Full Course Description List:

DITC Courses

(5 credits)

This course introduces students to Walden University and the requirements for successful participation in an online curriculum. Students work toward building a foundation for academic and professional success as scholar-practitioners and social change agents. They develop presentation and written communications skills geared toward developing a high level of competence in professional communication with colleagues, clients, novices, and IT experts. Students are introduced to the Doctoral Degree Coach, helpful capstone resources, time management strategies, and potential doctoral study topics relevant to their field of study. Students also examine exemplar capstones to understand the journey they will be undertaking. Students learn how to use the library, develop doctoral-level writing strategies, and write a literature review. Additionally, students engage in course assignments focused on the practical application of professional writing, critical-thinking skills, and the promotion of professional and academic excellence. They also have the opportunity to prepare their Professional Development Plan and program of study.

(0 credits)

The purpose of this course is to assist doctoral students in making steady progress toward their doctorate in information technology. The "instructor of record" for a section of the course is the chair of the doctoral study committee. Section participants are the students working with the faculty member at various stages of their doctoral study. The course provides a forum for ongoing exchange of ideas, input, and feedback between students and their doctoral study chair as students complete the coursework for the degree.

Pre-requisites

• DITC 8201 or DITC 8202 or DICT 8203 or DITC 8501 or DITC 8502 or DITC 8503 or DITC 8504 (may be taken concurrently)
• DITC 8447
• DITC 8950
• RESI 8702

(5 credits)

In this information technology (IT) leadership course, students delve into a problem-based learning scenario focused on an organizational merger situation. Students investigate which technology set best supports the newly merged organization's IT infrastructure. They also plan for and manage how changes to the new IT infrastructure will address the needs of the organization and its employees across countries, cultures, and diverse business areas. 

Pre-requisites

• DITC 8000
• DITC 8225
• DITC 8240
• DITC 8250
• DITC 8255
• DITC 8425
• DITC 8447
• DITC 8665
• DITC 8950
• RESI 8701

(5 credits)

In this information technology (IT) leadership course, students delve into a problem-based learning scenario focused on an organization that has experienced a security breach. Students examine relevant IT governance, security, and privacy issues that are essential to the organization. They gain practical experience in formulating comprehensive proactive and reactive system security plans. Students also explore sound IT management principles in decision making and implementation of broad-scale change.

Pre-requisites

• DITC 8000
• DITC 8225
• DITC 8240
• DITC 8250
• DITC 8255
• DITC 8425
• DITC 8447
• DITC 8665
• DITC 8950
• RESI 8701

(5 credits)

In this information technology (IT) leadership course, students delve into a problem-based learning scenario in which they confront an impending or proposed disruptive legislative or policy change. Students work though the scenario under the assumption that the dynamic change has a direct societal influence and will affect IT accessibility and/or use. They anticipate effects, examine the societal values driving different choices, determine priorities, and develop a plan to positively influence the formation and implementation of policies for issues in which IT features prominently.

Pre-requisites

• DITC 8000
• DITC 8225
• DITC 8240
• DITC 8250
• DITC 8255
• DITC 8425
• DITC 8447
• DITC 8665
• DITC 8950
• RESI 8701

(5 credits)

Students in this course are provided with a comprehensive understanding of change models and the impact of change related to technology innovation, adoption, and implementation. Students are presented with both the theoretical and practical perspectives required to manage the design and use of technology to foster growth, innovation, and change within organizations. Course content focuses on how innovation can act as a change enabler and the importance of building readiness for change within organizations.

Pre-requisites

• DITC 8000 (may be taken concurrently)

(5 credits)

In order to create a competitive advantage, organizations store and analyze information in a variety of different formats. This course covers key areas of database systems, such as requirements, design, implementation, security, performance, and scalability. Through a hands-on approach and practical projects, students have an opportunity to design and build database systems using the latest database technologies.

Pre-requisites

• DITC 8000 (may be taken concurrently)

(5 credits)

In this course students examine requirements of engineering and quality engineering in the context of software engineering. Students are presented with topics on the system engineering life cycle, including requirements, design, integration, transition, operation, maintenance, support, and quality management standards. Course content focuses on issues of requirements and quality engineering, such as the elicitation of requirements, analysis, specification, validation, and change management.

