Associate of Applied Science (A.A.S.)
Contact Information: Program Office 615-353-3369, Program Site

The Computer Information Technology - Systems Administration & Management Concentration focuses on the design, implementation, management and troubleshooting of computer systems. Required courses prepare students to acquire, install, configure, upgrade and secure standalone, networked and mobile systems. Areas of emphasis include Windows and Linux/Unix operating systems.

This concentration has been developed to map the curriculum to the skill standards that are being used in industry today. The skill standards that the concentration is using came from a nationally-accredited study on the skill standards for Information Technology. Using these skill standards ensures that graduates have the basic skills that employers need, within a framework that emphasizes the development of teamwork, communication, and critical thinking.

Graduates of the program concentration should be able to:

• Identify and understand the supporting roles of Computer Technology (IT) in organizations.
• Apply strong critical thinking skills to manage and troubleshoot computer systems.
• Install, configure, upgrade and secure standalone, networked and mobile systems.
• Manage Microsoft Windows and Linux/UNIX operating systems.
• Maintain integrity of data stored both locally and in the cloud.

Transfer/Advising

The A.A.S. degree is designed to prepare a student for employment upon graduation. Some universities, at their discretion, accept some technical courses for transfer. A student who plans to transfer to a university should consult his/her advisor and the receiving university about transfer and articulation policies. Failure to do so could result in loss of transfer credits. If completed, this degree will transfer into the BS in Professional Studies program at Middle Tennessee State University.

Career Opportunities:

Typical positions available to graduates of these programs are:

• Service Technician
• User Support/Help Desk
• Customer Solutions Specialist
• Technical Sales