Most organizations these days are supported by information technologies and in many cases these technologies are a key component of the organization's strategy. Are you prepared to hit the ground running when you join one of these organizations? Will your current computer literacy be sufficient to make you competitive in the marketplace when you apply for jobs? Is your familiarity with analytical and data management tools sufficient for you to excel and succeed in your next job? If your answer to any of these questions is no, you should seriously consider taking this course. Regardless of you major, there is a very high probability that you will be joining an organization that depends substantially on IT to get the job done. While your excellent professional skills will be necessary for you to succeed in your work, those who are familiar with the right tools to analyze data, manage information and make decisions effectively and efficiently will have a definite competitive edge in today's information age.

ITEC 200, The Leading Edge of Information Technology, is a course that we recommended for any undergraduate student who plans to work in just about any type of organization upon graduation. The course is designed to provide non-technical students with knowledge about popular information technologies and tools used in most organizations.

The aim of the course is two-fold:

1. To prepare students to understand, be conversant about, and operate effectively and efficiently in today's information intense organizational environments.

2. To provide the student with intensive hands-on experience with popular tools used in companies today to manage and analyze large amounts of data and for personal productivity.

The main components of the course include:

• Hands-on lab exercises to learn essential aspects of office productivity toos that employers expect job applicants to have. These include:

  • Designing and implementing a web site using Dreamweaver
  • MS Excel spreadsheet modeling
  • MS Access database design, implementation and data retrieval
  • MS Visio diagramming of popular models (e.g., business process models)

• Class discussions and readings on the important IT for business, including data management, networking, the Internet, business applications, information security and ethical issues in IT.

• Guest lectures by successful non-technical professionals whose rely on IT to remain competitive and visible

For additional information about this course, please contact
Prof. J. Alberto Espinosa (alberto@american.edu) x1958

"It is very difficult to compete for jobs in the financial market in New York, but anyone with strong analytical skills and proficiency with MS Excel spreadsheet modeling has a definite advantage -- we need these skills." Kogod alumn, now Senior Manager at J.P. Morgan

"My manager requested that I create an automated system within a database next week, so my working life will revolve around MS Access quite a bit for the next month or so. I recognized that database work was important, but my appreciation is at a whole new level." -- former student and now Management Analyst at Bearingpoint

"This past summer I worked at the largest bank in Puerto Rico tracking and analyzing consumption patterns for the bank's different financial products. Using MS Access, I was able to determine which of the bank's 1.3 million clients fit the specified target market by tracking their financial activity, which, landed me a job offer for when I graduate in December." -- former student of this course.