Information Technology (IT) is the “enabler of the Information Age.” At Rensselaer, IT is understood in the broadest sense to incorporate the computing and communications industries, including hardware and software; the information, communications, and entertainment services; and the research and application of IT in and to all fields. A Rensselaer goal is to foster the discovery and application of IT to reshape Rensselaer and through Rensselaer, the world.

An important part of Rensselaer’s vision of IT is its new degree programs in information technology at both the undergraduate and graduate levels. These degree programs include a Bachelor of Science in Information Technology and a professional Master of Science in Information Technology. Rensselaer expects these degrees to be highly sought after with starting salaries and bonuses among the highest in any profession. These degree programs are highly interdisciplinary. They are offered by a Faculty of Information Technology, which draws members from all five Schools at Rensselaer.

Faculty

Balfour, A.   M.F.A. (Princeton University); architecture history and society (Architecture).
Bequette, W.   Ph.D. (University of Texas, Austin); chemical process modeling, control, and optimization; electronic materials processing (Engineering).
Berg, D.   NAE., Ph.D. (Yale University); management of technological organizations, innovation, policy, robotics, policy issues of research and development in the service sector (Engineering).
Boylen, C.W.   Ph.D. (University of Wisconsin); microbial ecology, physiological effects of starvation on microorganisms (Science).
Bringsjord, S.   Ph.D. (Brown University); logic, philosophical logic, philosophy of artificial intelligence (Humanities & Social Sciences).
Caporael, L.R.   Ph.D. (University of California, Santa Barbara); evolutionary theory, decision making, interpersonal dimensions of computing (Humanities & Social Sciences)
Carlson, A.B.   Ph.D. (Stanford University); communication systems, circuits and electronics, educational methods, social context of engineering(Engineering).
Casabella, P.A.   Ph.D. (Brown University); physics education (Science).
Cheney, M.   Ph.D. (Indiana University); applied mathematics, differential equations, mathematical physics, analysis (Science).
Chow, J.H.   Ph.D. (University of Illinois); large-scale system modeling, multivariable control systems, power systems (Engineering).
Diwan, J.J.   Ph.D. (University of Illinois); cell physiology, bioenergetics (Science).
Doremus, R.H.   Ph.D. (University of Cambridge), Ph.D. (University of Illinois); glass science, sintering of ceramics, bone implant materials, reactions in fused salts, crystallization, diffusion, optical properties of metals; (New York State Science and Technology Foundation Professor of Glass and Ceramics Science) (Engineering).
Drew, D.A.   Ph.D. (Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute); applied mathematics, fluid mechanics (Science).
Duchin, F.   Ph.D. (Berkeley); input-output analysis, structural economics, ecological economics, economic development, technological change (Humanities & Social Sciences).
Ecker, J.G.   (Mathematical Sciences) Ph.D. (University of Michigan); mathematical programming, multiobjective programming, geometric programming, mathematical programming applications, ellipsoid algorithms (Management).
Feeser L. J.   P.E., Ph.D. (Carnegie Mellon University); structures, computer applications and computer graphics, computer-aided design, structural optimization (Engineering).
Fish, J.   Ph.D. (Northwestern University); computational mechanics, finite element methods, micromechanics, mathematical modeling (Engineering).
Flaherty, J.E.   Ph.D. (Polytechnic Institute of Brooklyn); numerical analysis, scientific computation, parallel computation, and adaptive methods (Science).
Gabriele, G.A.   Ph.D. (Purdue University); design automation, design optimization; (joint appointment, Engineering Science and Core Engineering is home department) (Engineering).
Geisler, C.   Ph.D. (Carnegie Mellon University); reading and writing in the disciplines and professions; academic literacy; writing in engineering design; design of human-computer interactions (Humanities & Social Sciences).
Gerhardt, L.A.   Ph.D. (State University of New York, Buffalo); communication systems, digital voice and image processing, adaptive systems and pattern recognition, integrated manufacturing (Engineering).
