IT Accelerated Program
The University of Cincinnati is the only university in the world that allows a student to complete a Bachelor's and Master's degree in Information Technology with the experience of five co-op rotations all in five years!
Accelerate your Education
The School of Information Technology (SoIT) has developed a program that offers students the opportunity to earn a Bachelor of Science in Information Technology or Cybersecurity, a Master's degree and co-ops in an accelerated time frame.
Deadlines
Applications are open on November 1 and close on the last day of February each year.
Application Requirements
Students in the BSIT or BS-Cyber Programs are eligible to apply after completing one semester of their program. To apply for IT Accelerated MS Criminal Justice Program, please make sure to complete all required components of the application:
- Statement of Purpose
- Proposed degree plan
- Resume
- Unofficial Transcript or Degree Audit
- One letter of recommendation from a professor*
*Only necessary for the MS Criminal Justice program
Steps to Apply
To apply to the IT Accelerated Program, students will need to complete the following steps:
- Complete the program-specific interest form by clicking one of the red buttons below.
* For MBA applicants - please use the MBA curriculum guide to add your MBA classes to the ACCEND planning template. You will then submit the ACCEND planning document to question 14 of your interest form. - All prospective applicants will receive a notification by March 31 if the information outlined in the interest form meets the minimum requirements of the program. If the information outlined in the interest form meets the minimum requirements of the program, students will be required to attend a mandatory orientation (held in mid-late April).
* For MBA applicants - you will meet with the School of Business Assistant Director of Advising to discuss the MBA curriculum and accelerated course plan to determine if this pathway is a good fit for you. - After attending the mandatory orientation, students will be required to submit a formal graduate application on the Graduate Programs Application Portal. Further information regarding this step will be discussed during orientation.
For additional clarification, please reference the Frequently Asked Questions section located at the bottom of this page.
The interest forms open on November 01, 2023. Click the button below for your corresponding interest form.
Accelerated Degree Options
The Criminal Justice Online Master's program is ranked the 11th best in the country by US News & World Report (2017). The School of Criminal Justice is consistently ranked among the top 15 Best Criminal Justice Schools by US News & World Report, and is recognized as #1 in Research Productivity and Recognition by US News & World Report.
Career Possibilities
Technology is increasingly becoming an integral part of the field of Criminal Justice.
This degree is suitable for those who want to pursue a career in organizations related to the justice system and in particular law enforcement, courts, attorney generals’ offices, non-profits that support the criminal justice system, or military. It may also be suitable for students pursuing careers in financial institutions, especially in fraud prevention and auditing.
Some career possibilities are:
- Information Security Analyst
- Chief Information Security Officer
- Analyst for a Federal Agency
Career Possibilities
Our program offers course work in areas such as cybersecurity, mobile app development, IT infrastructure, and human computer interaction. Being the diverse industry it is, you will have substantial choices to work with what you want.
Some career possibilities are:
- Information Security Analysts
- Computer Incident Responders
- Chief Information Officers
- Software/App/Game Developers
- Network Administrator, Engineer or Architect
- Database Administrator/Architect
Learn how to understand and apply technology in the context of today’s healthcare demands. Data storage, management and usage has undergone many recent changes, especially in healthcare. Electronic medical records (EMRs) are now required in the US, and the need for specialized professionals with both healthcare and IT proficiency to manage them has risen. The improvement of patient experiences through information and technology is an integral part to the healthcare quality and success.
The partnership between the College of Allied Health Science and the College of Education, Criminal Justice and Human Services has constructed a program that:
Enables students to receive instruction in a Health Informatics Program that is ranked #1 out of 20 schools in The Best Schools 20 Best Online Master’s in Healthcare Informatics Degree Programs.
Career Possibilities
Healthcare is a big employer of technology and changes in the way they must digitize their records formed opportunities for a very important new line of work. Balancing proficiency with technology and comprehensive knowledge from a Master's in Health Informatics leaves you with numerious options. Some examples are:
- Director of Health Informatics
- Data Analyst
- Systems Developer
- Chief Medical Information Officer
- Information Technology Consultant
Places to work at include hospitals, attorneys' offices, medical research facilities, public health agencies, insurance companies and many others.
Establish broad business concepts from an IT perspective and apply that specialized view to problem solving, communication, and hands-on skills with a world class MBA. At the University of Cincinnati, students learn how to manage distinct IT solutions as a leaders in their lines of work. The Bachelor of Science in Information Technology and Bachelor of Science in Cybersecurity offers a wide range of technical skills that will both set students apart from others in their careers, and create a variety of business paths to choose from.
The partnership between the Carl H. Lindner College of Business and the College of Education, Criminal Justice and Human Services has created a program that:
Enables students to receive instruction in an MBA program that has ranked Top 50 by Bloomsburg Businessweek and No. 1 in the Nation for Best Value by CollegeAtlas in 2015.US News has also ranked this degree in the Top 50.
Career Possibilities
Technology has found an integral place in countless areas of modern life. Couple a degree in that with a Master's of Business Administration and you have a lot of careers to choose from. Nearly every business values their digital assets and is willing to invest in it. Students will be equiped to lead their businesses to optimal IT performance with decisions, applications, procedures, and protections. Some examples are:
- Systems Analyst
- Manager to various IT Divisions or Departments
- Chief Information Security Officer
- Consultant
- Director Information Technology
Places to work at include technology vendors, financial institutions, higher education, private practice or federal government and several more.
Frequently Asked Questions
Students receive decisions for the IT Accelerated program in the spring of each year.
IT Accelerated students start their co-op in the summer after their first year. As such, students should anticipate not having a summer off while pursuing the IT Accelerated degree plan.
Students must graduate with a Bachelor of Science in Information Technology or Bachelor of Science in Cybersecurity and their selected master's degree in the same semester.
Students must be enrolled as full-time graduate students (at least 7 graduate credit hours) in their final two semesters in the program.
Graduate tuition rates and fees will be applied to a student's account once they make the switch to a full-time graduate student in their final two semesters in the program. A breakdown of these fees can be found on the Office of the Bursar's website. It is important to note that it is the student's responsibility to meet with financial aid and/or a scholarship advisor in order to determine funding as a graduate student.
Students must have at least a 3.0 GPA when they transition to a graduate student. They must also maintain at least a 3.0 graduate GPA at the time of graduation in order to graduate with their master's degree.
Please keep in mind that it takes good effort and planning to complete this combined degree plan. Students must plan their program and give it its due diligence.
For more information or questions, please reach out to Kayleigh Spotts.
Kayleigh Spotts
Graduate Program Coordinator, School of Information Technology