdown structures, Gantt, PERT, etc.); and IT testing, quality assurance, and control.
  • Familiarity with those elements of human resource management that are key to project management success, such as team building, motivating, communicating through traditional and electronic means, negotiating and influencing, coordinating, and managing organizational change.
  • Basic general knowledge of business systems and processes, including knowledge of introductory accounting and the basics of cost accounting as applied in IT project management.
  • Ability to effectively use common project management software packages.
  • Familiarity with program management and the skills to mitigate risk across a portfolio of projects.

Grade and GPA requirements


Grades: Students must receive a grade of C- or better all other courses.

GPA: Students must maintain a graduate level GPA of 2.50 or higher while pursuing their degree. Students will not be approved for graduation with less than a 2.50 GPA. Students with a GPA of 3.90 or higher will graduate with distinction.


Program Requirements 2009


To view Graduate Program Requirements for previous years click here.
M.S. in IT Management 2009
Master of Science in IT Project Management 2009
 
Prerequisite Courses

Unlike other CDM graduate programs that admit students regardless of technical background, the MS in IT Project Management is designed for students who possess a Bachelor’s degree or significant work experience in an IT related area. Examples of such areas include (but are not limited to) CIS, IS, MIS, ECE, Networking. Students whose undergraduate degree is in an unrelated area will be required to produce evidence of at least two years of responsible work experience as a computer programmer, systems analyst, business analyst, or similar position where the workload is primarily centered on Information Technology and the student had significant exposure to the system development process.
This requirement for an IT undergraduate degree or prior work experience is unique among CDM Master’s degrees, and is based in the fact that IT professionals are expected to have knowledge in the IT field before moving into project management positions.
  • Foundation courses (24 quarter hours)
  • Electives (24 quarter hours)
  • Capstone course (4 quarter hours)
Foundation Courses (6)
Offered Fall 
In classOnline 
     PM 430 Fundamentals of IT Project Management  or 
     IS 430 Fundamentals of IT Project Management   
     PM 440 Collaborative Technology for Leading Projects  or 
     IS 440 Collaborative Technologies for Leading Projects   
     PM 535 Information Technology Investment Financial Analysis  or 
     IS 535 Information Technology Investment Financial Analysis   
     PM 556 Enterprise Project Management  or 
     IS 556 Enterprise Project Management   
         PM 570 Enterprise System Implementation  or 
         IS 570 Enterprise System Implementation.   
     MGT 500 Managing for Effective and Ethical Organizational Behavior   
 
Elective Courses

Twenty-four quarter hours are required from the following list, with a minimum of twelve of these quarter hours taken from CDM. These electives cover a broad range of technical, managerial, and information systems topics. Students should work closely with their advisor to identify and select courses most directly associated with their career plans.

CDM Electives (all four quarter hours)
Offered Fall 
In classOnline 
     IS 433 Information Security Management   
         IS 456 Knowledge Management Systems   
         IS 483 Information Services and Operations   
     IS 505 Business Continuity and Disaster Recovery   
     IS 533 Enterprise Security Infrastructure Controls and Regulatory Compliance   
         IS 540 Global Information Technology   
     IS 560 Enterprise Systems   
         IS 565 IT Outsourcing   
         IS 578 Information Technology Consulting   
     SE 425 Principles and Practices of Software Engineering  * 
         SE 427 Software Quality Management   
     SE 430 Object Oriented Modeling  * 
         SE 468 Software Measurement/Project Estimation   
     SE 470 Software Development Processes   
         SE 482 Requirements Engineering   
         SE 529 Software Risk Management   
 
Note: Courses marked with an * are the more technical electives, and require two courses of object oriented coding, or consent of the instructor.

Kellstadt Electives (all four quarter hours)
Offered Fall 
In classOnline 
     ACC 500 Financial Accounting   
     ACC 555 Management Accounting for Decision-Making   
     MGT 500 Managing for Effective and Ethical Organizational Behavior   
       MGT 530 Leadership in Organizations   
     MGT 555 Strategic Management of Human Resources   
         MGT 562 Resolving Conflict in Organizations   
       MGT 563 Negotiation Skills   
         MGT 565 Employment Law Prerequisite   
 
SNL Electives (3 quarter hours)
Offered Fall 
In classOnline 
       SNL 745 Improving Interpersonal Dynamics   
       SNL 755 Valuing Human Differences Seminar   
         SNL 765 Engaging Ethical Reasoning Seminar   
 
SNL Special Topics (1 quarter hour)
Offered Fall 
In classOnline 
       SNL 745 Improving Interpersonal Dynamics   
       SNL 755 Valuing Human Differences Seminar   
         SNL 765 Engaging Ethical Reasoning Seminar   
       SNL 598 Special Topics   
 
These seminars meet each quarter. Current and relevant topics are explored. Examples of recent Special Topics seminars include: Knowledge Management, After-Action Reviews, National Security and the "Database Problem," E-commerce: Back to Basics, Reflective Practice, The Technology Behind Everyday Interactions, and Innovative Processes.

Capstone (4 Quarter Hours)
Offered Fall 
In classOnline 
         PM 577 Project Management Practicum Capstone   
 
All courses in degree
 
  • ACC 500 Financial Accounting
  • ACC 555 Management Accounting for Decision-Making
  • IS 430 Fundamentals of IT Project Management
  • IS 433 Information Security Management
  • IS 440 Collaborative Technologies for Leading Projects
  • IS 456 Knowledge Management Systems
  • IS 483 Information Services and Operations
  • IS 505 Business Continuity and Disaster Recovery
  • IS 533 Enterprise Security Infrastructure Controls and Regulatory Compliance
  • IS 535 Information Technology Investment Financial Analysis
  • IS 540 Global Information Technology
  • IS 556 Enterprise Project Management
  • IS 560 Enterprise Systems
  • IS 565 IT Outsourcing
  • IS 570 Enterprise System Implementation.
  • IS 578 Information Technology Consulting
  • MGT 500 Managing for Effective and Ethical Organizational Behavior
  • MGT 530 Leadership in Organizations
  • MGT 555 Strategic Management of Human Resources
  • MGT 562 Resolving Conflict in Organizations
  • MGT 563 Negotiation Skills
  • MGT 565 Employment Law Prerequisite
  • PM 430 Fundamentals of IT Project Management
  • PM 440 Collaborative Technology for Leading Projects
  • PM 535 Information Technology Investment Financial Analysis
  • PM 556 Enterprise Project Management
  • PM 570 Enterprise System Implementation
  • PM 577 Project Management Practicum Capstone
  • SE 425 Principles and Practices of Software Engineering
  • SE 427 Software Quality Management
  • SE 430 Object Oriented Modeling
  • SE 468 Software Measurement/Project Estimation
  • SE 470 Software Development Processes
  • SE 482 Requirements Engineering
  • SE 529 Software Risk Management
  • SNL 598 Special Topics
  • SNL 745 Improving Interpersonal Dynamics
  • SNL 755 Valuing Human Differences Seminar
  • SNL 765 Engaging Ethical Reasoning Seminar
 
Career Options: 

The CIO Executive Council has identified project management as one of the top five critical skills for senior management, and as a critical or high priority skill for middle management and technical staff. 

Foote Partners Consulting predicts by 2010 project management will be one on the shortlist of “hot jobs” in IT. 

The Gartner Group projects the supply of master project managers to be inadequate to meet demand, driving up asking salaries for those with skills and experience.