The graduate program in information communication technology is dedicated to advancing and evolving information technology. While the undergraduate curriculum is designed to prepare students to assume positions that require basic knowledge and skills commensurate with bachelor’s level preparation, the master’s curriculum is designed to prepare students to assume positions that require more in-depth knowledge of the field.
About
Students in the program will learn to effectively research, apply, use and manage technology when solving problems specifically related to information and communication.
Incorporating the communication aspect gives students an advantage that is becoming more and more sought after - being able to bridge the gap between the business and technology side of interactions. The program’s core courses allow students to obtain the graduate skills that will serve them well in management roles and prepare them to tackle the technology trends of today. Specialty tracks in the program allow students to take a variety of electives and special topics classes in order to give them more in-depth information on some of the many career pathways ICT can offer as well. Students may also choose to work with their advisor to create a program of ICT that best suits their educational and professional goals.
Students admitted to the master’s program may concentrate their studies into one of three tracks - health, policy and regulation, or technology and analytics.
We pride ourselves on offering unique opportunities to our graduate students, including:
- Asynchronous online classes allow students a flexible, individualized schedule, and students may take classes full-time or part-time to meet the degree requirements listed below.
- Lower tuition rates for online learners cut the cost of a graduate degree significantly. Click here for a full breakdown of UK's cost of attendance. For specific questions about payments, please contact Student Account Services.
- Complete a Graduate Certificate in Instructional Communication or Integrated Strategic Communication as part of your degree.
- Earn a dual degree with library science and share nine hours across the two programs.
Degree Requirements
36 credit hours are required for the master's in ICT, including 15 hours of core courses. Students are expected to complete 12 hours of required course work (ICT 600, 610, 650, 661 or 662) within the first 18 hours of their program of study. ICT 696 Practicum should be taken after completion of 18 hours. Students may take up to six credit hours outside of the information communication technology program. Students must have any coursework outside of ICT approved by the department prior to registering for the course.
Required courses are offered on a rotating basis, over a two year term. Students can complete ICT 696 Practicum during a summer term.
All graduate students at UK must complete a graduation exit requirement either the semester they complete coursework or after.
The following core courses are required:
- ICT 600 ICT in Society
- ICT 610 Research Methods for ICT
- ICT 650 Introduction to Leadership in Information Professions
- ICT 661 Intro to Data Science
OR ICT 662 Data Analysis and Visualization - ICT 696 Practicum
Health Concentration
- ICT 626 Electronic Information Resources in the Health Sciences
- ICT 627 Consumer Health Information Resources
- LIS 629 Introduction to Medical Informatics
Policy and Regulation Concentration
- ICT 552 Cybercrime and Digital Law Enforcement
Technology and Analytics Concentration
- ICT 605 Human Computer Interaction
- ICT 658 Knowledge Management
- LIS 634 Information Architecture
All Concentrations
- ICT 690 Special Topics in ICT (students may take multiple ICT 690 courses, as long as they are different topics)
- ICT 695 Independent Studies
The Exit Assessment is the culminating experience in the Information Communication Technology program and serves as the program exit requirement for the MS ICT degree. It provides the opportunity for you to reflect on and evaluate what you have learned and gained from the program, based on the four learning outcomes of the program:
- Explain both historical and contemporary contexts for studying ICT with a focus on understanding its relationship with individuals, organizations, government, and society.
- Recognize and apply the central concepts of management and organizational theory as they apply to organizational settings and the technological marketplace.
- Identify recent advances in knowledge about how to collect, process, and use data in the context of technology systems with emphasis on ways to manage, create, and present the information resulting from these data.
- Understand and apply methods for gathering information from inside and outside an organization and developing new knowledge or artifacts from that information.
The Exit Assessment is comprised of a learning outcomes reflective essay. As you take core courses, you will complete assignments that contribute to your grasp of the four program learning outcomes. This will continue with the electives that you choose. You are encouraged to keep notes that reflect on how the various assignments pertain to, and help advance your understanding of, the four learning outcomes.
Students will self-enroll in a Canvas shell during their final semester in the program, where all details for the Exit Assessment can be found, including the guidelines and a timeline for completing the Exit Assessment.
Course Information
- ICT 626 Electronic Information Resources in the Health Sciences
- ICT 627 Consumer Health Information Resources
- ICT 695 Independent Study
- ICT 552 Cybercrime and Digital Law Enforcement
- ICT 605 Human Computer Interaction
- ICT 658 Knowledge Management
- ICT 690 Special Topics
- CI 671 Proseminar in Health Communication
- CI 726 Communication Leadership Studies
- JOU 531 Media Law and Ethics
- JOU 541 The First Amendment, Internet and Society
- MAS 535 Telecommunications and Network Management
- CPH 752 Leadership in Public Health
- EDC 547 Technology in Instructional Practice
- EDC 548 Instructional Technology Leadership
- EDL 665 School Technology Leadership for Digital Citizenship
- ELS 604 Leadership in Professional Learning Communities
- STA 580 Biostatistics I (Prerequisite is MA 109 College Algebra or equivalent)
