Online technology

Citation

(2004), "Online technology", International Journal of Productivity and Performance Management, Vol. 53 No. 8. https://doi.org/10.1108/ijppm.2004.07953haf.005

Online technology

The popularity of online technology degrees continues to escalate. However some majors are seeing more demand than others. The most popular include the management of technology, the management of information systems, general computer science, and computer security. GetEducated.com, America’s leading consumer-oriented, online degree clearing house, has uncovered the following trends among those seeking graduate degrees online. The top ten online computer science majors are:

1. 1.

   computer information systems;

2. 2.

   management of technology;

3. 3.

   management of information systems;

4. 4.

   computer science (general);

5. 5.

   computer science internet technologies;

6. 6.

   computer programming;

7. 7.

   computer network management;

8. 8.

   computer security;

9. 9.

   database technologies; and

10. 10.

    e-commerce.

“What is striking about this year’s survey is the fierce competition among the top five contenders”, comments GetEducated.com’s CEO, Vicky Phillips. Phillips has been analysing online degrees since 1989. “Consumers are equally interested in general degrees in Computers and Information Systems with a strong preference for degrees that emphasise managerial practice.

“What we see in these trends is a mirror of the national job market”, comments Phillips. Managerial degrees emphasise problem solving, communication, and teamwork. These skills transfer across technology specialties. “Employers today will pay a premium for someone who presents with hard tech skills topped off by the ability to motivate others and manage large scale projects.

“Dropping to the bottom of this year’s top ten list is e-commerce (ranked tenth) and majors in traditional hard-core science fields such as electrical engineering (ranked 11th) and computer engineering (ranked 13th).

“Logically, engineering majors should be experiencing a zenith. The career field itself remains robust and pay levels are promising”, comments Phillips. “Yet these degrees come in with markedly minimal interest compared to generalist IT degrees and technology laced managerial degrees.

“People who earned their undergraduate degrees in discrete tech areas such as electrical engineering may see a more flexible career future and better pay in a Master’s in technology management than in a Master’s in electrical engineering in today’s tight job climate,” interprets Phillips.

In addition, graduate-level computer engineering programmes traditionally employ more stringent admission requirements than business-oriented programs, discouraging application from prospective students who may not have earned undergraduate degrees in a discrete engineering discipline.

E-commerce appears to have fallen out of favour, coming in a very distant tenth. Taking its place is computer security. Phillips predicts that programs in this major area will see swelling demand over the next three years due to rising security threats post-9/11.

“The interest in online graduate school remains strong”, summarises Phillips. “Consumers see degrees that emphasise managerial skills as more valuable at the graduate level than those that teach technical skills. This makes sense when you look at the educational background of CTOs.” She points to a 2002 InfoWorld Survey that uncovered that 73 per cent of corporate CTOs do not hold any specific technical certification. Leaders in today’s technology marketplace tend to be managers and motivators first, and technicians second, if at all. The results of this study are based on surveys of online users of GetEducated.com’s free downloadable college guidebook, “Best Distance Learning Graduate Schools, Technology 2004”. The survey covers the three-month period February 15-May 15, 2004, and involved 1,200 potential online graduate students.

GetEducated.com’s “Best Distance Learning Graduate Schools, Technology 2004”, is a free downloadable college guidebook to 86 graduate schools (USA) that offer online degrees, including online masters and doctorates, in computer science, engineering and allied support fields. The guidebook is available free for download at: www.geteducated.com/bdlgs_tech.htm