Image
Man sitting in front of computer monitors

Information Technology - A.A.B.

Advance your career in IT with Kent State's A.A.B. in Information Technology. With a blend of technical and business skills, this program prepares you for a range of IT roles. From cybersecurity to software development, the Information Technology program has you covered. Enroll now and take the first step towards a rewarding career.

Contact Us

Susan Hoffman | Assistant Professor | Information Technology
Phone: 330-339-3391
Email: schoffma@kent.edu

Apply Now
Visit Campus

Apply Now
Request Info
Schedule a Visit

Associate's Degree in Information Technology

The Associate of Applied Business degree in Information Technology provides students with a core curriculum of programming, operating systems and networks, website development, hardware, security fundamentals, and workgroup productivity technologies.

Program Information for Information Technology - A.A.B.

Program Description

Program Description

Full Description

The Associate of Applied Business degree in Information Technology provides students with a core curriculum of programming, operating systems and networks, website development, hardware, security fundamentals, and workgroup productivity technologies.

The degree program articulates to the Bachelor of Science in Information Technology degree and the certificate in Computer Forensics and Information Security.

The Information Technology major comprises the following concentrations:

  • The Application Development Technology concentration prepares students for various professional certifications and positions such as computer programmer/application developer using industry-standard languages and technologies.
  • The General Technology concentration prepares students for various professional certifications and entry-level positions in which the computer staff are expected to perform a wide variety of technical duties.
  • The Network Technology concentration prepares students for various professional certifications and positions in tech support and networking including the design, installation, and improvement of computer networks and related hardware/software.
  • The Web Development concentration prepares students for various professional certifications and positions in web development, social media and digital media.

Admissions for Information Technology - A.A.B.

Admissions

Admission Requirements

The university affirmatively strives to provide educational opportunities and access to students with varied backgrounds, those with special talents and adult students who graduated from high school three or more years ago.

Kent State campuses at Ashtabula, East Liverpool, Geauga, Salem, Stark, Trumbull and Tuscarawas, and the Twinsburg Academic Center, have open enrollment admission for students who hold a high school diploma, GED or equivalent.

Some programs may require that students meet certain requirements before progressing through the program. For programs with progression requirements, the information is shown on the Coursework tab.

International Students: All international students must provide proof of English language proficiency (unless they meet specific exceptions to waive) by earning a minimum 71 TOEFL iBT score, minimum 6.0 IELTS score, minimum 47 PTE score or minimum 100 DET score, or by completing the ELS level 112 Intensive English Program. For more information on international admission visit the admissions website for international students.

For more information on admissions, contact the Regional Campuses admissions offices.

Learning Outcomes

Learning Outcomes

Program Learning Outcomes

Graduates of this program will be able to:

  1. Demonstrate core IT competency in networking and convergence; servers, storage and virtualization; client computing and user support; digital media and immersive technology; database and information management; and programming and application development.
  2. Function effectively as a member of a diverse team to accomplish common goals.
  3. Read and interpret technical information, as well as listen effectively to, communicate orally with, and write clearly for a wide range of audiences.
  4. Engage in continuous learning as well as research and assess new ideas and information to provide the capabilities for lifelong learning.
  5. Exhibit professional, legal and ethical behavior.
  6. Demonstrate business awareness and workplace effectiveness.

Coursework

Program Requirements

Major Requirements

Major Requirements (courses count in major GPA)
IT 11004SURVEY OF INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY 3
IT 11005INTRODUCTION TO OPERATING SYSTEMS AND NETWORKING TECHNOLOGY 3
IT 11006INTRODUCTION TO WEB SITE TECHNOLOGY 3
IT 11009COMPUTER ASSEMBLY AND CONFIGURATION 3
IT 12000INTERMEDIATE OFFICE PRODUCTIVITY APPS 3
IT 13000APPLIED SECURITY ESSENTIALS 3
IT 15000FUNDAMENTALS OF PROGRAMMING FOR INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY 3
IT 21002NETWORK SETUP AND CONFIGURATION 3
IT 21003SYSTEM ADMINISTRATION FOR INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY PROFESSIONALS 3
IT 21007CYBER ETHICS IN INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY 3
IT 21009SEMINAR IN INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY 3
IT 21010WORKGROUP PRODUCTIVITY SOFTWARE 3
Additional Requirements (courses do not count in major GPA)
UC 10001FLASHES 101 1
Kent Core Composition3
Kent Core Mathematics and Critical Reasoning3
Kent Core Humanities and Fine Arts3
Kent Core Social Sciences3
Kent Core Basic Sciences3
Concentrations
Choose from the following:9
Minimum Total Credit Hours:61

