The Department of Computer Information Systems offers an array of stackable, online courses and program offerings that you can assemble and customize into a personalized career-building or career-enhancement plan.

Do you already have some college credit from another institution? Great! We’ll work with you to maximize its transferability into our programs. Even if you don’t have any prior college credit, we have multiple paths for you to begin your journey to a potentially rewarding professional career in information technology. And it may not take nearly as long as you might think! And, since all the courses are online, you can start and/or continue working at the same time you are pursuing your program.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment of computer and information technology occupations is projected to grow 13 percent from 2016 to 2026, faster than the average for all occupations, with a projected 557,100 new jobs. Demand for these workers will stem from greater emphasis on cloud computing, the collection and storage of big data, and cyber security. The median annual wage for computer and information technology occupations was $82,860 in May 2016, which was much higher than the median annual wage for all occupations at $37,040.

OUR STACKABLE APPROACH

At MNU, because all of our CIS programs are fully online, you can continue whatever you are currently doing in life – working, raising a family, volunteering, etc. – and still start and complete your career journey or transition to a new career.

And you can do it in bite-sized chunks. You can start with one of our two certificate programs – Informatics or Cyber Security – finishing one in as little as a year, even with zero prior college credit. Then you can move up and, in as little as one more year, complete an associate’s degree by “stacking” your new credits onto the credentials you’ve already earned. Since all of those first courses were completed for full college credit, then all of it counts (that is, “stacks”) toward your eventual goal of a full bachelor’s degree.

And since all the credits you’re earning are fully applicable to an eventual degree, part or all of the courses you take may be eligible for federal financial aid – check with one of our financial aid advisors for an assessment.

We make it easy. For all the CIS courses and programs, MNU has adopted an electronic inclusive access program for all textbooks. This means that for each course, your textbooks will already be loaded and ready for you, in an enhanced electronic form, inside our learning management system the first time you log on to a course, and in most cases the price you’ll pay for them will be sharply discounted from the publisher’s normal prices. Of course you can still shop on your own, if you prefer.

GET CERTIFIED

We can certify you as well. MNU is a CompTIA Academy Partner. By partnering with CompTIA Academy, selected MNU courses are designed with professional certification in mind. These select courses are purposefully aligned to prepare you to take and pass a professional certification exam while you’re taking our course or shortly thereafter, and our relationship with CompTIA allows us to provide you a significant discount on the testing fees.

These certifications are widely-recognized in the information technology industry as indicative of your readiness to work in the field, and they could be just that résumé-enhancing addition that gives you an edge on getting your first CIS job or promotion.

Depending upon your program and concentration courses, you could potentially earn any or all of the following CompTIA certifications:

• IT Fundamentals
• Network+
• Security+
• Project+

BUILD YOUR PORTFOLIO

Utilizing guidance and coaching from faculty within your CIS courses, you will create, maintain, and enhance an electronic professional portfolio throughout your time in our programs. Many courses will have specific, real-world projects for you to complete, which will then be showcased in these portfolios for potential employers and colleagues to review and evaluate. These portfolios are intended to be openly available on the Internet to assist you in building a network of interested future employers and colleagues.