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B.S. Degree in Information Sciences and Technology (IST)
Laura Bauman, applying her IST background to aid people in speech technology.
Where do you want to go? Pick almost any field—manufacturing, health care, business and finance, education, aerospace, biotechnology, government—and you’ll find that IST can help you get there.
You could work for an aerospace company developing next generation remote imaging satellites, or lead a hospital team creating a handheld system to deliver patient information to doctors as they do their rounds. You could start a company that produces video games and simulations, or help write new government policies so the underprivileged have better Internet access—the choice is yours.
You could work for an aerospace company developing next generation remote imaging satellites, or lead a hospital team creating a handheld system to deliver patient information to doctors as they do their rounds. You could start a company that produces video games and simulations, or help write new government policies so the underprivileged have better Internet access—the choice is yours.
IST Program
You’ll begin with a broad introduction to the information age, then jump into subjects like database technology and network management, to name a few. From there, you’re off and running—learning about leadership, project management, and how technology shapes our world.
Simply put, our IST program teaches you how to problem-solve using information technology.
Simply put, our IST program teaches you how to problem-solve using information technology.
IST Curriculum
- Databases
- Emerging Technologies
- Foreign Languages and Cultures
- Human–Computer Interaction
- Information Policy and Regulation
- Information Systems Design
- Integration of IT
- IT Consulting
- Mathematics
- Networks
- Organizations and Information
- Programming
- Project Management
- Security
What You Can Be
These are just a few of the many positions which you could qualify for with a degree in Information Sciences and Technology:
- Business analysis consultant
- Geospatial analyst
- Information systems engineer
- IT threat and vulnerability manager
- Submarine warfare officer
- Technology analyst
Employment Outlook
Find out from our alumni where a degree in IST can take you.
IST Courses
Below is a list of the five courses that each student in the IST major must complete by the end of the sophomore year in order to officially enter into the major.
Customizing Your Degree to Meet Your Needs
Once you have satisfied the basic requirements of your major, you will be able to specialize in one of the following IST options:
- Information Systems: Design and Development: This option focuses on expanding the skills needed to develop advanced information technology systems using state-of-the-art tools and techniques. This option is most focused on the design and development of different technologies and could lead to a career with Microsoft, IBM, Dell or another company that creates new technologies.
- Information Technology: Integration and Application: This option will prepare you to use information technology to realize a variety of system-based goals (such as reliability, accessibility, and efficiency). This option is more balanced blend of technology and people skills. Many students in this optin seek careers in an area called consulting.
- Information Context: People, Organizations, and Society: This option focuses on how information technology affects social change and the delivery of information to the consumer. This option is the one most focused on people and how they are affected by technology and how they affect the use and design of technology.
Find Out More
If you have questions or would like to schedule a personal visit to tour our college, please call 866-225-8707 (toll-free) or e-mail FutureStudents
ist.psu.edu.
ist.psu.edu.