Benefits of Northwestern's MSIT Part-Time Program

By Abi Shay

When I talk with prospective students interested in Northwestern's Master of Science in Information Technology (MSIT) part-time program option, I often share what I've heard are the key reasons our current students and alumni chose to enroll in the program:

• The MSIT part-time program gives students the flexibility to maintain full-time employment while earning a degree from one of the nation's most prestigious universities.
• Past and current students note that they are actively taking what they learn in the classroom and applying it to their workplace the very next day.
• The MSIT part-time program's proximity to Chicago is a key differentiator for IT professionals currently working in and around Chicago.

If you're interested in the MSIT part-time program option but haven't yet taken the GRE, I want to remind you that it is possible to receive a GRE requirement waiver if you submit a copy of your undergraduate transcripts, resume and a short "Why MSIT?" statement to me at abigayle.shay@northwestern.edu. The MSIT director will then review your math coursework and grades and can offer input on MSIT program "overall fit" and the possible GRE requirement waiver.

I recently shared that and other pieces of advice in a Tips for Applying post. While I think there is a lot of useful information there, I think it also is useful for prospective students to hear from past and present part-time students about why they enrolled in the program and what they got out of the opportunity. So, with that in mind, here are thoughts from five members of the MSIT part-time community. Please click their names to learn more about them and their MSIT experience.

Dayo Popoola (current MSIT student)
"There were four (reasons why I chose the MSIT part-time program at Northwestern): a world-renowned university, a part-time course schedule with classes held all day, once a week on Saturdays, highly qualified instructors with over a century’s worth of industry exposure and experience, and the physical proximity to home and work."  

John Iatonna (MSIT '16)
"​I learned to problem-solve differently and execute very efficiently. Most significantly, I learned that we are at the crux of a tremendously important point in the arc of technological evolution, and the MSIT program prepared me to take advantage of that."

John Kuk (Current MSIT student)
"The rigor of classes each week, the assigned readings, and other projects and assignments have me really looking at things in a different way. For example, in my previous MBA coursework, we learned stats, but it was from the perspective of business and tools. Here in the MSIT program, the principles underlying the tools make me really understand the tools better. I feel I have been enriched with knowledge that I was missing and am filling in gaps."

Smritee Subba (MSIT '18)
"All the courses I have taken in this program have broadened my way of thinking through problems at work. This program has also helped me become better at equipping myself to stay updated with upcoming technologies even after I graduate. The required study groups further teach how a group can work well together to accomplish many challenging assignments where you leverage the real world professional experiences of each group member."

Vernon Pearson (current MSIT student)
"I am a big proponent that innovation happens at the crossroads of diversity and open-mindedness, and the MSIT program has a broad diversity of experiences: academic, professional, and cultural. I cannot imagine another program where there is such a balance of accepting differences of thought while challenging expectations."