Glinert, E.P.   Ph.D. (University of Washington); assistive technology for people with disabilities; human computer interaction; information visualization; groupware for collaborative and distance learning; visual programming (Science).
Goldberg, M.K.   Ph.D. (Institute of Mathematics, Novosibirsk, U.S.S.R.); algorithms for combinatorial optimization; experimental algorithm design and analysis; computational learning theory; graph theory (Science).
Gowdy, J. M.   Ph.D. (West Virginia University); ecological economics, industrial organization and public regulation, regional economics (Humanities & Social Sciences).
Graves, R.J.   Ph.D. (State University of New York at Buffalo); manufacturing systems modeling and analysis, facilities planning and material handling system design, scheduling systems, concurrent engineering/design for manufacture, continuous flow manufacturing systems design, agile manufacturing concepts and information infrastructure (Engineering).
Gutmann, R.J.   Ph.D. (Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute); solid-state devices, microwave techniques, and interconnection technology (Engineering).
Haddock, J.   (Lally School of Management and Technology) Ph.D. (Purdue University); modeling of production and service systems including simulation and optimization techniques (Management).
Hardwick, M.   Ph.D. (Bristol University, U.K.); database systems for product modeling and manufacturing applications (Science).
Herron, I.   Ph.D. (Johns Hopkins University); applied mathematics, fluid mechanics, hydrodynamics, stability (Science).
Hess, D.   Ph.D. (Cornell University); science, culture, and power; social studies of alternative medicine (Humanities & Social Sciences).
Holmes, M.   Ph.D. (University of California, Los Angeles); perturbation methods, biomathematics, nonlinear continuum mechanics (Science).
Hsu, C.   Ph.D. (Ohio State University); metadatabase and information systems, Internet enterprises planning, database and knowledge-based systems, computerized manufacturing, enterprise integration and modeling, information visualization, and economic evaluation of cyberspace-augmented enterprises (Engineering).
Interrante, L.V.   Ph.D. (University of Illinois); inorganic and solid-state materials synthesis (Science).
Isaacson, D.   Ph.D. (New York University); mathematical physics, biomedical applications (Science).
Jackson, S.A.   Ph.D. (Massachusetts Institute of Technology); physics (Science).
Jennings, W.C.   Ph.D. (Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute); plasma diagnostics, electronics manufacturing, multimedia educational materials (Engineering).
Jensen, M.K.   P.E., Ph.D. (Iowa State University); heat transfer, fluid mechanics, energy systems (Engineering).
Kapila, A.   Ph.D. (Cornell University); applied mathematics, combustion, fluid mechanics (Science).
Koretz, J.F.   Ph.D. (University of Chicago); structural biophysics of protein aggregation; computer modeling (Science).
Krull, R.   Ph.D. (University of Wisconsin); research design and methodology; online support of performance; documents for physical skills (Humanities & Social Sciences).
Lahey, R.T., Jr.   Ph.D. (Stanford University); multiphase flow and boiling heat transfer, reactor safety analysis, reactor thermal-hydraulics, and applications of chaos theory (jointly with Chemical and Mechanical Engineering) (Engineering).
Leung, C.M.   Ph.D. (University of California, Berkeley); computational astrophysics, radiation transport, astrochemistry (Science).
List, G.F.   P.E., Ph.D. (University of Pennsylvania); intelligent transportation systems, sensors, instrumentation and control, multiobjective stochastic routing and siting, freight network planning (Engineering).
Luk, F.T.   Ph.D. (Stanford University); scientific computation, image and signal processing (Science).
Malmborg, C.J.   Ph.D. (Georgia Institute of Technology); modeling and analysis of problems in facility design, materials handling, material flow, storage systems, simulation-based optimization methods, manufacturing systems, and decision analysis (Engineering).
McLaughlin, H.W., II   Ph.D. (University of Maryland); applied geometry (Science).
McLaughlin, J.R.   Ph.D. (University of California, Riverside); inverse vibration and inverse scattering problems, wave propagation, analysis, applied mathematics (Science).
Modestino, J.W.   Ph.D. (Princeton University); stochastic processes in communication and control, information theory and coding, detection and estimation theory, digital signal and image processing (Engineering).
