Computer Information Technology - Programming Concentration, A.A.S.

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

The Computer Information Technology - Programming Concentration prepares students for a career as a programmer or software engineer. Emphasis is placed on issues related to knowing how to use the features of object programming languages like java, the design and implementation of classes and objects, the process of developing and maintaining software. Students will also develop strong critical thinking skills and will learn by doing along with real world internship experiences. This concentration may include preparation for the Oracle certified Associate (Java Programmer Certification).

The Programming concentration is designed to prepare entry-level programmers for employment in the area of business software application development and Web development in creating dynamic Web content and transaction-based Web systems. Graduates of the Programming concentration have designed, written, tested, and debugged programs in several major programming languages in both individual and team-oriented settings. Both theoretical and practical components are covered throughout the concentration. The concentration also provides a means for current programmers to upgrade their programming skills by learning new languages.

Graduates of the program concentration should be able to:

Design and develop applications using current industry standards.
Use critical thinking to recognize IT problems and create solutions.
Develop applications using best UI design practices with object-oriented languages.

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:

Computer Programmer
Software Developer
Systems Analyst
Web Developer

Course Requirements

Required: NSCC 1010 - First Year Experience - 1 Credit

General Education Requirements (15 hrs)

ENGL 1010 - English Composition I 3 Credits *
MATH 1530 - Introductory Statistics 3 Credits *
or
MATH 1630 - Finite Mathematics 3 Credits *
Social Sciences Elective 3 Credits
COMM 2025 - Fundamentals of Communication 3 Credits *
or
COMM 2045 - Public Speaking 3 Credits *
Humanities Elective 3 Credits
Social Science Elective* 3 Credits

Major Field Core Requirements (13 hrs)

CITC 1301 - Intro to Programming and Logic 3 Credits
CITC 1302 - Introduction to Networking 3 Credits
CITC 1303 - Database Concepts 3 Credits
CITC 1334 - Project Management I 3 Credits
CITC 2190 - CIT Capstone 1 Credit

Concentration Core Requirements (15 hrs)

CITC 1300 - Beginning HTML and CSS 3 Credits
CITC 1310 - Programming I 3 Credits
CITC 1311 - Programming II 3 Credits
CITC 1314 - Java Programming I 3 Credits
CITC 2340 - Adv. Database Concepts & Progr 3 Credits

Additional Course Requirements (17 hrs)

CITC 2312 - .NET Web-Based Client Develop 3 Credits
CITC 2333 - Professional Workplace Skills 3 Credits
CITC 2347 - Web Database Apps and Devel 3 Credits
CITC 2391 - Special Topics in CIT 3 Credits

Technical Electives (5 hrs)

CITC 1332 - UNIX/Linux Operating System 3 Credits
or
CITC 2334 - Project Management II 3 Credits
or
CITC 2291 - CITC Internship 1-3 Credits

Total Required – Associate Degree: 61 Credits

Recommended Full-Time Schedule

First Year

Fall Semester

CITC 1300 - Beginning HTML and CSS 3 Credits
CITC 1301 - Intro to Programming and Logic 3 Credits
CITC 1302 - Introduction to Networking 3 Credits
ENGL 1010 - English Composition I 3 Credits *
MATH 1530 - Introductory Statistics 3 Credits *
OR
MATH 1630 - Finite Mathematics 3 Credits *
NSCC 1010 - First Year Experience 1 Credit

Spring Semester

CITC 1303 - Database Concepts 3 Credits
CITC 1310 - Programming I 3 Credits
CITC 1334 - Project Management I 3 Credits
Humanities Elective* 3 Credits
Social Sciences Elective* 3 Credits

Second Year

Fall Semester

CITC 1311 - Programming II 3 Credits
CITC 2340 - Adv. Database Concepts & Progr 3 Credits
CITC 2347 - Web Database Apps and Devel 3 Credits
CITC 2391 - Special Topics in CIT 3 Credits
COMM 2025 - Fundamentals of Communication 3 Credits *
OR
COMM 2045 - Public Speaking 3 Credits *

Spring Semester

CITC 1314 - Java Programming I 3 Credits
CITC 2312 - .NET Web-Based Client Develop 3 Credits
CITC 2333 - Professional Workplace Skills 3 Credits
CITC 2190 - CIT Capstone 1 Credit
Technical Elective 5 Credits

* This course is part of the general education core

Notes:

Additional course requirements: The Tennessee Board of Regents requires that students either demonstrate the appropriate skill levels in math, reading, and/or writing before enrolling in college-level courses or enroll in appropriate co-requisite experiences with college-level courses to develop competency in those skills while performing college-level work. ACT/SAT scores, classic ACCUPLACER test scores, next-generation ACCUPLACER test scores, or other relevant information determine whether a student needs to enroll in co-requisite courses in math, reading, and/or writing (English).

Cooperative work experience can be an important addition to a student’s formal classroom work. Co-op courses may substitute for technical courses with the prior approval of the instructor. The Career Services Office will provide the correct course numbers.