Pre-requisites

• DITC 8000 (may be taken concurrently)

(5 credits)

Combatting cybercrime requires a deep understanding of the mechanisms and techniques that can be used to prevent or at least mitigate against it. In this course students consider the motivations for cybercrime and have the opportunity to develop a comprehensive understanding of the tools that can be used to prevent it, including the deployment of cybercrime prevention strategies. Students build an "ethical hacking" environment with which they can experiment. In addition, the course is directed at providing students with hands-on knowledge of cybercrime prevention for application in the workplace.

(5 credits)

Students in this course are provided with a detailed understanding of how technology becomes an enabler for business. Students study how information technology (IT) strategies support organizational goals, and how IT strategies can help to create a sustained competitive advantage in business. Students evaluate IT strategies and how best to deploy such strategies in the context of systems or business applications.

Pre-requisites

• DITC 8000

(4 credits)

Students in this course are introduced to qualitative, quantitative, and mixed-methods frameworks for inquiry. Quantitative designs that are covered in the course include experimental and quasiexperimental, survey, causal-comparative, evaluation, and existing action research; qualitative designs include case study, phenomenology, grounded theory, and ethnography; and mixed-methods strategies include sequential and concurrent strategies. Students work toward acquiring substantive, foundational knowledge of the philosophy of science as they construct, use, and critique concepts and theories. They can learn to produce knowledge for practice as they examine ethical, social, and political aspects of conducting research. By demonstrating knowledge and the ability to solve problems and test hypotheses, students engage in course assignments that emphasize the practical application of writing and critical-thinking skills and the integration of professional practice at the doctoral level.

Pre-requisites

• DITC 8000
• DITC 8240
• RESI 8701

(5 credits)

In this course, students develop skills in descriptive statistics, statistical inference, and quantitative techniques, including correlation, t-tests, ANOVA, regression, and various non-parametric methods. Students use quantitative data reduction and analysis and data management techniques, and they learn to utilize software for data analysis. This course is not intended for students to become fully grounded in statistical methods; rather, students learn appropriate questions to ask about data analysis, as well as how to defend their use of specific techniques in professional practice.

Pre-requisites

• DITC 8427
• RESI 8701

(5 credits)

This course provides students the opportunity to extend their research and general analysis skills as they further explore research methods and project types - specifically, qualitative and case study research methods - that they may incorporate into their own doctoral study. Students explore ways of improving the quality and strategic analysis of organizational information technology (IT).They also focus on how to think in an action-oriented manner, as if they were consultants, so that their own doctoral study work could be applied in action. Finally, students begin to plan their doctoral study by engaging in an iterative process to develop their premise and a draft prospectus that incorporates feedback from peers and the course Instructor. Ultimately, students offer the prospectus as a document for review and consideration by potential mentors for their doctoral study.

Pre-requisites

• DITC 8225 (may be taken concurrently)
• DITC 8240
• DITC 8250 (may be taken concurrently)
• DITC 8255 (may be taken concurrently)
• DITC 8425 (may be taken concurrently)
• DITC 8665 (may be taken concurrently)
• DITC 8437
• RESI 8701

(5 credits)

Students in this doctoral seminar focus on the scholarly and practice-oriented literature related to information security. Students explore major theoretical approaches and practices that define the discipline and the strategic and organizational implications of information security, such as secure data, secure networks, vulnerabilities, and computer forensics. During the majority of the seminar, students work with colleagues, including faculty members, to identify threads and tendencies for further reading and discussion in a true doctoral seminar format. They also have the opportunity to lead their colleagues as well as to participate in academic discourse.

Pre-requisites

• DITC 8000
• DITC 8225
• DITC 8240
• DITC 8250
• DITC 8255
• DITC 8425
• DITC 8447
• DITC 8665
• DITC 8950
• RESI 8701

(5 credits)

This doctoral seminar focuses on the scholarly and practice-oriented literature related to IT Systems, Software, and Management.  Students will explore major theoretical approaches and practices that define the discipline and strategic and organizational implications of IT Systems, Software, and Management, such as system architecture, software development, and system management.   During the majority of the seminar, you will work with colleagues, including faculty, to identify threads and tendencies for further reading and discussion in a true doctoral seminar format.  You will have the opportunity to lead your colleagues as well as to participate in academic discourse.

