Technology drives how organizations make competitive operational and strategic decisions. IT leaders help decide how the work gets done today and what the company is capable of tomorrow.

Stakeholders look to IT professionals to make the hard calls. The ones who rise to leadership are the ones who can translate across teams: they’re fluent in technology, fluent in business and trusted by both sides of the table. An MBA with an IT emphasis builds exactly that trust.

IT Emphasis Course Options

  • Data Management
  • Project Management
  • IT Strategy and Business Value
  • Healthcare Information Technologies
  • Enterprise Systems
  • IT Architecture and Infrastructure
  • Emergent Technologies and Issues
  • Special Topics in IT
  • Innovations in Financial Technology

Visit our curriculum page for a full list of MBA courses or download our brochure.

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To learn more about the Graduate Degree Programs offered by the Cal Lutheran School of Management and download a brochure, please fill out the form. You can also get in touch with an enrollment specialist directly by calling us at 805-521-9856.

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Your Information Tech MBA Roadmap

Students who take the MBA with an IT emphasis complete 45 credits total. You’ll take your emphasis courses after you complete your core courses.

The IT emphasis is available completely online, including emphasis electives. If you prefer an in-person experience, core and capstone courses are also available on campus in Thousand Oaks.

Who Is the IT Emphasis For?

This emphasis suits IT professionals who want to move into management or leadership as well as business professionals who work closely with technology teams and want to close the gap.

It also works well for professionals in industries undergoing significant digital transformation – health care, finance and operations among them. Career changers who want to connect their technical background to a broader business credential are also welcome.

You don’t need a computer science background to succeed in this emphasis area (although STEM graduates are welcome). Many students come in with degrees or experience in areas such as business, operations or project management.

Where Can an MBA in IT Take You?

Earning an MBA with an IT emphasis suits professionals who want to move into a tech management role or anyone looking to bring sharper technology thinking to business decisions. A few examples of where it can lead:

Job Title
Median Salary
Median Salary With an MBA

Business Intelligence Analyst
$99,200
$109,300

IT Manager
$118,100
$143,100

IT Project Manager
$120,200
$139,800

Operations Manager
$72,600
$140,000

Chief Information Officer (CIO)
$181,100
$202,200

Source: Lightcast labor market analytics.

Frequently Asked Questions: Information Technology Emphasis Area

The MBA with an IT emphasis is the full MBA, with IT specialization added through four targeted electives. You’ll complete the same core business coursework as every other MBA student, then use your emphasis courses to focus on technology.

The MS in Information Technology (MSIT) is a fully IT-focused program. Every course is built around the technology side of the field, with concentrations available in areas like cybersecurity, data analytics, and IT management. It’s designed for professionals who want a degree built entirely around IT expertise, with no general business coursework.

If you’re considering both options, an enrollment specialist can help: call 805-521-9856.

The MBA with an IT emphasis is a business degree first, with focused IT coursework built on top. If your goals involve running teams, influencing strategy or moving into senior leadership roles like IT director, CIO or CTO, this track gives you the broad business foundation those positions require, along with the technology fluency to lead teams and make sound decisions in a tech-heavy environment.

If your goal is deep technical expertise, whether that’s in cybersecurity, data analytics or IT architecture, Cal Lutheran’s Master of Science in Information Technology (MSIT) may be the better fit.

The IT emphasis courses are only online. This means that you can:

  • Complete the entire program online, including emphasis electives, core courses and capstone
  • Take your core and capstone courses on campus in Thousand Oaks, and complete your emphasis area courses online.
  • Take a hybrid approach for your core and capstone courses, mixing on-campus and online, while completing your emphasis area courses online

(Note that the IT emphasis area is the only emphasis option where courses are available online. All other emphasis areas courses are completed on campus.)

Yes. The MBA with an emphasis area is available as a part-time or full-time program. If you’re balancing a full-time job or other responsibilities, we recommend taking no more than two courses per term.

Yes. Cal Lutheran offers funding options from internal and external sources, including scholarships, grants, credit reductions, veterans benefits and employer discounts. Visit our financial aid page for details, or call an enrollment specialist at 805-521-9856.

If this is the direction you’ve been looking for, start your application. or talk to an enrollment specialist at 805-521-9856.

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