Lipscomb launches online, accelerated IT management program to meet workforce demand
Kim Chaudoin |
As organizations across every sector race to modernize systems, strengthen cybersecurity and make sense of emerging tools like artificial intelligence, Lipscomb University has introduced a new fully online information technology management program designed to help working adults move into leadership roles in the technology workforce.
The accelerated program, offered through Lipscomb Online, is built for students who want to pair technical fluency with the management and strategic skills employers increasingly expect from IT professionals. Coursework is 100% online and asynchronous, delivered in eight-week terms that may be completed in as little as 18 months. Students may pursue either a Bachelor of Science or a Bachelor of Professional Studies.
“The information technology management program was intentionally designed to bridge the gap between technical expertise and strategic leadership,” said Kimetrice Cox, lead faculty member for the program. “The curriculum blends core IT concepts with management principles, cybersecurity awareness, data-driven decision-making and real-world application.”
The program was developed to meet workforce needs. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects and 11% growth for IT-related employment and nearly 106,900 job openings in IT management and related fields over the next six years.
Lipscomb’s information technology management program is structured as a degree-completion pathway, with multiple options intended to help adult learners accelerate progress toward graduation. Students may apply transfer credit, pursue credit for prior learning and use assessment-based options to count applicable experience toward the degree.
“This model recognizes that many adult students bring meaningful professional and life experience to the classroom. Many want a program that respects that background while maintaining academic rigor,” said Emily Smith, assistant provost for online learning at Lipscomb. “Our accelerated format is designed for momentum, and these flexible pathways can help students turn the work they have already completed into real progress toward their degree.”
Cox said the information technology management program’s design emphasizes experiential learning and practical assignments rather than traditional coursework. Students complete immersive projects intended to mirror real-world tasks and communication expectations in modern IT environments.
“This is not a traditional, paper-heavy program,” Cox said. “This curriculum is innovative, engaging and experiential. Students build, test, deploy, plan financially, explore gaming, create podcasts, conduct interviews, present professionally and participate in creative, high-impact activities that make learning both meaningful and enjoyable.”
Courses integrate technical foundations with management and strategic planning, preparing graduates to lead projects, guide teams through change and align technology initiatives with organizational priorities. The program is designed to support career-level roles that sit at the intersection of technology and business operations.
The program offers several focus areas that prepare students for a variety of roles including IT manager, systems manager, cloud project manager, information security manager, risk and compliance manager, digital transformation manager and business systems manager. Focus areas include:
- Cloud initiatives: helping organizations move systems and data to cloud-based platforms while managing vendors, costs, timelines and adoption.
- Cybersecurity oversight: setting security standards, meeting compliance requirements, responding to incidents and communicating risk to leadership.
- Digital transformation efforts: leading technology-driven projects that improve processes, implement modern systems and guide teams through organizational change.
Cox said the program was developed with the rapidly evolving workplace in mind, particularly as organizations incorporate artificial intelligence and new digital tools into day-to-day operations. As technology becomes more embedded in decision-making, she said, employers need professionals who can translate technical options into organizational value and lead teams through ongoing change.
“I love teaching in this discipline because it empowers students to translate technology into business value while preparing them for leadership in a rapidly evolving digital economy,” Cox said. “Upon graduation, students truly receive the best of three worlds: technology, business and leadership.”
The program is rooted in Lipscomb’s faith-informed approach to education, encouraging ethical leadership and service-oriented practices in business and technology settings.
Cox emphasized that flexibility does not mean students navigate the experience alone. Faculty support is designed to help students connect course concepts to their professional environments in real time. With coursework delivered asynchronously, students can complete assignments on their own schedules while still engaging with instructors and program resources. The accelerated eight-week course structure is intended to keep students moving forward steadily, while applied projects help learners build a portfolio of work they can translate to the workplace.
Learn more about Lipscomb’s information technology management program.