Curriculum

Completion of the B.S. in Information Technology and Web Science requires a total of 128-130 credit hours, of which 36-38 credits constitute an ITWS Core and 32 credits are devoted to a concentration. The remaining credit hours fulfill Rensselaer degree requirements. The ITWS core requirements establish a solid foundation for applying ITWS to any discipline. The Rensselaer requirements ensure the degree’s breadth and its consistency with long-established Rensselaer traditions. The required concentration provides an opportunity for in-depth study of an ITWS application area. Concentration options include arts, communication and networks, law, management information systems, medicine, psychology, and numerous others. In consultation with a faculty adviser, students may also design their own concentration through the selection of courses that match their individual interests.

The specific requirements for the B.S. in Information Technology and Web Science are illustrated below.  Both a professional and research track are offered for the B.S. in ITWS degree.  For the research track, the capstone course is replaced with a two-semester thesis.

The requirements for the Bachelor of Science in Information Technology and Web Science degree are shown below.  Only Free Electives and HASS Electives may be taken with the Pass/No Credit option.

* The student selects either the three-course ECSE sequence or the three-course CSCI sequence. If a student is planning to apply to the co-terminal MS in IT program, they need to select the CSCI sequence.

** Co-terminal students would replace ITWS-4100 Information Technology and Web Science Capstone with ITWS-4980 Special Projects course which will be the culminating experience.

HASS Requirements
All students working toward a B.S. degree are required to take a selection of Humanities, Arts, and Social Science courses that is referred to as the HASS core. It consists of 24 credit hours or six courses distributed in such a way as to afford students a breadth of perspective across the various disciplines as well as a more in-depth experience in at least one area.  Distribution Requirements - To ensure that students have breadth in their core courses, students must select at least two courses (8 credit hours) from humanities and two courses (8 credit hours) of social sciences.  HASS interdisciplinary courses (IHSS) may be substituted for courses in either category.  To ensure that students have some depth in their HASS core, students must take at least two courses within a single area prefix (STSH and STSS can be counted as a single area), at least one of which is taken at an advanced level (above 1000). No course within the depth sequence may be taken as Pass/No Credit.  No more than three 1000-level HASS courses may be applied toward the HASS core requirement, no more than 6 credits may be taken as Pass/No credit and at least one course (4 credits) must be at the 4000 level.
Suggested 2000/4000 HASS Courses for ITWS Students
ARTS-2540     The Multimedia Century
COMM-4400  Cross-Cultural Graphics
COMM-4470  Information Design
COMM-4560  Media and Popular Culture
COMM-4710  Communication Design for the WWW
COMM-4770  User-Centered Design
COMM-4790  Social Impact of Electronic Media
COMM-4830  Organizational Communication
ECON-4140    Structure of Industry: Competition, Innovation, Entrepreneurship, Policy
ECON-4230    Environmental Economics
PHIL-4260      Philosophy of Artificial Intelligence
STSH-4210     Engineering Ethics
STSH-4510     History of American Technology
STSS-2210      Design, Culture and Society
STSS-4350      Politics of Design

Students must satisfy an 8-credit communication requirement.  See your advisor for details.

NOTE:  For ITWS students ITWS-1220 IT and Society (Social Science) and ITWS-2210 Intro to Human Computer Interaction (Humanities) are counted towards your HASS requirements.  No other ITWS core courses or concentration courses can be counted towards your HASS core requirements.

The student selects a concentration from the list below.  Each concentration prescribes the courses that it requires.  Alternatively, a student may choose his or her own courses with faculty advisement to fulfill concentration requirements and explore a special interest.

Additional curriculum information can be found in the downloadable curriculum docuements below.
Fall 2012 For students who entered the program in the Fall 2012 semester.
Fall 2011 For students who entered the program in the Fall 2011 semester.
Fall 2010 For students who entered the program in the Fall 2010 semester.
Fall 2009 For students who entered the program in the Fall 2009 semester.
Fall 2008 For students who entered the program in the Fall 2008 semester.

Page updated: 10/9/12, 2:45 PM

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