Applied Technical Leadership Bachelor of Science Degree

100%

Outcome Rate of RIT Graduates from this degree


Overview for Applied Technical Leadership BS

The applied technical leadership degree program is designed for adult learners, working in specialized technical fields, who have completed a two-year associate degree. These learners are seeking a bachelor of science degree that builds on the skills gained in the technical associate degree, connects to their career aspirations, and is delivered as an upper-level undergraduate degree online. The online leadership degree provides competency-based expertise in technical leadership development, human resource development and the development of foundation skills for initiatives relevant to a student’s specialized career path.

These specialized fields include technology, public service, medical professions such as CNA certified nursing assistant, LPN, or technologist, and other related fields. The online leadership degree provides competency-based expertise in technical leadership development, human resource development and the development of foundation skills for initiatives relevant to a student’s specialized career path.  

Plan of study

The major is an online upper-level degree and the curriculum includes required courses in service systems and environmental management and safety. Additional courses in business and liberal arts are provided by Saunders College of Business, the School of Individualized Study, and the College of Liberal Arts. Students complete general education requirements as part of the bachelor of science degree and, depending on the amount of transfer credit accepted, may complete addition professional electives as needed. 

Loading...

Curriculum for 2023-2024 for Applied Technical Leadership BS

Current Students: See Curriculum Requirements

Applied Technical Leadership, BS degree, typical course sequence

Course Sem. Cr. Hrs.
First Year
   YOPS-10
   RIT 365: RIT Connections
RIT 365 students participate in experiential learning opportunities designed to launch them into their career at RIT, support them in making multiple and varied connections across the university, and immerse them in processes of competency development. Students will plan for and reflect on their first-year experiences, receive feedback, and develop a personal plan for future action in order to develop foundational self-awareness and recognize broad-based professional competencies. Lecture 1 (Fall, Spring).
0
 
   General Education – First Year Writing (WI)
3
 
   General Education – Ethical Perspective
3
 
   General Education – Artistic Perspective
3
 
   General Education – Global Perspective
3
 
   General Education – Social Perspective
3
 
   General Education – Mathematical Perspective A
3
 
   General Education – Mathematical Perspective B
3
 
   General Education – Elective
3
 
   Professional Electives
6
Second Year
 
   General Education – Natural Science Inquiry Perspective‡
3
 
   General Education – Scientific Principles Perspective
3
 
   General Education - Elective
3
 
   Professional Electives
21
Third Year
   ACCT-110
   Financial Accounting
An introduction to the way in which corporations report their financial performance to interested stakeholders such as investors and creditors. Coverage of the accounting cycle, generally accepted accounting principles, and analytical tools help students become informed users of financial statements. (This course is available to RIT degree-seeking undergraduate students.) Lecture 3 (Fall, Spring, Summer).
3
   CETL-350
   Leadership Development
This course focuses on personal, individual development of a leadership style to enhance students in applied technical leadership careers. To achieve this outcome, the course content includes a foundation in leadership principles; how leadership styles evolve and are created based on individual preferences and personality traits, the impact situations and challenges can have on personal leadership styles. This is a required core course in the Applied Technical Leadership degree. Course is available to undergraduate students only on a space available basis and if ATL admission requirements of associate degree and 3 years fulltime work experience is satisfied with DSS department permission. (This class is restricted to students with at least 3rd year standing in ATLEAD-BS.) Lecture 3 (Fall).
3
   CETL-355
   Contemporary Problems in Applied Technical Leadership
This course will focus on contemporary issues in leadership in healthcare, enforcement and public service in the applied technical leadership arena. Using case studies and scholarly and press media, current issues in leadership will be discussed allowing students to go in depth into contemporary leadership styles and paradigms. Discussion will center on how leadership styles are developed, the consequences of these leadership styles on events, and the evolution of the development of leadership styles. This is a required core course in the Applied Technical Leadership degree. Course is available to undergraduate students only on a space available basis and if ATL admission requirements of associate degree and 3 years fulltime work experience is satisfied with DSS department permission. (This class is restricted to students with at least 3rd year standing in ATLEAD-BS.) Lecture 3 (Spring).
3
   COMM-203
   General Education - Elective: Effective Technical Communication
3
   HRDE-386
   Human Resources Development
A one-semester, three-credit course in human resource development provides the prospective manager practical information on methods to enhance the productivity, quality, and effectiveness of an organization through the creation of an environment where individual and collective performance and development has primacy. The course requires students to assimilate course material related to the following: to organizational strategy, systems thinking and legal compliance; workforce development, career development of employees; individual development and training; measuring outcomes; human resource processes and effective communications. Students integrate theoretical classroom concepts with practical knowledge and work experiences. As part of the course: students continually practice effective communication skills; students may work in teams; and are expected to engage in critical and innovative thinking. Students' understanding of human resource development is intended to help them enhance organizational effectiveness through implementing processes designed to develop and train employees. Lecture 3 (Fall, Spring).
3
   PUBL-101
   General Education - Elective: Foundations of Public Policy
This interdisciplinary course introduces the student to the key concepts of public policy, the policymaking process, the role of stakeholders and interest groups, and the basic dimensions policy analysis. Those concepts are then applied through a range of issues, such as the environment, clean energy, climate change, healthcare, cybersecurity, employment, privacy, telecommunications, and innovation, at local, state, federal and international levels. Lecture 3 (Fall).
3
 
