Prospective Students

Why Information Technology Management?

Information technology management was unheard of 25 years ago in most business circles. The person who was in charge of the computer was just that — the person who ran the computer.

Yet a lot has changed in technology and continues to do so at break neck speed. Change is occurring at unprecedented levels and requires people who are familiar with and have experience with information technology management to take care of such things on an ongoing and up-to-date basis.

This changing environment in the workforce has led UW-Stout’s Telecommunications Systems program to change not only its focus, but its name as well. The program is now called Information Technology Management, and the focus has switched from telephone systems to computer networking.

“This program provides management as well as technical skills, and employers want both aspects now when looking at possible employees,” said Steve Schlough , director of the Information Technology Management program. “The program has progressed to have a technical focus on computer networks and digital converge and added credits in computer science. The program prepares gradates for positions such as network systems analysts.”.”

Information technology has dramatically changed how businesses operate. It has affected business processes, organizational structure, decision-making, and the society as a whole. At the same time, technology is changing rapidly and becoming even more complex. Managers must understand the technology, trends, and business value and implications.

The new focus of the UW-Stout program is designed to introduce students to the information technology used in modern organizations. It is designed to provide an understanding of information technology, practical experience in its use, and management perspectives on its utilization in organizations.

While the focus of the program has shifted, many of the credits taken within the program have remained the same. In all, 41 general education credits, 24 management credits, 44 technical credits, and 11 elective credits will give a student a total of 120 credits upon graduation from the program. Certain courses such as Principles of Management are now required, while other courses have been moved to elective credits.

The name change reflects this repositioning of the focus of the program.
“In the fall of 2003 we looked over everything associated with the program, and we came up with the new name of the program because it’s the most understandable and best describes the broad scope of the program,” said Schlough.

Employment of computer support specialists and systems administrators is expected to increase faster than the average for all occupations through 2012, as organizations continue to adopt and integrate increasingly sophisticated technology. Employers of these positions range from startup companies to established industry leaders. With the continued development of the Internet, industries not typically associated with computers — such as construction —increasingly need computer-related workers.

The Information Technology Management program at UW-Stout has a history, but now is moving more toward preparing students for these Internet-related positions to accommodate not only the students, but the job market as well.

For more information on the Information Technology Management program at UW-Stout, please call program director Renee Gunderson at (715) 232-5635, or contact her by e-mail at gundersonr@uwstout.edu