Murarka, S.P.   Ph.D. (University of Minnesota), Ph.D. (University of Agra); metallization for the deep submicron SIC (silicon integrated circuits), low temperature and localized processes, thin dielectric films, diffusion and defects (Engineering).
Musser, D.   Ph.D. (University of Wisconsin); programming methodology, generic software libraries, formal methods of specification and verification, automated theorem proving (Science).
Nagy, G.   Ph.D. (Cornell University); pattern recognition, document-image analysis, optical character recognition, geometric computation, computer-mediated learning, computer vision (Engineering).
Napolitano, J.J.   Ph.D. (Stanford University); experimental nuclear and particle physics (Science).
Nierzwicki-Bauer, S.A.   Ph.D. (University of New Hampshire); plant molecular biology; subsurface microbiology (Science).
Norsworthy, J.R.   (Lally School of Management and Technology) Ph.D. (University of Virginia); economics of productivity, productivity measurements, industrial economics (Management).
Pearlman, W.A.   Ph.D. (Stanford University); information theory and source coding, image, video, and audio compression, digital image and signal processing (Engineering).
Persans, P.D.   Ph.D. (University of Chicago); spectroscopy of semiconductors, thin films (Science).
Rajan, K.   Sc.D. (Massachusetts Institute of Technology); electron microscopy, electronic materials, thin films and super lattices (Engineering).
Reid, L.D.   Ph.D. (University of Utah); physiological psychology of reinforcement, drug and alcohol addiction (Humanities & Social Sciences).
Roberge, W.G.   Ph.D. (Harvard University); theoretical astrophysics (Science).
Rogers, E.H.   Ph.D. (Carnegie Mellon University); collaborative computing, group operating systems, software engineering (Science).
Rolnick. N.   Ph.D. (University of California, Berkeley); music composition, electronic and computer music, electronic arts (Humanities & Social Sciences).
Roy, H.   Ph.D. (The Johns Hopkins University); plant molecular biology and biochemistry (Science).
Rubenfeld, L.A.   Ph.D. (New York University); applied mathematics, mathematics and science education (Science).
Salerno, J.C.   Ph.D. (University of Pennsylvania); bioenergetics; spectroscopy; metalloproteins (Science).
Sanderson, A.C.   Ph.D. (Carnegie Mellon University); robotics, knowledge-based systems, computer vision (Engineering).
Schowalter, L.J.   Ph.D. (University of Illinois); thin-film physics (Science).
Shephard, M.S.   Ph.D. (Cornell University); computational mechanics, parallel processing, adaptive finite element techniques, automatic mesh generation (Engineering).
Shur, M.S.   D.Sc. (Ioffe Institute); semiconductor materials and devices, integrated circuit simulation, characterization and design (Engineering).
Siegel, R.W.   Ph.D. (University of Illinois); synthesis, processing, structure, and properties of functional nanostructured materials, including metals, ceramics, and composites; atomic-scale defects and diffusion in materials; (Robert W. Hunt Professor) (Engineering).
Siegmann, W.L.   Ph.D. (Massachusetts Institute of Technology); applied mathematics, wave propagation (Science).
Spooner, D.L.   Ph.D. (Pennsylvania State University); engineering database systems, object-oriented systems, database security, and hypermedia systems for computer science education (Science).
Stewart, C.   Ph.D. (University of Wisconsin); computer vision, robust statistics, computational geometry (Science).
Szymanski, B.K.   Ph.D. (Polish Academy of Sciences); parallel computation, programming languages, and computer simulation (Science).
Tichy, J.A.   Ph.D. (University of Michigan); tribology, fluid mechanics, rheology (Engineering).
Tien, J.M.   Ph.D. (Massachusetts Institute of Technology); systems modeling, queuing theory, public policy and decision analysis, computer performance evaluation, information and decision support systems, expert systems, computational cybernetics (Engineering).
Vastola, K.S.   Ph.D. (University of Illinois); computer and communication networks (Engineering).
Wallace, W.A.   Ph.D. (Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute); decision support systems, the process of modeling, environmental management, disaster management (Engineering).
Warden, J.T.   Ph.D. (University of Minnesota); ESR spectroscopy, photosynthetic electron transport mechanisms (Science).
Wentland, M.P.   Ph.D. (Rice University); medicinal chemistry (Science).
Woods, J.W.   Ph.D. (Massachusetts Institute of Technology); digital signal processing, image processing, digital image and video compression (Engineering).

