The Design and Three-Year Review of an MS Program in Information Technology for Preparing Systems Integrators

This paper presents the design and three-year review of the MS program in Information Technology (MSIT) at Bentley College. The first class entered in 2001 and graduated in 2003. Using the details of this program as a case study, the paper illustrates how the MSIS 2000 model for graduate curriculum in information systems was adapted to develop a program whose goal is to prepare systems integrators and whose courses have an architect focus. The three-year program review assessed the original design goals and whether the program implementation achieved those goals in terms of its orientation and positioning, its market, its architecture, the content of its courses, students learning and satisfaction, and faculty role in the delivery of the curriculum. This case study can serve as a framework for self assessment. It should benefit faculty interested in building new programs or considering adjusting and tweaking their existing programs using the MSIS 2000 model curriculum as a frame of reference.