Application Development Technology Concentration Requirements

Concentration Requirements (courses count in major GPA)
IT 20030VISUAL AND OBJECT-ORIENTED PROGRAMMING IN INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY 3
IT 21006DATABASE PROGRAMMING 3
IT 21036WEB SCRIPTING I 3
Minimum Total Credit Hours:9

General Technology Concentration Requirements

Concentration Requirements (courses count in major GPA)
Information Technology (IT) Electives9
Minimum Total Credit Hours:9

Network Technology Concentration Requirements

Concentration Requirements (courses count in major GPA)
Information Technology (IT) Elective3
Concentration Electives, choose from the following:6
IT 21100
LOCAL AREA NETWORK TROUBLESHOOTING
IT 21110
NETWORK ROUTING AND SWITCHING
IT 21200
ETHICAL HACKING
Minimum Total Credit Hours:9

Web Development Concentration Requirements

Concentration Requirements (courses count in major GPA)
IT 21006DATABASE PROGRAMMING 3
IT 21011TECHNIQUES OF MULTIMEDIA WEB DESIGN 3
IT 21037WEB SCRIPTING 3
Minimum Total Credit Hours:9

Graduation Requirements

Minimum Major GPA Minimum Overall GPA
2.000 2.000
Roadmap

Roadmap

Roadmap

This roadmap is a recommended semester-by-semester plan of study for this program. Students will work with their advisor to develop a sequence based on their academic goals and history. Courses designated as critical (!) must be completed in the semester listed to ensure a timely graduation.

Plan of Study Grid
Semester OneCredits
!IT 11004 SURVEY OF INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY 3
!IT 11005 INTRODUCTION TO OPERATING SYSTEMS AND NETWORKING TECHNOLOGY 3
IT 11006 INTRODUCTION TO WEB SITE TECHNOLOGY 3
IT 12000 INTERMEDIATE OFFICE PRODUCTIVITY APPS 3
UC 10001 FLASHES 101 1
Kent Core Requirement 3
 Credit Hours16
Semester Two
!IT 11009 COMPUTER ASSEMBLY AND CONFIGURATION 3
IT 13000 APPLIED SECURITY ESSENTIALS 3
IT 15000 FUNDAMENTALS OF PROGRAMMING FOR INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY 3
IT 21007 CYBER ETHICS IN INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY 3
Kent Core Requirement 3
 Credit Hours15
Semester Three
!IT 21002 NETWORK SETUP AND CONFIGURATION 3
IT 21003 SYSTEM ADMINISTRATION FOR INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY PROFESSIONALS 3
!IT 21010 WORKGROUP PRODUCTIVITY SOFTWARE 3
Concentration Requirement 3
Kent Core Requirement 3
 Credit Hours15
Semester Four
!IT 21009 SEMINAR IN INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY 3
Concentration Requirements 6
Kent Core Requirement 3
Kent Core Requirement 3
 Credit Hours15
 Minimum Total Credit Hours:61

Program Delivery

Program Delivery

  • Delivery:
    • Fully online

Examples of Possible Careers and Salaries for Information Technology - A.A.B.

Those who complete the Associate of Applied Business degree in Information Technology at Kent State University can benefit from specialized career opportunities in the associate of applied business in information technology industry.

Examples of Possible Careers

Computer user support specialists

  • 8.0% much faster than the average
  • 687,200 number of jobs
  • $52,690 potential earnings

Computer network support specialists

  • 6.4% faster than the average
  • 195,100 number of jobs
  • $65,450 potential earnings

Web developers and digital interface designers

  • 8.0% much faster than the average
  • 174,300 number of jobs
  • $77,200 potential earnings

Additional careers

  • Database support technician
  • IT support specialist

Concentration-specific careers

  • Application Development Technology
    • Application support analyst
    • Junior software developer
  • Network Technology
    • Network support specialist
    • Systems administrator
  • Web Development
    • Front-end developer
    • Web content manager

* Source of occupation titles and labor data comes from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics' Occupational Outlook Handbook. Data comprises projected percent change in employment over the next 10 years; nation-wide employment numbers; and the yearly median wage at which half of the workers in the occupation earned more than that amount and half earned less.

Notice: Career Information Source
* Source of occupation titles and labor data comes from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics' Occupational Outlook Handbook. Data comprises projected percent change in employment over the next 10 years; nation-wide employment numbers; and the yearly median wage at which half of the workers in the occupation earned more than that amount and half earned less.