How Can You Specialize a Master’s in Information Technology?
In the digital age, IT is now relevant to every industry; so if you are thinking of pursuing a Master's in Information Technology, there are countless ways you could specialize the degree to make it as relevant as possible to the industry you want to work in. Let's take a look at some of the most popular specializations for graduate degrees in IT.
Related Resource: 30 Most Affordable Online Master's in Information Technology
Project Management
Project management is one of the skill sets employers value most in the current job market. Perhaps your lack of project management experience has been holding you back from achieving the promotions or landing the jobs you really want. Pursuing a project management specialization will help you gain the credentials you need to assure employers you have solid project management training and skills.
Cybersecurity
This degree specialization will help you gain expertise with developing security solutions to protect your hiring organizations from cyberattacks and information theft. Successful completion of this type of degree program would qualify you to seek work as an information security analyst. The demand for information security experts is surging upward right now, according to experts at the Bureau of Labor Statistics. They're forecasting a 28 percent growth rate in the numbers of new cybersecurity jobs becoming available by the year 2026.
Data Analytics
Employers are increasingly in search of experts who can help them make sense of the massive volumes of data their businesses generate. You could become that type of expert if you get the right training in how to develop technological solutions and apply statistical methods to real-world problems that employers want to solve using data.
Information Technology Management
If you want to have a career in business management, a Master's of Business Administration degree with a specialization in IT Management has relevance no matter which industry you're interested in; every industry needs managers who have a solid understanding of IT. Right now, this degree is especially relevant in the fields of healthcare and sports management. According to experts at the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the healthcare industry's adoption of electronic health records has created steady demand for medical and health services managers with IT backgrounds and expertise. Sports management is another field that's surprisingly relevant to this specialization. In the recent past, sports management practices have been evolving due to the influence of changes in information technology. Since healthcare and sports management have not generally been viewed as being related to information technology, there are not huge numbers of leaders who have solid skills in both fields of study — yet managers who have these skillsets will be needed in the future.
These are some of the most common specializations that graduate students are choosing for their master's degree. If you're thinking of earning your Master's in Information Technology, you'll want to give some thought to all these excellent possibilities for how you could specialize your learning.