Information-studies school launches new executive-degree program

CNY Business Journal (1996+), Apr 13, 2007 by Tampone, Kevin

SYRACUSE - Information-technology managers often come in two varieties, says Robert Heckman, a professor in Syracuse University's School of Information Studies.

Some come up through the management ranks and likely studied business in college, leaving them occasionally lost in a sea of technological jargon. Others are technology experts, but have limited management training.

The information-studies school is launching a new graduate-degree program aimed at filling in the gaps for both types of managers and everyone between those two extremes. The degree - a master's of science in information management - is targeted at mid-level, midcareer managers aiming to make a leap higher up the corporate ladder to positions like chief technology officer or chief information officer.

The school is looking for students with about six years of professional experience for the program, which will require 30 credits - about 10 classes - for completion.

"The program is targeted toward people who are aspiring to be educated to be leaders in the field of [information technology]," Heckman says. "We're looking for an elite group of people who have leadership potential."

The degree is also meant to be flexible and appeal to people in the work force now, he adds.

"This is one step in a larger strategy to make available learning opportunities to people who are working, in ways that meet their needs," Heckman says. "We are getting more interested in ways to get beyond the traditional 14-week semester course offerings."

The school will use a blended learning approach for the program. Students will be able to complete coursework online, on campus, or using some mix of the two.

The hope, Heckman says, is that students will use online learning for what's appropriate and come to campus for what's appropriate, maximizing the advantages of both learning styles. The curriculum itself will also be flexible, allowing students to tailor the program to meet their specific needs.

If they need technical work, they can get it, Heckman says. If they need work in management principles, they can study those too.

"We're talking about executives who are strong leadership candidates," he says. "You have to give them leeway to direct themselves. They know where their gaps are. They have the knowledge to direct their own learning strategies."

The degree will be a key piece of the school's offerings, says Bruce Kingma, a professor in the information studies school, who was also recently appointed to the new position of associate provost for entrepreneurship and innovation. Kingma helped develop the new degree program.

The school was getting near-constant feedback from mid-level managers asking for some type of advanced coursework, he explains.

"We realized it was preventing them from getting further," he says. "The profession has really changed in the last 10 years. Ten years ago you could be a smart [information-technology] guy with some skills and some personality without the degrees and you could get ahead.

"People realize you need the credentials now."

Creating the program will also help maintain the information-studies school's reputation. U.S. News & World Report ranked the school's graduate program in information systems as the best in the country in 2007.

"We take a lot of pride in that. There is also a responsibility in that," Kingma says. "To stay on top, you know you constantly have to be doing something, particularly in this industry. You have to stay ahead of the curve."