For Employers

Students enrolled in the Master of Science in Information Technology program at Northwestern University make an investment in their future by acquiring the necessary IT and business knowledge to keep them current in today's changing marketplace. For that reason, the support of their employers is often crucial to their success. In addition to the financial support that many MSIT students receive from their employers, flexibility, understanding and encouragement help our students achieve in this rigorous program.

The M.S. in Information Technology prepares IT professionals to make and implement wise decisions about information technology strategies. Through a curriculum combining technical and business courses, our students learn how to:

• Understand the engineering principles of computers and telecommunications networks
• Apply these principles to both existing and future technologies at the system level
• See the bigger picture and the way to design technology to meet business objectives
• Select the appropriate technology for a particular business need
• Design, evaluate, and manage IT innovations using sound business practices
• Bridge the communication gap between technical staff and business staff
• Understand where and how technology fits into the company's business and financial goals

Approximately 70% of our curriculum explores technical subjects such as telecommunications engineering, communications networks, wireless and database technologies, and information security, while 30% addresses business topics, including finance, marketing and management. Our faculty are full-time professors from Northwestern University's McCormick School of Engineering and Applied Science and the Kellogg School of Management, and, where appropriate, executives from some of Chicago's leading companies.

A degree that pays off

When one of your employees devotes their Saturdays to the MSIT, your company stands to reap benefits as well. Not only do our alumni and students find greater satisfaction in their work, they make significant contributions to their companies as a direct result of the knowledge gained through the program. Students can:

•  Identify both revenue-enhancing and cost-savings opportunities for the company. For example, a former student was able to save his company $140 million in technical implementation costs with a new software development model

•  Propose optimum technology solutions after making a thorough evaluation of alternatives

•  Bring new expertise to company strategy sessions - to pinpoint areas requiring investment and to determine priorities for future growth

•  Explain complex technical issues to senior management

We encourage you to read about the success of our alumni, through their own words, in Degrees at Work to get a more complete picture of just what the Master of Science in Information Technology can do for your employees. You can also view a complete list of the companies that have employed our students in Participating Companies.