Associate Professors

Bennett, K.   Ph.D. (University of Wisconsin); mathematical programming, operations research, artificial intelligence (Science).
Breneman, C.M.   Ph.D. (University of California, Santa Barbara); physical organic chemistry (Science).
Bronet, F.   M.S. (Columbia University); architectural design, structures technology, interdisciplinary design (Architecture).
Embrechts, M.J.   Ph.D. (Virginia Polytechnic Institute); fusion engineering, applied chaos theory, neural networks (jointly with Decision Sciences and Engineering Systems) (Engineering).
Fortun, K.   Ph.D. (Rice University); international politics, environmentalism and the law (Humanities & Social Sciences).
Hanna, M.H.   Ph.D. (University of Illinois); slime mold development and genetics (Science).
Harrison, T.   Ph.D. (Bowling Green State University); communication theory; organizational communication; computer-mediated communication and scholarship (Humanities & Social Sciences).
Heragu, S.S.   Ph.D. (University of Manitoba); production and operations management, cellular manufacturing, plant layout, artificial intelligence, expert systems, intelligent manufacturing systems, facilities design, scheduling, operations research (Engineering).
Ji, C.   Ph.D. (California Institute of Technology); learning machines, pattern recognition and intelligent networking (Engineering).
Kovacic, G.   Ph.D. (California Institute of Technology); applied mathematics, nonlinear dynamics, nonlinear optics (Science).
Krishnamoorthy, M.S.   Ph.D. (Indian Institute of Technology); programming languages, analysis of algorithms (Science).
Leifer, R.   Ph.D. (University of Wisconsin); organizational behavior and organizational design, management information systems (Management).
Messler, R.W., Jr.   Ph.D. (Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute); materials in manufacturing, welding (Engineering).
Mitchell, J.E.   Ph.D. (Cornell University); mathematical programming, combinatorial optimization, operations research (Science).
Parsons, R.H.   Ph.D. (Oregon State University); cellular physiology, epithelial transport (Science).
Piper, B.R.   Ph.D. (University of Utah); computer-aided geometric design, numerical analysis, computer graphics (Science).
Saulnier, G.J.   Ph.D. (Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute); circuits and electronics, communication systems, digital signal processing (Engineering).
Schwendeman, D.W.   Ph.D. (California Institute of Technology); applied mathematics, scientific computing, shock wave propagation (Science).
Search, P.   M.A. (Goddard College); visual design theory and practice; computer-generated imagery and graphics; computer animation and hypermedia; user interface design for hypermedia programs (Humanities & Social Sciences).
Stephen, T.D.   Ph.D. (Bowling Green State University); interpersonal communication; communication and social history; research methodology; group communication (Humanities & Social Sciences).
Walther, J.B.   Ph.D. (University of Arizona); computer-mediated communication; group collaboration; interpersonal communication; Internet development (Humanities & Social Sciences).
Zappen, J.P.   Ph.D. (University of Missouri); rhetoric and culture; rhetoric of science and technology; rhetoric in MUDs/MOOs; technical communication (Humanities and Social Sciences).

