Offered On Campus Only

Overview
The Master of Science in Telecommunications is designed to accommodate those individuals with an appropriate baccalaureate degree who seek graduate level education in Telecommunications and Information Technology (IT). The curriculum investigates critical areas of advanced data communications and telecommunications network technologies, including both technical and management perspectives. Technical coursework includes advanced study of LAN, MAN and WAN networks, internetworking, wireless cellular networks, wireless LANs, technologies enabling convergence of voice and data, and high capacity core networks. Common themes through these studies include information assurance and network design and simulation.

The MS in Telecommunications program is designed to meet the needs of students seeking quality education and preparation for career advancement in this dynamic one-trillion-dollar-per-year global industry.

The MS program accommodates both full-time and part-time students. Full-time students can complete the program within an 18 month period. Part-time completion will vary based on total number of credits taken each term. A program of study will be developed with the program coordinator which responds to student needs and the department’s plan for course scheduling.

Career Paths
This dynamic field offers a wide variety of career opportunities in the Information Technology (IT) industry. The subfield of Information Assurance is rapidly becoming one of the most sought-after specialties in the information sciences. Our graduates go on to rewarding careers in the field with titles such as Network Engineer, Network Administrator, Optical Network Engineer, Software Engineer, NOC Technician, Systems Engineer, Infrastructure Engineer, and Technical Consultant. Some of the companies that recent graduates have joined include AT&T, Aruba Networks, BT Global Services, BuffaloNiagara, Cisco, Cloud Solutions, Omnicell, Comcast, Datacom Systems, Harris Corporation, iBasis, IBM, Microsoft, mindShift Technologies, Northland Communications, Northrop Grumman, Scivantage, T-Mobile, Nokia Siemens, United Technologies, Vonage, and ZTE.

Lab Facilities
The Computer Science Department maintains its own academic computing network tailored to support our programs and provide an open environment for student experimentation and exploration. Departmental servers support the Computer Science Department and student web sites (www.cs.sunyit.edu), central file storage, remote access, databases, software repositories, streaming video, and student project virtual machines. Our computing environment is managed by professional staff and student administrators. Students interested in the fields of network or systems administration and desiring an opportunity to hone their skills prior to graduation should stop by our workroom.

The Newman Cybersecurity Lab (Donovan 1240) provides TEL students with access to networking and computer resources used for both in-class lab sessions and for individual projects. Eight “pods” provide students with their own “branch office” that can be configured and secured within the closed lab environment. Each pod contains a switch (Cisco Catalyst 2960), router (Cisco ISR 1921), firewall (Cisco 5505 ASA), wireless access point (Cisco Aironet model AIR-AP1142N), IP phone (Digium D40), and Linux host PC.

Pre-Requisite Courses and Background

• Computing Fundamentals
• Introduction to Linux
• Networking of Information Systems
• Discrete Structures
• Calculus
• Probability/Statistics

The need for completion of pre-requisite coursework is determined in consultation with the Graduate Admissions Office and the program coordinator.

Program Requirements

The M.S. in Telecommunications consists of 33 credit hours distributed as follows:
Research Core: 3 credit hours
Technical Core: 15 credit hours
Technical Electives: 9 – 12 credit hours
Thesis/Project: 3 – 6 credit hours

Thesis/Project (3 – 6 credit hours)

• TEL 597  Research Project (3 credits)
  OR
• TEL 599  Thesis (6 credits)

Students may choose either the project or thesis option for the culminating requirement. The project option is for students who want to complete a practical programming or simulation project, or produce a Technology Case Study (TCS) that describes in detail the state-of-the-art of the technology, market, and future prospects for some cutting-edge topic in the field. The thesis option is for students wishing to pursue original research and requires students to demonstrate appropriate independent research and written communication skills in TEL 598.

Degree Requirements Overview & Program Notes

• All students in the program are required to complete TEL 598 within their first two semesters of study.
• Unless otherwise noted, all graduate courses are 3 credit hours.
• All students must have a GPA of 3.0 or higher to graduate.
• Over the course of their studies, students can apply at most two “C” grades in courses taken toward the degree.
• Students may repeat at most two courses in which a “C” grade or less was received.
• Students may transfer up to six credit hours, if applicable, from another graduate program.
• Students must maintain continuous registration, equal to or greater than one credit while working on their final thesis or project. MS Telecommunications students can do this by registering for either TEL 597 or TEL 599, as appropriate, with their advisor for one credit. Students may do this for up to six semesters at which time it is expected that all program requirements will have been met.