MA in Industrial & Technical Studies
Graduate Programs, College of Business
Business Bldg. (03), Room 317
805 756-1618

General Characteristics

The Master of Arts in Industrial and Technical Studies degree program is designed to prepare students for professional responsibilities and leadership in a broad range of positions in industry and education. It is a 45 unit degree program. The core curriculum is designed to provide a broad industrial background for the student, while the free electives allow for the student to gain an element of expertise in a selected area of interest or an area related to the student’s career path.

Admission Requirements

In addition to the general admissions requirements of the University, specific requirements are:

(1) Completion of a four year college course of study, and hold an acceptable baccalaureate degree from an institution accredited by a regional accrediting association;

(2) Good academic standing at the last college or university attended;

(3) Attainment of a grade point average of at least 2.8 in the last 90 quarter units (60 semester units) attempted;

(4) Successful completion of a screening interview conducted by the graduate coordinator; and

(5) Satisfactory performance on the General Test of the Graduate Record Examination (GRE).

Foreign students must meet additional requirements as specified in the Graduate Studies section of this catalog.

If the student meets the general requirements for graduate and postbaccalaureate studies, the student will be considered for admission in one of two categories:

Graduate conditionally classified - The student may be admitted to the graduate degree program if, in the opinion of the graduate coordinator, deficiencies can be remedied by additional preparation.

Graduate classified - The student may be admitted to the graduate degree program unconditionally if, in the opinion of the graduate coordinator, the student meets the standards and displays potential for academic success. To pursue a graduate degree, the student will be required to fulfill all of the professional, personal, scholastic, and other standards prescribed by the Industrial and Technical Studies Graduate Program and the University.

For information pertaining to specific requirements for admission, graduate classified or graduate conditionally classified, the student should communicate with the graduate coordinator.

Program of Study

The Master of Arts degree in Industrial and Technical Studies is an integrated program of 45 units of graduate courses commencing in any quarter of each year, and is designed* for students who have a baccalaureate degree in Industrial Technology, or who have comparable technical and professional preparation. Master's level courses at the 400-500 level are offered, when possible, in the summer and in the late afternoon and evening to accommodate those individuals who are employed full-time. Students who choose the option of the comprehensive examination, rather than the thesis or project option, must take the examination within one year of completing the last Industrial Technology graduate course on the Formal Study Plan. Failure to do so will necessitate that the student complete a thesis or project to fulfill the requirement of the degree.

A minimum grade point average of 3.0 must be maintained in coursework taken to satisfy the requirements for the degree, as presented on the formal study plan. All candidates must meet the current Graduation Writing Requirement.

A student shall complete all requirements for the degree within a seven-year period. The time limit for the thesis or project is three years.

*Non-technical baccalaureate degree students will be required to enroll in 15 quarter units of approved technical courses or provide documentation of appropriate experiences. Courses must be successfully completed prior to submittal of a Formal Study Plan.

	Units
Required Courses	26
IT 505 Graduate Seminar (3)
IT 515 Historical and Philosophical Perspective of American Industry (3)
IT 520 Organization and Administration of Industrial and Technical Environments (3)
IT 521 Training in Industrial & Technical Systems (3)
IT 522 Facility Planning (3)
IT 527 Technical Trends and Issues (3)
IT 580 Graduate Research in Industrial and Technical Systems (3)
^1IT 599 Industrial and Technical Studies Thesis or Project (5)
Professional/technical electives	19
Elective courses at the 400–500 level chosen with approval of the Graduate Coordinator
	___ 45

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¹ The student may be permitted a nonthesis/project option by accomplishing all of the following steps: 1) Obtaining approval of the Graduate Coordinator. 2) Substituting 5 units of 500-level coursework which support the degree and are approved in advance by the area Graduate Coordinator. IT 500 Individual Study (1-6) is recommended. 3) Passing a comprehensive written examination covering the graduate program.