May 27, 2026  
Graduate Catalog | 2026-2027 
    
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Graduate Catalog | 2026-2027

Information Technology, M.S.

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The Master of Science in Information Technology (MSIT) program is designed to equip students with advanced skills and knowledge in the planning, design, implementation, testing and evaluation, deployment, maintenance, and management of applications and systems that embody information and communication technologies for their proper functioning. These skills form necessary foundations for solving practical problems that arise in business, industrial, governmental, and other organizations, as well as for pursuing doctoral studies in information technologies.

The current areas of concentration include: Advanced Data and Knowledge Discovery, Emerging Technologies, Human-Centered Design, Information Security and Privacy, Information Technology Management, Software Systems Design and Engineering, and Web Development.

Students entering the MSIT program are required to have completed a baccalaureate degree from a college or university accredited by an accepted accrediting body and have acquired experience in studying, applying, or developing information and computing technology. Such experience may be developed by completing an undergraduate major in a discipline related to information technology or computing. For applicants who have an undergraduate major not directly related to computing, the experience may be acquired through work, professional training, or further education such as post baccalaureate studies. For those without such experience, they will be required to register for bridging coursework and demonstrate prior knowledge, as determined by the Graduate Program Director.

Admission Requirements

Admission requirements specific to the MSIT program Students applying for this program are expected to have knowledge of computer systems and programming. Students without undergraduate prerequisite knowledge in programming or computer systems will be required to register for bridging coursework or demonstrate prior knowledge, as determined by the Graduate Program Director.

Students must have an undergraduate grade point average of (or equivalent to) at least 3.0 (on a 4.0 point scale) and a Junior/Senior GPA of at least 3.0.

Student admission will be based on:

  • Prerequisite Requirements (equivalent work experience in relevant field will be considered)
    • Data Structures
    • Object oriented programming in C++, C#, or Java.
  • Undergraduate academic record
  • TOEFL, IELTS, and Duolingo (for international students)
  • GRE - Applicants who completed undergraduate degree outside of the United States may voluntarily submit GRE test scores and they will be reviewed as part of the holistic application consideration. Please note, the GRE requirement is optional.
  • Statement of purpose
  • Letters of recommendation

Early Entry Program

Exceptional undergraduate students at UNC Charlotte may apply for the Early Entry Program and begin work toward the graduate degree before completion of the baccalaureate degree.  See the Undergraduate Catalog for details and requirements.  Also see the Degree Requirements and Academic Policies  section of the Graduate Catalog for more information about Early Entry Programs.

Degree Requirements

The Master of Science in Information Technology degree requires a total of 30 graduate credit hours with a minimum GPA of 3.0, together with a capstone or culminating experience.  Additionally, the following requirements must be met:

  • No more than 12 credit hours of coursework may be taken from outside of the courses offered by the Department of Software and Information Systems
  • At least 15 credit hours must be taken from 6000-level or above courses
  • No more than 3 credit hours may be taken for Individual Study
  • A maximum of 9 graduate credit hours may be transferred from other institutions

For those without a computing background, you may be required to take ITIS 5101 Foundations of Programming , and ITIS 5135 Web-Based Application Design and Development  as a way to acquire the necessary understanding of how to produce software.

The 30 credit hours of coursework comprise the following three parts:

Core Courses (15 credit hours)

Advanced Programming Courses

Select one of the following:

Software Systems Courses

Select one of the following:

Databases and Data Science Courses

Select one of the following:

Principles Courses

Concentration Courses (9 credit hours)

The MSIT program offers the following concentrations:

  1. Advanced Data and Knowledge Discovery
  2. Emerging Technologies
  3. Human-Centered Design
  4. Information Security and Privacy
  5. Information Technology Management
  6. Software Systems Design and Engineering
  7. Web Development

Each student is required to select one concentration and complete 3 courses selected from the list of approved courses for the specific concentration.  Among the 9 credit hours for a concentration, 6 may be substituted with a master’s research thesis.  The topic for the research thesis must fall within the area of concentration.  A core course cannot be double-counted toward a concentration.  Subject to the approval of the MSIT Program Director, a course from outside of the approved list for a concentration may be taken as a substitute for a course for the concentration.

Advanced Data and Knowledge Discovery Concentration

Select three of the following:

Emerging Technologies Concentration

Select three courses from the aggregated list of courses for all the other concentrations. Students are recommended to select each course from a different concentration to maximize their exposure to the broadest range of latest knowledge in computing and information technology.

Human-Centered Design Concentration

Elective Courses

Select one course from the following list:

Information Security and Privacy Concentration

Select three of the following:

Information Technology Management Concentration

Elective Courses

Select 1-2 of the following, to result in 3 courses for this concentration:

Software Systems Design and Engineering Concentration

Elective Courses

Select 2-3 of the following, to result in 3 courses for this concentration:

Web Development Concentration

Select three of the following:

Elective Courses (6 credit hours)

Students fulfill the remaining requirements for coursework by completing two approved elective courses from the College of Computing and Informatics. For students who are required to complete bridgework, one of these courses should be ITIS 5101 Foundations of Programming .

Part of the elective requirements may also be met by taking the following internship:

Culminating Experience (0-6 credit hours)

All students must successfully complete a culminating experience.  This requirement is satisfied by completing any one of the following three:

Degree Total = 30 Credit Hours

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