IT Accelerated Program
Fast-Track Your Future
The University of Cincinnati offers an innovative IT Accelerated Program that allows students pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Information Technology or Cybersecurity to complete both a Bachelor's and Master's degree in just five years. Throughout the program, students gain valuable hands-on experience through five co-op rotations, preparing them for a successful career in the IT field.
Steps to Apply
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.
Step 1: Meet with Your Undergraduate Advisor
Schedule a meeting with your undergraduate advisor to confirm that the Accelerated Pathway aligns with your goals. During this meeting, you'll also draft a degree plan that incorporates your desired graduate coursework. Eligibility:
- You must have a 3.0 GPA at the undergraduate level.
- You must have completed one semester as a BSIT or BS-Cyber student.
Step 2: Download Your Unofficial Transcript or Degree Audit
Go to Catalyst and download your unofficial transcript or degree audit.
Step 3: Update Your Resume
Make sure your resume is up to date. Your resume should include any relevant work experience, volunteer work/community involvement, leadership skills, etc.
Step 4: Write Your Statement of Purpose
Prepare a 500-word statement of purpose explaining your career goals and how the selected Accelerated Program will help you achieve them.
Step 5: Obtain a Letter of Recommendation
Please contact a faculty member or current/previous supervisor to request one letter of recommendation. Since this application process is separate from the traditional Graduate Portal, recommendations should be submitted via the following Qualtrics form: https://ucincinnati.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_eWkp8qjD01feNwi.
Step 6: Complete the Interest Form Below
Important Application Update
We are pleased to announce that we are in the process of making significant updates to our IT Accelerated process. To provide you with the best possible experience, the application period will now open on March 1st and conclude on April 15th.
We encourage you to stay informed by regularly visiting this page for further updates.
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
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.
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
Frequently Asked Questions
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 Kelly M. Burke.
Kelly M. Burke
Graduate Program Coordinator, School of Information Technology