Clark University’s School of Professional Studies announces the launch of a concentration in information technology leadership, offered as part of its master’s of information technology (MSIT) program.

Information Technology professionals pride themselves on the investments they make to increase their technical knowledge, but often overlook the soft skills necessary to advance their careers, says Rich Aroian, program lead for MSIT.

“We frequently hear from business leaders — in all industries — about the skills they need in the next generation of IT leaders,” he adds. “Outstanding soft skills are always at the top of the list.”

“Employers want IT leaders who can work with business executives, recommend the best IT approaches and successfully lead cross-functional teams,” Aroian explains. “This goes beyond traditional communication, and includes skills like active listening, negotiations, and analysis and translation.”

The leadership concentration provides students with a mix of communication and collaboration skills, as well as the opportunity to apply them in IT domains like enterprise architecture and IT strategy. Students also can choose several experiential learning options designed to let them essentially step into the role of an IT director.

“Information technology is an incredibly broad field, and each company and position will have a different emphasis,” Aroian says. “We’ve built the Clark MSIT program to provide instruction in key areas like cyber security, enterprise architecture and data management. This concentration combines that technical knowledge with the communication and collaboration skills our graduates will need to succeed in the workplace.”