Assistant Professors

Adali, S.   Ph.D. (University of Maryland); heterogenous, distributed information systems, database systems (Science).
Bahn, C.   Ph.D. (Princeton University); computer music and interactive performance (Humanities & Social Sciences).
Carothers, C.   Ph.D. (Georgia Institute of Technology); computer simulation, parallel simulation, parallel systems (Science).
Collier, J.   Ph.D. (Stanford); molecular genetics, biochemistry, and physiological ecology of photosynthetic microorganisms (Science).
Eglash, R.   Ph.D. (University of California, Santa Cruz); African studies, anthropology, black history, cybernetics and virtual communities, math and science education (Humanities and Social Sciences).
Erickson, J.   Ph.D. (Cornell University); natural resource economics, quantitative methods, ecological economics (Humanities and Social Sciences).
Hart-Davidson, W.   Ph.D. (Purdue University); professional writing theory and practice, usability and participatory design; rhetorical theory; design for the World Wide Web and electronic media; theories and histories of writing techniques (Humanities and Social Sciences).
Kalyanaraman, S.   Ph.D. (Ohio State University); ATM and Internet traffic management, multimedia networking, IP telephony, performance analysis, Internet pricing. (Engineering).
Kersting, R.   Ph.D. (University of Aachen); time-resolved luminescence spectroscopy (Science).
Korniss, G.   Ph.D. (Virginia Polytechnic Institute); theoretical and computational physics (Science).
Noel, R.W.   Ph.D. (New Mexico State University); human factors, cognitive engineering, design optimization (Humanities & Social Sciences).
Ravichandran, T.   Ph.D. (Southern Illinois University, Carbondale); management information systems (Management).
Ruiz, K.   M.A. (New York University); interactive and computer art (Humanities & Social Sciences).
Schupp, S.   Ph.D. (University of Tübingen) generic programming, programming languages, symbolic computation (Science).
Zaki, M.   Ph.D. (University of Rochester); data mining and knowledge discovery in databases, parallel and distributed computing, parallel algorithms (Science).

Adjunct, Clinical and Research Professors

Brown, R.   M.S.E.E. (University of Illinois); computer communication networks, network management, client/server architectures (Clinical Assistant) (Rensselaer at Hartford).
Danchak, M.M.   Ph.D. (Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute); computer science (Clinical) (Science).
DeNoia, L.   Ph.D. (Brown University); telecommunications, networking, network management, effective IT organizations (Clinical Professor) (Rensselaer at Hartford).
Ellis, H.   Ph.D. (University of Connecticut); Computer and Information Sciences (Clinical Assistant) (Rensselaer at Hartford).
Grice, R.   Ph.D. (Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute); information usability; human-computer interfaces; applications of computers to technical communication; information development in industry (Clinical)(Humanities & Social Sciences).
Hartley, T.   M.S. (University of Connecticut); database systems, natural language processing, information retrieval (Clinical Associate) (Rensselaer at Hartford).
Hughes, G.   Ph.D. (Princeton University); global economics, economics of information technology (Clinical) (Humanities & Social Sciences).
Ingalls, R.   Ph.D. (University of Connecticut); systems programming, network programming (Adjunct) (Science).
Lister, B.   Ph.D. (Princeton University); learning and cognition; educational technology (Science).
Martyn, T.   Ed.D. (University of Massachusetts); database systems, management information systems, client/server systems (Clinical Associate) (Rensselaer at Hartford).
McKim, J.   Ph.D. (University of Iowa); Computer and Information Sciences (Clinical) (Rensselaer at Hartford).
Millard, D.L.   Ph.D. (Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute); electronics manufacturing, instrumentation system, multimedia educational materials (Research Associate) (Engineering).
Mistur, M.   B.Arch. (Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute); architectural design. (Clinical Associate) (Architecture).
Stitt, W.   MBA (Harvard University); entrepreneurship (Clinical Professor) (Management).
Triscari, T.   Ph.D. (Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute); information systems (Clinical Associate) (Management).
Younessi, H.   Ph.D. (Swinburne University of Technology); Computer and Information Sciences (Clinical Associate) (Rensselaer at Hartford).

Undergraduate Curriculum

The program is designed for technically focused students and those having substantial technical aptitude but other interests. It synthesizes computing, systems, and humanities and extends a student’s horizons from the focused core of IT to the disciplinary knowledge of an application domain (a student-chosen second discipline). The program also promotes the integration of traditional education with the spirit of entrepreneurship that characterizes IT. Its objective is to prepare students not only to enter a rewarding career in IT but also to pursue a distinguished graduate education in a disciplinary field upon graduation.

The program consists of 128 credit hours, of which 56 credit hours constitute an IT Core, 32 credit hours constitute a second discipline, and the remaining credit hours fulfill Rensselaer degree requirements. The IT Core requirements establish a solid foundation for the application of IT to any discipline. The Rensselaer requirements ensure the breadth of the degree and that it is consistent with the long established tradition of a Rensselaer degree. The required second discipline provides an opportunity for in depth study of an IT application area. Examples of second disciplines include, but are not limited to: arts, communications and networks, law, management information systems, medicine, psychology, and software usability. With faculty advisement, students may also select their own courses to fulfill second discipline requirements and explore their own interests.

