UMBC’s online master’s degree in information systems has once again been ranked one of the best programs in the nation by U.S. News. The rankings, announced this week, also highlight UMBC as offering one of the top 20 such degrees in this field for veterans.
U.S. News has now recognized this UMBC program for several years, making it a longtime leader. Joining UMBC on the list in 2021 are universities like Virginia Tech and Drexel.
Faculty committed to student success
Graduate program director Anita Komlodi, associate professor of information systems, shares, “We are very excited to again be ranked among the best. Our program is well established, with about twenty years of experience educating online technology students.”
Keith J Bowman, dean of the College of Engineering and Information Technology, has described the program’s faculty as deeply committed to their mission of “enabling our online master’s students to gain the skills required to succeed with our extensive range of industry and government partners.”
“We put our students first. We designed our program both for working IT professionals and career changers wishing to transition into IT careers,” Komlodi says. “Most of our students work full-time. The flexibility and asynchronous nature of the program helps them progress in their careers while balancing other responsibilities.”
Flexibility and rigor
UMBC built the online master’s degree in information systems for students balancing many responsibilities. Many are managing work, family, military service, and other commitments, while still seeking to advance their education and careers. And students are able to pursue interests in an extremely broad array of focus area, from health information technology to human-centered computing.
Komlodi notes, “We have recently introduced tracks for in-demand industry areas in artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, data science, and user experience design.”
Vandana Janeja, chair of information systems, knows the value that a rigorous, flexible online graduate program can bring to students. Upon UMBC earning U.S. News recognition last year, she commented that for the online program, “We are committed to a high level of excellence and engagement akin to our on-campus program.”
It’s all about pairing high expectations with strong support for students, she says—the trademark UMBC experience.
Banner image: Mobile technology. Photo by WOCinTechChat, CC BY 2.0.
Tags: COEIT, GraduateSchool, IS, Rankings
