Muncie, In. — To train American workers for technology-based jobs, Ball State University will soon offer an online version of its highly regarded master’s in information and communication sciences.
Beginning with the Spring semester, Ball State’s Center for Information and Communication Sciences (CICS) will launch its online master of science in addition to its on-campus degree. On campus or online, the 38-credit-hour program that can be completed in as soon as 18 months.
The program features innovative coursework, a flexible degree plan, and immersive learning opportunities. Students will have real-world issues to solve and projects to collaborate on while working professionals, alumni in the field, and a team of forward-thinking faculty and industry-leading partners.
Dennis Trinkle, CICS director and director of the Applied Research Institute at Ball State, said expanding to an online platform will allow CICS to reach more students and fill the need for professionals in high-tech fields.
The online master’s, like its on-campus counterpart, will help workers prepare for jobs in an ever changing workplace, he said, citing a McKinsey Global Institute report that projects automation could displace as many as 73 million U.S. jobs by 2030.
“The McKinsey report also projects that many new jobs will be created by these new technologies,” he said. “The types of roles that will be most protected from the effects of automation involve managing people, high-level expertise, and unpredictable environments. These jobs will be at a high skill-level and require significant creativity, adaptability, and comfort with rapid change. Our program prepares students with the ability to think critically and to solve novel problems.”
For more than 30 years, CICS has prepared students to creatively solve communication and information challenges in business, government, education, and nonprofit organizations using the latest technologies. The program provides students with both practical leadership experience and with technical understanding.
“More importantly, we prepare our graduates to be creative, adaptable problem-solvers committed to their own perpetual learning and re-skilling,” Trinkle said. “To succeed in technology, you have to master the art of continuous learning and develop effective techniques for handling stress, change, and disruption. You need persistence, resilience, and confidence. This is the foundation that CICS helps its graduates to build.”
Learn more by visiting the CICS website.
