Go Where You Want to Go with a Two-Year Degree in IST

Like the College of Information Sciences and Technology’s four-year bachelor’s degrees, the two-year associate degree can help you become a person who makes a difference. Pick almost any field—manufacturing, health care, business and finance, security, education, aerospace, forensics, biotechnology, law enforcement, government—and you’ll find that what you learn in IST gives you an edge.

Why an Associate Degree in IST?

Career Builder: An associate degree in IST can significantly boost your earning potential and broaden your career opportunities over a high school diploma while only requiring a two-year commitment. The internship component of our program helps boost your employability even more. Interested in changing careers? A degree in IST can provide you with a knowledge and skill set to help make that possible.

Convenient: Our program is offered at fourteen Penn State locations around the Commonwealth, easing your commute. Classes can often be scheduled in the evening or are offered online to suit your schedule and other important commitments.

Stepping Stone: Complete our baccalaureate option and you can easily continue your education toward a bachelor of science, opening the way for even higher earning potential and wider job choices. Many Penn State locations offer the bachelor’s degree in IST so you can conveniently complete the next stage in your learning at the same campus. If you are interested in a change of scene, the University’s 2 + 2 program allows you to finish your degree at any other Penn State location offering four-year degrees in IST.

Pathways: The associate degree in IST program gives you options that let you make the educational choice that is right for you. Check the Penn State campus convenient to you for details and the availability of these options:

• Baccalaureate
• Generalized Business
• Individualized
• Networking
• Software
• Telecommunications

What IST Classes and Professors are Like

Relevant Learning: In the associate degree in IST program, you begin with a broad introduction to the information age, and then jump into courses about database technology and network management. From there you are off and running—learning about leadership, project management, and how technology shapes our world.

Professors Who Mentor: The IST faculty includes experts from across the entire field of information technology; many include experience in business and industry on their résumés as well. That brings our classrooms alive and exposes you to a 360-degree view of IT, from the technical side to the psychological and sociological side. Our associate degree program is typically offered in smaller class settings allowing our professors to work with you more closely and make sure your educational needs are met.

The Penn State Advantage

Unique, Real-World Focus: Penn State listened to the needs of business and industry when we created our associate degree program, and continues to listen today. The associate degree in IST takes you beyond hardware and programming to managing and problem-solving with technology. That is why our program has few rivals in the nation and why it has caught the attention of employers.

Penn State Quality: Penn State is internationally known for the excellence of its programs of learning and research. Our reputation allows us to offer you teachers, learning, and facilities that few can match. Combine these factors with the networking power of the largest alumni association in the nation and you have a true sense of the power of a Penn State degree.

Is IST Right for You?

Associate degree students in IST come from a variety of backgrounds, but there are some things our successful students have in common.

• They are comfortable using technology.
• They like working with people.
• They enjoy the challenge of solving problems.
• They are comfortable working with math.
• They want to make a difference.