FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. - Managers in state and regional global corporations are looking for information technology employees who have the leadership skills to manage people and technology in rapidly changing times. The Sam M. Walton College of Business, University of Arkansas, is offering a new part-time, two-year Master of Information Systems degree designed specifically for the working professional.

The program will be launched in the fall of 2004 with classes for anyone who is interested at Wal-Mart headquarters in Bentonville.

"The Walton College can offer these graduate students a full range of technology resources," said Paul Cronan, M.D. Matthews Lectureship and director of the Master of Information Systems Program. Over the past three years, several major technology companies have donated software and hardware for student and faculty use. These include: Oracle Corporation, SAP, IBM and NCR. These gifts have enabled us to create systems and platforms very similar to the ones used by businesses. Thus, these students will gain experience in a full range of business technologies."

Michele Halsell, director of the Walton College Graduate School of Business, said: "This leading-edge program is offered one night a week for the convenience of the student. The student will take two courses, which will alternate from one course to another on successive weeks. Students who are physically present in the class will have a 'live' instructor, but the program is design to accommodate students who have to travel."

A laptop and books are given to each student as part of the educational service covered by tuition and fees. The laptops are configured to access all of the University of Arkansas and Walton College technology and databases from any high-speed Internet connection. The student can work from home or on a business trip and have access to the instructor outside of class via Blackboard software and e-mail. A VPN encryption tunnel for the laptop connections will ensure confidential communication and protect the laptop from harmful applications and scripts.

In addition to technology courses, the students will have opportunities to take IT management courses and develop communication, leadership and problem-solving skills as well as analytical and critical thinking skills valued by leading employers.

"We believe that no other university can offer such a combination of technology resources to its students," said Fred Davis, chair of the Walton College information systems department and David D. Glass Chair in Information Systems. "Credit goes to many of our faculty and staff for creating this ground-breaking technology master's program. It will prepare IT managers for the businesses of the future."

According to the U. S. Department of Labor - Bureau of Labor Statistics employment projections (February 2004 Monthly Labor Review), the demand for computer and information systems managers is expected to grow by 36 percent by 2012.

For more information, contact the Graduate School of Business at (479) 575-2851 or visit the Website at gsb.uark.edu.