West Virginia Associate Degree Program for Information Technology Professionals

State College & Univesity Systems Of Wv, Charleston WV

Investigators

Abstract

Through this project, West Virginia is instituting, statewide, a new degree, the Associate of Applied Science in Technical Studies, which has two major tracks: (1) network communications and (2) computer applications. The degree is being offered at all 12 of the state's community and technical colleges, and courses are being delivered both through on-campus study and through the Web. The degree program is supported by the state's information technology (IT) industry through the advice and assistance of an industrial advisory board. The program provides students with an opportunity to work at a participating business or other organization, and provides courses that lead to vendor certifications in networking and computer applications. As part of the project, courses are being developed, evaluated, and redesigned; faculty are developing or adapting material into Web-based courses; students are participating in internships; and the program is being disseminated on a national level. The new statewide program aims to (1) offer students promising careers in IT, (2) provide the IT industry a greater number of skilled workers to support the industry's growth and development, and (3) increase the number of students with the skills and interests needed to pursue study toward the completion of an undergraduate degree in computer science and related disciplines.