Degree Requirements   The requirements for the Bachelor of Science in Information Technology degree are the following:

*A special topics course.

The student selects a second discipline from a list of available second disciplines available on the IT Program Home Page. Each second discipline prescribes the courses that it requires. Alternatively, a student may choose his or her own courses with faculty advisement to fulfill second discipline requirements and explore a special interest.

Sample Layout of Courses   The requirements for the Bachelor of Science in Information Technology can be organized into an eight-semester program, with four courses each semester, as shown below. This layout of the courses is intended only as a suggestion. Other arrangements of the courses are possible.

Course   Each Second Discipline identifies an appropriate Probability and Statistics course for students in that second discipline to take as part of the IT Core. Courses that can be used for this purpose include: ENGR-2600 Modeling and Analysis of Uncertainty, MGMT-2100 Statistical Methods, PSYC-2310 Experimental Methods and Statistics, and DSES-2010 Statistics for Management.

Several of the courses in the IT curriculum are new and will be offered under the special topics (ITEC-x960) designation for the next few years. Brief descriptions of these courses appear below. The remaining courses can be found in the Course Description sections of this catalog.

IT Capstone Experience   This course acquaints students with all phases of an information technology development project from recognizing the need through project implementation. Ideally it is multidisciplinary. This is a writing-intensive course.

Introduction to the HC-11 Microcontroller   Engineering laboratory introduction to the microprocessor as an embedded element of engineering systems. Introduction to assembly language programming. This course meets for the first five weeks of the semester.

Second Disciplines   Below is the list of Second Disciplines currently defined for the B.S. in IT. For details of a particular Second Discipline, see the IT Program Home Page. Additional Second Disciplines will be added to this list as they are developed.

Aeronautical Engineering (Aerodynamics)
Aeronautical Engineering (Flight Mechanics)
Arts
Bioinformatics
Building Science (Architecture)
Cheminformatics
Civil Engineering
Communications
Communication and Networks
Computer Hardware
Decision Sciences
Ecoinformatics
Economics
E-Commerce
Entrepreneurship
Finance
Industrial Engineering
Information Engineering
Machine and Computational Learning
Management Information Systems
Marketing
Mechanical Engineering (Controls)
Mechanical Engineering (Mechanics/Thermal)
Medicine
Multimedia Data and Knowledge Management
Prelaw / Management
Prelaw / Psychology
Prelaw/ Values and Public Policy
Psychology
Robotics and Manufacturing
Science and Technology Studies: Information &
Society
Simulation-Based Science and Engineering
Software Usability

Minor in IT   The Minor in IT requires four courses. The specific requirements are:

One of:

• ITEC-1210/IHSS-1210 The IT Revolution: Myth or Reality?
• ITEC-1220/IHSS-1220 Politics and Economics of IT

ITEC-2110 Exploiting the Information World

Two of the following five courses to be selected with advisement from a member of the Faculty of IT.

• CSCI-1200 Computer Science II *
  
• ITEC-2210 Introduction to Human Computer Interaction
• ITEC-4310 Managing IT Resources **
• ITEC-2220 Creativity in Human and Artificial Agents
• PHYS-2050 Science of Information Technology

*Cannot be used by CSCI and CSYS majors to satisfy this requirement
**Cannot be used by MGMT majors to satisfy this requirement

Graduate Programs

Master of Science in Information Technology

The Faculty of Information Technology offers an innovative multidisciplinary program leading to the Master of Science degree in Information Technology. The design of the curriculum provides significant course choices for students within a carefully crafted, faculty selected group of both core and specialization area courses.

Information Technology is one of Rensselaer’s two top academic priorities. The IT degree is formulated and supported by the Curriculum Committees of each of the 5 academic schools with over 100 faculty members participating.

The primary intent of the Master of Science in Information Technology program is to prepare students for professional practice in information technology. However, as a result of their interaction with Rensselaer faculty who are working on leading edge IT research, it is also expected that a subset of IT master’s students will continue on for a Ph.D. in IT or related fields.

