1. Transfer Orientation Bachelor of Science Information Technology Welcome!

2. Your Success 1.IST Website 2.Manage Your Time 3.Location, Location, Location 4.Advising 5.Seeking Assistance 6.Transfer Credit 7.What to Take 8.Concentrations 9.Important Policies 10.General Information 11.Stay Connected with IST

3. IST Website Most of what you need to know about IT is available on the IST Website: http://ist.gmu.edu/

4. Manage Your Time Each course will require several hours of work per week - beyond time for lectures and labs. Full Time ≥12 credits Most students take 4-5 courses >5 courses requires excellent GPA Be realistic about courses you can complete, especially if you are working fulltime or have other responsibilities.

5. Location, Location, Location BSIT program is based at the Science and Technology Campus in Manassas Non-IT courses & 100 – 200 level IT courses are offered at the Fairfax Campus 300 – 400 level IT courses are only offered at the Science and Technology Campus Mason Shuttle is the quickest way to travel between campuses http://shuttle.gmu.edu

6. Advising Full-time faculty members in IST are advisors. Plus, two full-time advisors: Mrs. Cheryl Howe (chowe1@gmu.edu)chowe1@gmu.edu –Fairfax Campus, Nguyen Engineering Building, rm. 5400 Ms. Krystal Dains (kdains@gmu.edu)kdains@gmu.edu –Science and Technology Campus, Bull Run Hall, rm. 102E VSE students are required to meet with an advisor each semester http://ist.gmu.edu/go/advising

7. Seeking Assistance Having trouble in a course? There are a number of resources that can help you succeed: Stay in contact with the instructor of the course. They are there to help you. If there is a graduate teaching assistant (GTA) assigned to the course, reach out to them. Seek out a peer mentor from GMU STARS Alliance Organization, which offers tutoring in a number of IT courses. Seek out a tutor from VSE Peer Advising, which offers tutoring in a number of IT courses. More info: http://ist.gmu.edu/go/tutoring

8. VCCS Guaranteed Admissions Agreement Earned AA or AS from VCCS GPA = 2.85 or better at application and graduation http://admissions.gmu.edu/transfer/gaa.asp If you meet all requirements, receive a waiver of lower-level Mason Core requirements Important to make sure final transcript is recorded! No final transcript = no Mason Core waiver

9. Transfer Credits ONE year before transfer credits are set in stone. Take care of issues now. There is no grace period. Review Transfer Evaluation If you are missing courses: Transfer Credit Inquiry Form If you want direct credit for a transfer elective: Transfer Credit Reevaluation Appeal. admissions.gmu.edu/transfer/transferCreditEvaluation.asp

10. Bridge Courses For students who have similar transfer coursework. 1 credit, self-paced, online. Required in-person final exam. If passed, receive credit for GMU equivalent course. Offered in summer and winter only. –http://ist.gmu.edu/go/bridge-courseshttp://ist.gmu.edu/go/bridge-courses Transfer Course + Bridge Course = GMU Course ITE 115+IT 191=IT 104 ITP 120+IT 196=IT 106 ITE 170+IT 193=IT 213 ITD 256+IT 194=IT 214 OR Take IT 104, 106, 213, 214 when you arrive at Mason

11. What to Take: Program Overview Our program is divided into 7 areas: Mason Core Requirements Foundation Courses Core Courses Capstone Courses Concentration Courses Other Required Courses Electives 120 credits needed to graduate, including 45 upper-division hours. In general, take courses in order of level: 100, then 200, then 300, then 400. For IT courses, begin with Foundation and Core followed by Concentration and Capstone. Always check prerequisite requirements. Prerequisites are tied to the academic year when the course is taught, not your catalog year! http://ist.gmu.edu/go/prereq Need more info about a course? View the syllabus on our website: http://ist.gmu.edu/go/syllabi

12. Important Course Sequences

13. Overrides Sometimes, PatriotWeb will not recognize your transfer credits, substitutions, or waivers Follow the Registration Errors/Override link on the IST homepage Submit requests for IT and SYST 469 courses only –Be sure you meet the prerequisites BEFORE submitting Math overrides for MATH 108 and MATH 125: camaya@gmu.edu camaya@gmu.edu We do not overload courses

14. Concentrations IT majors select one of six Concentrations:  DTPDatabase Technology & Programming  HITHealth IT  INFSInformation Security  ITEInformation Technology Entrepreneurship  NTELNetworking and Telecommunications  WDM Web Development and Multimedia You will make this selection during IT 293: Junior Transition

15. Important Policies Grades All students: C or better in any course that is a prerequisite for another course 2015-2016 Catalog Year (most of you!) C or better in foundation, core, capstone, and concentration courses Major GPA of 2.75 or higher in order to graduate View catalog year requirements at catalog.gmu.edu Repeating Courses: If you are unsuccessful at a course twice, you need prior approval to make a third attempt. If you are unsuccessful at the third attempt, you will be terminated from the major.

16. Pros to Cheating Get past a tough assignment Don't have to do the work Cons to Cheating Not learning the material you paid to learn Risk poor performance on exams If you do not know the material, the exams will be tough Risk an Honor Code violation Violations appear on your record and are caught by background checks (e.g. security clearance) Risk forced completion of an academic integrity seminar Cost of ~$100 and your time Risk an F in the course Cost of ~$1300 (in-state tuition) to retake the class, a delay in graduation, and a lowered GPA Risk academic suspension Delay in graduation and a notation on your transcript Risk expulsion All of your time and money to date would be for naught Is Cheating Worth Its Cost?

17. General Information This semester’s class schedule may be ugly! Register at your first opportunity; classes fill quickly. Plan for traffic and parking in the Fairfax area, and for travelling between campuses.

18. Advising Today Meet with an advisor today Individualized advising sheets available Schedule an appointment if you need more time http://ist.gmu.edu/go/advising

19. Stay Connected with IST! http://ist.gmu.edu http://linkedin.com/grp/home?gid=5136040 http://gmuist.tumblr.com http://instagram.com/gmuist http://facebook.com/gmuist http://twitter.com/gmuist