The first doctoral degree in the institution’s history is coming to Middle Georgia State University.
 
Following the University System of Georgia’s Board of Regents approval on January 8, 2020, Middle Georgia State (MGA) hopes to introduce the Doctor of Science in Information Technology this fall, pending review and accreditation by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges.
Middle Georgia State became a university in summer 2015 and began offering master’s degrees shortly thereafter, with a longer-term goal of developing doctoral degrees specifically for professionals in certain career fields. In most fields, a doctoral degree is the highest-level academic credential.
 
“This is a historic moment for us, a huge leap forward in our evolution as a state university,” said Dr. Christopher Blake, MGA’s president. “Middle Georgia State is a statewide leader in information technology education, and members of the Board of Regents recognized that when they approved this forward-thinking doctoral program. We are grateful for their confidence in our School of Computing and look forward to making this program available to IT professionals everywhere.”
 
Dr. Alex Koohang, dean of MGA’s School of Computing, said the Doctor of Science in Information Technology will be offered online except for some “high-impact” weekend seminars for orientation, research development, and project presentations.
 
“The course of study is designed to fit the lifestyles of working professionals,” Koohang said. “This new terminal degree will continue to strengthen Middle Georgia State’s reputation as a leader in the economic life of the region and as a center for IT innovation.”
 
MGA’s Doctor of Science in Information Technology is designed to produce graduates prepared to assume leadership roles and manage information technology and systems within organizations. Doctoral students will study quantitative analysis and research, strategic planning as it relates to information technology, data science and analytics, leadership and management, and more.
 
The degree will be among the most affordable in the nation. At current rates, the doctoral degree will cost a student about $20,000, a worthwhile investment for careers with potential six-figure earnings.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the job outlook for computer and research scientists in 2018 was 16 percent higher than the average job demand over the next 10 years. For computer and information systems managers, the 10-year outlook was at 11 percent.
 
“Thousands of those jobs are in Georgia and the southeastern U.S.,” Koohang said.
 
Information technology was one of the first bachelor’s degrees offered by what is now Middle Georgia State University and it remains among MGA’s most popular and far-reaching programs. The B.S. in information technology is accredited by the Computing Accreditation Commission of ABET. The first master’s degree that MGA offered was also in IT.
 
MGA is designated as a National Center of Digital Forensics Academic Excellence by the Department of Defense Cyber Crime Center, as well as a National Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense Education. The School of Computing recently launched a Center for Software Innovation at MGA’s Warner Robins Campus in partnership with the Warner Robins Air Logistics Complex (WR-ALC) at Robins Air Force Base.