Our expectation is that Rensselaer’s IT graduates will have a breadth of experience in database systems, telecommunications, software design, management of technology, and human computer interaction (the IT Core) as well as an in-depth experience in the application of information technology (the Application Areas). We believe the combination of these two experiences is an outstanding match between the needs of IT professionals around the globe and Rensselaer’s particular strengths.

The IT program is offered on-campus at Rensselaer in Troy, NY; on-campus at Rensselaer in Hartford, CT; and via Professional & Distance Education.

Admissions Requirements   Students seeking admission to the Master of Science in Information Technology program are expected to have competitive prior academic records and have a background in programming/computer science that is equivalent to the following current Rensselaer courses:

• CSCI-1100 Computer Science I (number systems; basic computer architecture; stepwise refinement of algorithms; functions & parameter passing; basic programming concepts through two-dimensional arrays and pointer basics using C++)
• CSCI-1200 Computer Science II (pointers; classes; operator overloading; deep vs. shallow copy constructors; inheritance; file I/O; templates in C++, introductory algorithm analysis & data structures)
• CSCI-2300 Data Structures and Algorithms (advanced topics including mathematical induction and its application to algorithm design; linear structures; trees & balanced trees; heaps & priority queues; graphs & graph algorithms)

Applicants with outstanding records and/or extensive work experience may be admitted with one of the above prerequisite requirements to be completed for credit in addition to the regular IT degree requirements.

Academic Requirements   To meet the requirements for the M.S. in IT, students must be formally admitted to the M.S. in IT program and must complete an approved Plan of Study that meets the following requirements:

• A Minimum of 18 Credits at the Graduate Level (courses with 6XXX numbers)
• 5 Core Courses in Information Technology (IT Core)
• A Minimum of 30 Credits
• A Minimum of 12 Credits in an Approved Application Area
• A Culminating/Integrating Experience

The degree program will include one or two electives depending on the Application Area chosen by the student. Electives are selected to augment the breadth or depth of the IT degree and are subject to approval by the IT advisor. Students with relevant prior graduate level coursework may request transfer credit for elective course(s).

The Core and Application Area courses were designed to accommodate a wide range of backgrounds. It is not expected that transfer credit will be used to fulfill these requirements. Students can waive an IT Core area requirement and substitute an approved elective only if they have already taken the equivalent of all the Core courses listed in the Core area.

The approved Application Areas must include at least one course that integrates information technology with the specific Application Area.

The Culminating/Integrating Experience requirement may be satisfied by either of the following:

• Master’s Project (usually 3 credit hours or as approved by the IT advisor)
• Design/Studio-Oriented Course or Courses of an Integrating/Culminating Nature

It is expected that the Culminating/Integrating Experience will be part of the Application Area, but there may be circumstances where advisor approval of an alternate experience is desirable. The Project and/or Design Studio courses that satisfy the culminating experience requirement are annotated with an asterix (*) in the Application Area listing.

An additional requirement is that no more than half of all credits used towards the M.S. in IT degree may be taken from courses offered by the Lally School of Management and Technology. These courses have the prefix “MGMT.”

IT Core Requirements   Rensselaer’s IT master’s degree students acquire a breadth of experience in IT by taking one course in each of the five Core areas listed below. Courses may be offered in a variety of delivery modes including on-site and synchronous & asynchronous videoconferencing or a combination of these modes. We have also noted the usual term in which the Troy campus courses are offered. Students enrolling at the Hartford campus or via Rensselaer’s Professional & Distance Education program should consult the following websites for course availability:

• Hartford: http://www.rh.edu/
• P&DE: http://www.pde.rpi.edu/

Application Areas   The IT Application Areas were designed by the faculty of IT to provide an in-depth experience in the application of information technology. Students often select areas that are a complement to their prior backgrounds, e.g. students with strong computer backgrounds may select MIS or E-business as a logical complement. Alternately, some students select an application area that is consistent with their prior backgrounds and then choose higher-level coursework and a culminating experience to significantly expand on that background.

This list of courses is subject to change as Rensselaer’s course offerings are dynamic; new courses are developed each semester and are designated as “topics” courses in the list with a second digit of 9 (X9XX).

*A special topics course.