Beyond AcademicsBeyond Academics

North Carolina State University wants its computer scientists and engineers to succeed in business. To do this, the school is launching a program for grad students in these fields with a business-oriented curriculum that includes the importance of working in teams and managing others in a high-technology environment.

The university's Services Sciences, Management, and Engineering master's degree program was created in collaboration with IBM through the company's Academic Initiative. Two IBM employees serve as ad- junct faculty members to help North Carolina State develop the program and to provide access to IBM's services and technology expertise.

North Carolina State's program reflects how the work in various IT fields is changing. Its goal is to cultivate people with expertise in IT services who also have a thorough understanding of business strategy and processes and the management of individuals and teams.

"We think that will give the students a big edge over people that are just computer science or engineering," says Steve Allen, associate dean for graduate programs and research at the university's College of Management.

Declining enrollment in computer-science programs across the country and concerns about outsourcing reducing job opportunities for graduates are proof that pure technical training is no longer enough. Graduates are expected to do more, Allen says. They need to understand how their jobs fit in with a company's strategy, how to work in teams and build relationships, and how businesses function. "These are the main drivers that dictated to us how to design our program," he says.

North Carolina State will offer two tracks in the new program: one on managing relationships between service providers and their clients, and the other on service innovation. The first batch of students will be admitted into the program in the fall.