Bachelor of Information Technology (BIT) and Master of Science in Data Science (MSDS)

Program Requirements

The Computer Science and Information Technology Department and the School of Graduate Studies offer a combined Bachelor's and Master's degree in which students earn a Bachelor of Information Technology and a Master of Science in Data Science within five-years. 

Entrance requirements for BIT/MSDS degrees are:

  • 3.0 GPA
  • Acceptance into Graduate School

Freshman – Junior Standing Requirements

Students will complete the course requirements for undergraduate BIT (https://catalog.clayton.edu/academic-catalog/information-mathematical-sciences/computer-science-information-technology/information-technology-bit/).

Senior Standing Requirements 

Students will complete up to 6 credit hours of approved graduate-level CSCI courses from MSDS curriculum along with their remaining undergraduate coursework. 

The student must submit the following to Graduate Admissions during their senior year: application, application processing fee, and transcripts from all institutions attended. Three letters of reference are also required.

Please Note: This is a suggested course sequence and assumes a starting freshman with no prior college credit who intends to complete their degree in four years. Students should consult with their academic advisor and review the course prerequisites and minimum grade requirements as seen in the Academic Catalog. 

Plan of Study Grid
Freshman
First SemesterCredit Hours
ENGL 1101 English Composition I 3
MATH 1101
or MATH 1111
 Intro to Mathematical Modeling
or College Algebra
 3
CRIT 1101 Critical Thinking 3
POLS 1101 American Government 3
ITFN 1101 Foundations-Information Tech. 3
 Credit Hours15
Second Semester
ENGL 1102 English Composition II 3
MATH 1221 Finite Mathematics 3
HIST 2111
or HIST 2112
 Survey of US History to 1877
or US HIST Since Reconstruction
 3
ITFN 1201 Foundations of Database Design 3
ITFN 1401 Foundations of Webmaster 3
 Credit Hours15
Sophomore
First Semester
Area C1: Literature, Philosophy, or Foreign Language 3
Area E4: Behavioral Science 3
CSCI 1301 Computer Science I 3
MATH 1401 Elementary Statistics 3
ITFN 1502 Fnds. of Networking & Security 3
 Credit Hours15
Second Semester
Area C2: Fine Arts OR Intermediate Foreign Language 3
Area E2: World History 3
CSCI 1302 Computer Science II 3
ITFN 2214 Web Application Development 3
ITFN 2512 Interm. Networking & Security 3
 Credit Hours15
Junior
First Semester
Area B2: Foreign Languages or Communication 2
Area D1: Natural Sciences with Lab 4
ITFN 3003 Professional Dev. and Ethics 3
ITFN 3103 Human-Computer Interaction 3
ITFN 3112 System Analysis and Design 3
 Credit Hours15
Second Semester
Area D1: Natural Sciences 3
ITFN 3144 Informatics Project Management 3
ITFN 3316 SW Security, Testing, and QA 3
ITFN 3601 Operating Systems 3
Free Electives 3
 Credit Hours15
 Total Credit Hours90

Networking and Security Concentration

Plan of Study Grid
Senior
First SemesterCredit Hours
ITFN 4154 Informatics Integration 3
ITFN 4433 Web Integration 3
ITMM 4423 Security for E-Commerce 3
ITNW 4501 Network Planning and Design 3
CSCI 5317 Operating Systems Admin& Secur 1, 2 3
 Credit Hours15
Second Semester
ITFN 4014 Internship Cooperative 3
ITNW 4502 Secure Networks & Comm. Protoc 3
CSCI 5201 Database Theory and Design 2, 3 3
Free Electives 3
Free Electives 3
 Credit Hours15
 Total Credit Hours30

Database Administration Concentration

Plan of Study Grid
Senior
First SemesterCredit Hours
ITFN 4154 Informatics Integration 3
ITFN 4433 Web Integration 3
ITDB 4201 Advanced Database Modeling 3
ITDB 4202 Database Applications 3
CSCI 5317 Operating Systems Admin& Secur 1, 2 3
 Credit Hours15
Second Semester
ITFN 4014 Internship Cooperative 3
ITDB 4203 Database Admin & Architecture 3
CSCI 5201 Database Theory and Design 2, 3 3
Free Electives 3
Free Electives 3
 Credit Hours15
 Total Credit Hours30

Informatics Concentration

Plan of Study Grid
Senior
First SemesterCredit Hours
ITFN 4154 Informatics Integration 3
ITFN 4433 Web Integration 3
Major Concentration 3
Major Concentration 3
CSCI 5317 Operating Systems Admin& Secur 1, 2 3
 Credit Hours15
Second Semester
ITFN 4014 Internship Cooperative 3
Major Concentration 3
CSCI 5201 Database Theory and Design 2, 3 3
Free Electives 3
Free Electives 3
 Credit Hours15
 Total Credit Hours30

Applied Project Track

Plan of Study Grid
Fifth Year
First SemesterCredit Hours
CSCI 5101 Foundations of Information Sys 3
CSCI 5112 System Analysis & Design 3
Concentration Course 3
Concentration Course 3
 Credit Hours12
Second Semester
CSCI 6599 Special Project 3
Concentration Course 3
Concentration Course 3
MSDS Electives 3
 Credit Hours12
 Total Credit Hours24

Thesis Track

Plan of Study Grid
Fifth Year
First SemesterCredit Hours
CSCI 5101 Foundations of Information Sys 3
CSCI 5112 System Analysis & Design 3
Concentration Course 3
CSCI 6574 Research Techniques 3
 Credit Hours12
Second Semester
CSCI 6600 Thesis 3
Concentration Course 3
Concentration Course 3
Concentration Course 3
 Credit Hours12
 Total Credit Hours24
1

Students who take CSCI 5317 Operating Systems Admin& Secur should not take CSCI 4317 OS Security, Prog, & Admin or ITFN 4601 OS Security, Prog, & Admin

2

Dual Credit-Course counts toward both degrees

3

Students who take CSCI 5201 Database Theory and Design should not take CSCI 4201 Advanced Topics in Databases