UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. -- Penn State’s College of Information Sciences
and Technology (IST) has launched the first enterprise architecture (EA)
program in North America and the first online EA master’s program in
the world.
The EA program is in response to the rapidly increasing demand for
professionals with a unique combination of skills and perspectives to
align enterprise information systems and technology with business
strategy and goals.
"Enterprise architecture is often described as the bridge between
strategy and implementation," said Brian Cameron, executive director of
the Center for Enterprise Architecture at the College of IST and
faculty program director of the master’s program.
Cameron says that enterprise architecture is the process of
translating business' vision and strategy into effective operational
planning. By integrating the various dimensions of an organization, he
said, an enterprise architect takes a company's business strategy and
defines an information technology system to support that strategy.
The College of IST has offered classes in EA for the past semesters,
and the master of professional studies program in enterprise
architecture (MPS/EA) was recently approved by the Penn State’s Board of
Trustees.
“Globally, we’re seen as one of the thought leaders in this field,” said Cameron.
The Center for EA, which was launched in January 2011, seeks to
gather intellectual resources across Penn State to address research
concerns and questions that span the design, functioning and governance
of contemporary, information-driven enterprises. The center is guided,
in part, by an external advisory board consisting of representatives
from leading corporations, government and professional organizations.
Pete Forster, director of online programs for the College of IST,
said that the MPS/EA program “epitomizes the values and goals of the
college."
“It is extending cutting- edge subject matter taught by faculty who
are strong academics, but have corporate experience, to new student
populations,” Forster said. “This is a corporately informed program that
addresses the realities and challenges of enterprise architecture in
the public and private sector.”
The MPS/EA program has had a unique development process, according to
Cameron. Since the inception of the Center for EA in 2008, he said,
“one of the visions was to create an online master’s program.” Cameron
raised about $500,000 in start-up funds from approximately 70
organizations on the external advisory board, all of which played a role
in developing the curriculum for the program. Within two-and-a-half
years, Cameron said, he had received both the internal and external
support required to propel the master’s degree program forward.
The MPS/EA program is an innovative program, unlike any other program
that is currently offered at universities, Cameron said. It is designed
for working professionals who need to integrate strategic, business and
technology planning methods with an ability to understand, analyze,
justify and communicate the solution of EA problems. With an eye towards
the international market, the curriculum accommodates individuals from
all types of academic backgrounds with a minimum of two years of
relevant work experience.
According to Cameron, the program is the closest available option to a
chief information officer degree and pairs the most important aspects
of an MBA program with courses in EA and systems. “This program prepares
you for a wide variety of technology leadership roles in
organizations,” he said.
The program, which requires 34 credits for graduation, includes
courses in EA principles and practices, EA leadership and governance,
cost and value management, business and project strategy and project and
portfolio management. Initial elective areas that offer opportunities
for further study in areas of interest include supply chain management,
enterprise integration, security, software engineering, and project and
program management. On average, Cameron said, the program will take two
to three years to complete.
In addition to the master’s program, the Center for EA is planning to
offer a degree focus area in EA that will be available to undergraduate
students in the fall 2012 semester.
While large organizations have been the first to explore EA, mid-size
and smaller companies are increasingly taking an interest in the field.
As with all offerings at the College of IST, the MPS/EA program is
designed to reflect the dynamic nature of industry and government.
For more information about the MPS/EA program, visit
http://ist.psu.edu/online-education/. To learn more about the Center for EA, visit http://ea.ist.psu.edu/.
Article Source http://live.psu.edu/story/59075 