Pre-requisites

• DITC 8000
• DITC 8225
• DITC 8240
• DITC 8250
• DITC 8255
• DITC 8425
• DITC 8447
• DITC 8665
• DITC 8950
• RESI 8701

(5 credits)

Students in this doctoral seminar focus on the scholarly and practice-oriented literature related to project management of information technology (IT) projects. Students explore major theoretical approaches and practices that define the discipline and the strategic and organizational implications of project management of IT projects, such as knowledge management, requirements management, current project management tools and techniques all within an IT framework. During the majority of the seminar, students work with colleagues, including faculty members, to identify threads and tendencies for further reading and discussion in a true doctoral seminar format. They also have the opportunity to lead their colleagues as well as to participate in academic discourse.

Pre-requisites

• DITC 8000
• DITC 8225
• DITC 8240
• DITC 8250
• DITC 8255
• DITC 8425
• DITC 8447
• DITC 8665
• DITC 8950
• RESI 8701

(5 credits)

In this doctoral seminar, students focus on the scholarly and practice-oriented literature related to cloud and grid computing. Students explore major theoretical approaches and practices that define the discipline and strategic and organizational implications of grid and cloud computing, such as security, availability, architecture, and ownership. During the majority of the seminar, students work with colleagues, including faculty members, to identify threads and tendencies for further reading and discussion in a true doctoral seminar format. They also have the opportunity to lead their colleagues as well as to participate in academic discourse.

Pre-requisites

• DITC 8000
• DITC 8225
• DITC 8240
• DITC 8250
• DITC 8255
• DITC 8425
• DITC 8447
• DITC 8665
• DITC 8950
• RESI 8701

(5 credits)

Students in this course are provided with insight into how predictive analytics can be used within organizations. In completing this course, students have the opportunity to gain a comprehensive understanding of how results from predictive analytics can be used by organizations to grow their customer base and run operations more efficiently. This course is oriented toward the practical applications of predictive analytics.

Pre-requisites

• DITC 8000 (may be taken concurrently)

(1 credits)

Research Questions and Frameworks has students take off into developing critical elements of a scientific study. Students distinguish the characteristics of strong quantitative and qualitative research questions and evaluate conceptual and theoretical frameworks with respect to their alignment with a study. Students will engage in an iterative process of developing research questions through peer review and feedback.

Pre-requisites

• DITC 8427 (may be taken concurrently)
• RESI 8701

(1 credits)

Methods and Alignment has students fly towards completing their prospectus by developing methods appropriate to answer a research question as well as explain the nature and significance of a scientific study. Students evaluate how to align various elements of a scientific study and ensure ethical concerns are addressed. Students end this course with a solid draft of their prospectus.

Pre-requisites

• DITC 8437 (may be taken concurrently)
• DITC 8930
• RESI 8701

(1 credits)

Transition to the Capstone culminates the student's journey towards developing a prospectus. This course focuses on completing the Prospectus Form. Students deliver an asynchronous oral and visual presentation of their proposed doctoral study and get feedback from peers and the instructor.

Pre-requisites

• DITC 8447 (may be taken concurrently)
• DITC 8940
• RESI 8701

(5 credits)

Students demonstrate a scholarly ability to examine, critique, and synthesize knowledge, theory, and experience in the final doctoral study. They show how new ideas can be tested; best practices identified, established, and verified; and theoretical, practice or policy constructs evaluated and advanced. In all cases, the doctoral study is a rigorous inquiry that results in new knowledge, insight, or practice, demonstrating its efficacy in the world of information technology. This course is a forum and structure for doctoral students to interact with the chair of their doctoral study committee, as well as other students assigned to the same chair, in order to make steady progress on their individual doctoral study research.

Pre-requisites

• DITC 8100
• DITC 8447
• DITC 8950
• RESI 8702