Why Choose the School of Applied Technology at IIT?
The School of Applied Technology at Illinois Institute of Technology provides a blend of theoretical content and practical application that utilizes a hands-on, reality-based approach to education. This allows students to apply what they learn in class to solve real life problems. Students learn about new and emerging technologies and the application, integration, and administrative practices used in the effective management of these technologies. The program provides an innovative experience where students work on cutting-edge, industry-sponsored projects. This teaching philosophy prepares students to become technology innovators, entrepreneurs, and leaders of the future.
Students can create a program of study that includes a comprehensive and unmatched set of courses provided by an extraordinary team of educators committed to student-centered education. Group projects provide students with experience in working with others towards a successful outcome. Projects are mentored by faculty that is unrivaled in its subject knowledge and real world experience.
The School of Applied Technology prepares students to be competitive in global markets, lead in new venture creations, be goal driven, team oriented, prepared for leadership positions, experienced in best practices in both technology and management, and dedicated to continuous improvement and innovation through strategic thinking.
Student Innovation
Students are encouraged to innovate new ideas by working on industry-sponsored projects as part of their class assignments. IIT helps students partner with corporations to explore projects of interest that have high potential for innovation and possible commercial deployment. Students have access to equipment and laboratory environments which enable students to innovate new ideas. It is with this type of learning environment that future technology leaders and innovators gain experience and maturity. The student contributions and innovations have been remarkable and have led to patent applications, start-ups, and successful job placement for our graduates.
Technology and Business Skills
IIT’s curriculum provides students with hands-on and group project experiences that require them to demonstrate their knowledge of best practices in both technology and business. Their student projects provide a measure of their knowledge development.
Problem Solving Experience
By working on real world problems in group projects, students are given the opportunity to produce tangible solutions that demonstrate their knowledge of the problem, insight about effective solutions, and the ability to communicate these solutions.
Problem solving presentations are made in class and, in many cases, at technical conferences and to working professionals for external review and evaluation. Co-sponsorship of these presentations by corporations and professional groups such as IEEE and UniForum enable us to assemble highly qualified individuals for these project reviews.
Management Skills
Many of the courses and group projects focus on management skill development in such areas as project management, group communication, professional presentations, leadership, strategic thinking and innovation, market planning, process auditing, evaluation, and improvement. Corporate sponsorship of business problem solving projects provides the needed real world context for such skill development.
Entrepreneurship
Class projects generate examples from which students can learn to evaluate potential business opportunities. Students are expected to expand on this analysis and develop business plans which may lead to business opportunities. Serial entrepreneurs evaluate the plans and provide feedback. Several new ventures have emerged from the innovative ideas developed in the program which we continue to nurture.
Classes meet in the evenings and on weekends and programs may be taken full or part-time, live or online. The School of Applied Technology offers undergraduate, graduate, and certificate programs. Masters degree programs may be completed through evening coursework and/or entirely via online courses. If the programs are completed online, a smaller number of specializations will be available.