The master’s degree that can be earned online by the university in information technology climbs to No. 3 on the list of the nation’s top-ranked programs while maintaining its number. Number one spot for veterans in the U.S. News & World Report 2022 rankings. Meanwhile, engineering graduate programs online keep a top 20 order.
Virginia Tech’s master’s program of information and technology (MIT) has moved to third place (from the number. fourth the previous year) as one of the nation’s top Online Programs, as per recently released 2022 rankings of U.S. News & World Report. It was also placed as No. 1 among veterans for the second time in a row.
Virginia Tech is also ranked at No. 20 in the U.S. News & World Report’s Best Online Master’s Engineering Programs.
The MIT program is a partnership with the College of Engineering and the Pamplin College of Business. It includes a wide range of classes offered by the departments that comprise that of the Department of Computer Science and the Bradley Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering and Computer Engineering, both within the College of Engineering; and the Department of Accounting and Information Systems, which is the Department of Business Information Technology as well as the Department of Management, all within the Pamplin College of Business.
The 2021 program will introduce innovative courses and awards specifically designed to meet the needs of the market in the fields of artificial intelligence and machine learning, as well as innovation and entrepreneurship, said Parviz Ghandforoush, who is a professor, associate dean, and director executive of the MIT program at the Pamplin College of Business.
“We are committed to providing quality instruction and services with an up-to-date curriculum,” said Pamplin Dean Robert Sumichrast. “The high ranking of the MIT is aligned with other national recognitions that Pamplin, the College of Engineering, and the university are receiving.”
Virginia Tech’s MIT program is among the most prominent IT master’s degrees globally, attracting more than 1000 students in the United States and other countries. They wish to study the technology of information as well as its application.
“They want to understand how the concepts, tools, and techniques we teach in the program can benefit their employers or their own companies,” Ghandforoush said. “A majority concentrate in cybersecurity, artificial intelligence/machine learning, big data and analytics, and innovation/entrepreneurism.”
It is worth noting that the MIT Program has been recognized as the top-ranked graduate program across the nation since 1999. Since 2014, enrollments in the program have steadily increased at around 10 percent per year.
Ghandforoush stated that while 2021 did witness a drop in MIT enrollment due to the ongoing uncertainties about the consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic, the trend was not extended to the number of veterans who were not as affected current economic circumstances.
“Enrollment of veterans has continued to increase due to the program’s 100 percent online synchronous/asynchronous delivery format and growth in the number of job openings in the IT sector. We have been actively involved in the training of veterans at home in the United States and abroad to take on the ever-growing amount of IT jobs available,” Ghandforoush added.
The growing demand to recruit IT specialists is one key aspect of the MIT program’s approach and flexibility, according to Glenda Scales, the associate dean of international engagement and chief of the technology department of the College of Engineering.
“Our faculty in the MIT program continually improve the learner experience and expand what it means to engage our learners in a virtual environment,” said Scales. “The need for IT professionals is still critical. Our goal is to work with our talented faculty and learners to provide flexible opportunities for professionals to earn certificates and degrees in the information technology field.”
Based on this year’s rankings, Virginia Tech’s master’s engineering degree program kept its place within the top 20 spots in the Best Online Master’s Engineering Programs that reflect its constant commitment to helping students achieve success in the workplace, whether as professionals who are just starting or those who are making career shifts.
“Today’s students highly value flexible and high-quality online graduate program options to balance professional careers, families, and other circumstances,” said Julia Ross, the Paul and Dorothea Torgersen Dean for Engineering. “We expect that demand for these College of Engineering programs will only grow as students seek accessible options that give them a leg up in the workforce and enable them to pursue new career opportunities around existing schedules and obligations.”
Scales stated that to meet the demands of industry for online certificate programs and graduate degrees, the College of Engineering plans to introduce a new certificate course in construction and infrastructure management and the online degree program for graduate students in nuclear mechanical and materials engineering science.
The Virginia Tech College of Engineering, recognized internationally for its excellence in engineering education, has cutting-edge technology to improve the online offerings. The courses offered are by calendars that follow the Virginia Tech academic school year calendar.