New Master's Program is Designed to Educate Central PA for Leadership in the Digital Age
Sep 29, 2009
A new Master of Science (MS) in Information Systems Engineering and Management (ISEM) degree program at Harrisburg University of Science and Technology is intended to educate information and communication technology leaders who can manage, as well as engineer or re-engineer, the current, and next, generation of digital enterprises.
The program’s director, Dr. Amjad Umar, notes that the degree program can play a crucial role in transforming the region’s economy.
“Central Pennsylvania needs to transform its current industrial base to a highly flexible IT enabled enterprise model and attract high tech companies to compete and succeed in this highly digital global economy,” says Dr. Umar. “This transformation requires enterprise engineers and managers who can plan, integrate, secure and administer these digital enterprises where nearly all significant business processes and relationships with customers, suppliers, and employees are digitally enabled and key corporate assets are managed through digital means.”
The new Master of Science in Information Systems Engineering and Management (ISEM) program can help students acquire the skills to plan for and integrate technologies with processes and people that are key to the success of an organization in today's complex, digital world. The 36-credit-hour degree program is the only one of its kind in the region, and it uniquely combines systems thinking, management expertise, and engineering with emphasis on digital enterprises.
The core courses of the program will provide the student with a strong background in the most recent thinking in systems engineering, strategic IS planning, business strategy and management, service science and management, systems analysis and design, and enterprise architectures and integration. The student can take elective courses that span topics such as project management, leadership, egovernment, mobile computing and wireless communications, ICT infrastructure, business simulations and games, multimedia systems and visualization, information security and governance, business process modeling, modern systems development, and others. Additionally, research-oriented students can pursue independent studies and master’s thesis projects to investigate areas of individual or professional interest.
This program is designed for managers and information technology professionals who recognize the personal and professional value of an advanced degree. And it can prepare graduates for positions such as systems engineer, architect and integrator, business systems analyst, management analyst, software engineer, IS manager, and security planner and manager.
Dr. Umar serves as a senior advisor to the United Nations’ Initiative on Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) for the Developing Countries. He also is a Fulbright Senior Specialist on ICT (Information and Communication Technologies) with the US Council of International Exchange of Scholars.
“In order to improve the economy of this region, we must educate business and government leaders on how to link IT to business strategy while improving the quality of IT education,” explained Dr. Umar. “This region’s economy has made tremendous strides in transforming into a knowledge-based economy in the past two decades. It all began with educating the business leaders and then improving the quality of the information technology programs in the region to ensure that they are market-driven. However, it is imperative that Central Pennsylvania businesses and organizations learn how to use IT for strategic advantage.”
The ISEM degree program is intended to educate IT leaders in the digital age.
At Harrisburg University, Dr. Umar also leads the Management and eBusiness program and his areas of specialization that span ebusiness, IT planning, enterprise architectures and integration, mobile computing, and information security.
The author of six book, he consults and has consulted with global telecom organizations including the US Department of Navy, US Army Research Labs, Frost and Sullivan (England), Toyota Corp., Society of Manufacturing Engineers, manufacturing organizations, professional services organizations, as well as academic institutions in England, Singapore, China, Italy, New Zealand, South Africa, Argentina and Canada.
As an entrepreneur, he has formed a startup that is concentrating on the business and technical aspects of next generation enterprises. He has received numerous awards (Faculty Award from IBM, Fulbright Senior Specialist Award from the US Council of International Exchange of Scholars, Distinguished Faculty Award from the University of Michigan, Best Adjunct Faculty Award from Fordham, and Outstanding Performance Awards from Bellcore).
For more information on the program, call 717.901.5101 or email Admissions@HarrisburgU.edu
Harrisburg University is an innovative and ambitious private institution that produces graduates who provide increased competence and capacity in science and technology disciplines to Pennsylvania and the nation. Harrisburg University ensures institutional access for underrepresented students and links learning and research to practical outcomes. As a private University serving the public good, Harrisburg University remains the only STEM-focused comprehensive university located between Philadelphia and Pittsburgh.
For more information on the University's demand-driven undergraduate, graduate and certificate programs in applied science and technology fields, call 717.901.5146 or email Connect@HarrisburgU.edu.