Boosting Your Technology Degree

The unemployment rates for college graduates has dropped some over the past few years, but according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, it still hangs in there at about 14%. However, according to Michael Goul at Information Week, IT goes against that trend and is one of the “fastest-growing professional fields in the country today.”

For those with an IT degree, Goul suggests that pursuing a master’s degree has been shown to truly improve graduates chances of not only a higher-paying IT position but also a higher return on investment. Most graduates are looking for a job that not only matches their skill set, but that challenges them, pays well, and offers a secure career path. With the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics predicting 1.4 million new openings in IT by 2018 and Robert Half International's Technology 2013 Salary Guide predicting a 5.3% increase in the base salaries in 2013, the IT field should meet those desires.

For those already in the field but not majoring in IT, or those just wishing to climb higher up the ladder in IT, “Obtaining a master's degree that is known for a high return on investment is one of the best ways to move into or upward in this quickly changing industry,” Goul states. Earlier this year, I wrote on some of the top tech jobs for 2013, but Goul gives his own examples of paths to follow. For him, three of the top degrees to pursue are:

Masters of Science in Business Analytics (MS-BA): With the way technology is going with cloud computing and the mobile world, this field has become a high demand area. The MS-BA degree prepares the students with a wealth of necessary skills, and tends to be an accelerated master’s program that is shorter than a year long. If you have an undergraduate degree in science, business, technology or math, this could be the next step to take.

Master of Science in Information Management (MSIM): Step into the world of IT management and become an asset to any company as you apply the skills gained in this degree to assist in keeping a company competitive in this new technological economy. Goul says the “classes cover a wide variety of cutting-edge issues in information management, including business-process management, business intelligence, enterprise systems, IT valuation and project management,” and this path is often available as an online program. The skills learned in the program will help in recognizing emerging technologies that can greatly affect today’s industry. If you are a current IT professional with two to three years of experience, this may be the next step worth considering.

Master in Business Administration (MBA) with a dual MSIM degree or a specialization in Information Management: This is a combination of a traditional MBA with a specific concentration on information management and provides a well-rounded business foundation. Goul states that “Both the two-year dual degree and specialization programs are designed to provide knowledge of the strategic and managerial dimensions of IT,” and “The specialization develops skills in enterprise modeling, database systems, electronic commerce, and data warehousing and business-process analysis to create shareholder value.” All of this can greatly assist a candidate to be constructive in shaping an organization in this ever-growing technological environment.

Take a look at the skills you currently posses, and the type of position you would like to pursue, then choose an advanced program that will push you into new cutting-edge territory and get you that new skill set to make you a must-hire even in the current highly competitive economy.

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