With an expanding need for technology leaders in South Florida, FIU Business has created two new specialty tracks for its Master of Science in Information Systems: Business Analytics and Business Cybersecurity.
The Master of Science track in Business Analytics is currently admitting students to its first cohort, to start in Fall 2019. It is offered by the Department of Information Systems and Business Analytics (ISBA), which currently offers a 12-month masters degree in information systems in an accelerated hybrid format, with both online and in-person Saturday classes.
In addition to its core courses in information systems security, database management and other areas, the Analytics track will include courses in data warehousing, business analytics applications and data visualization and reporting. Offered in a 14-month hybrid program, in-person on Saturdays and online, the cohort will be capped at 40 students.
The Analytics track leverages the ISBA department’s growing reputation for faculty expertise in business analytics. In addition to their research, members frequently serve as consultants through the ATOM Think Tank, FIU’s first faculty consulting practice, which works with small businesses to map out solutions to technology and data challenges.
Karlene Cousins, chair of the ISBA department, noted that many students in the master’s program were pursuing careers in business analytics and expressed a desire for a degreed concentration in analytics.
“We wanted to grow our program so that students would receive their recognition and certification in a more formal way,” she said.
“Students will not only benefit from learning from the experts, but they will be offered experiential opportunities to analyze real company data and interact with corporate business analytics executives,” Cousins said. With experience in real-world data analysis, “they will be ready to step into roles as business analytics professionals from Day One on the job,” she said.
The Business Cybersecurity track, a 14-month program, will be offered for the first time in spring 2020. Courses specific to that track include security risk management and organization cyber resilience, and ethical hacking for business, along with two other offerings. The cybersecurity specialty will prepare students for careers as information security administrators, security managers and chief information security officers, a growing c-level role.
“There is a great need for cybersecurity professionals in South Florida,” Cousins said. “Looking at the demographics, we found that many experienced professionals in the area don’t have the educational qualifications for upward mobility. We designed a program to facilitate and accelerate credentialing of that expertise.”
FIU has designated cybersecurity as an emerging preeminent program, with demonstrated potential for designation by the university as a collaborative endeavor that demonstrates extraordinary success in providing unique learning opportunities, pioneering research and engagement while expanding FIU’s financial base.
For more information about FIU Business’ Master of Science in Information Systems programs, visit the website.