   Open Elective
3
 
   General Education – Elective
3
 
   General Education – Immersion 1, 2
6
Fourth Year
   BUSI-510
   Project Management
3
   CETL-400
   Crisis Intervention in Applied Technical Leadership
This course provides an opportunity for students in the helping professions to reflect on personal styles of dealing with conflict and stress which impact on how they as individuals deal with crisis situations. Building on this self-knowledge student will learn a variety of tools and ideas to use to deal with crisis which occur in these helping professions. This is a required core course in the Applied Technical Leadership degree. Course is available to undergraduate students only on a space available basis and if ATL admission requirements of associate degree and 3 years fulltime work experience is satisfied with DSS department permission. (This class is restricted to students with at least 3rd year standing in ATLEAD-BS.) Lecture 3 (Spring).
3
   CETL-490
   Senior Project (WI)
As a capstone course students will demonstrate an integration of skills and knowledge gained from their program of study for the ATL degree through the selection of a research topic/question within the scope of the ATL program. Students will conduct research including; literature review, gathering primary data; assessing and summarizing this data; and report on results including inferred conclusions based on data analysis and the literature. This is a required core course in the Applied Technical Leadership degree. Project 3 (Fall, Spring).
3
   ESHS-480
   EHS Law
An overview of environmental, health and safety (EHS) related law with an emphasis on legislative law. Topics include a review of the historical and modern sources for EHS law, the emergence of administrative law and the responsibilities of the separate branches of government. Major EHS related legislation will be covered. (This class is restricted to undergraduate students with at least 4th year standing.) Lecture 3 (Spring).
3
   SERQ-420
   Service Quality
Those involved in service professions should be aware of the role quality plays in the industry. This course will allow students to understand how quality initiatives benefit clients and customers, employees, and the organization. Students will explore and apply the concepts of quality management, and process control and improvement. To accomplish these students will review and apply the commonly used quality tools and techniques for problem solving and process improvement. This is a required core course in the applied technical leadership degree. Course is available to undergraduate students only on a space available basis and if ATL admission requirements of associate degree and three years full-time work experience is satisfied with department permission. (This class is restricted to students with at least 4th year standing in ATLEAD-BS.) Lecture 3 (Fall).
3
 
   General Education – Immersion 3
3
 
   Open Elective
3
 
   General Education – Electives
9
Total Semester Credit Hours
120

Please see General Education Curriculum (GE) for more information.

(WI) Refers to a writing intensive course within the major.

‡ Students will satisfy this requirement by taking either a 3- or 4-credit hour lab science course. If a science course consists of separate lecture and laboratory sections, students must take both the lecture and lab portions to satisfy the requirement. The lecture section alone will not fulfill the requirement.

Admissions and Financial Aid

To be considered for admission to the BS degree in applied technical leadership, candidates must fulfill the following requirements:

  • Hold an associate degree from an accredited college or university in technology, public services, medical, or other similar associates degree (such as criminal justice, police, or fire science). Transfer credit in general education, math, lab science(s), and technical studies from the associate degree is evaluated on a course-by-course basis. It is anticipated that most students will enter with third-year status depending on grades and courses taken in their associate degree. Once transfer credit has been applied, remaining course work is completed online via RIT. A bachelor of science degree requires 120 semester hours. In the applied technical leadership major, for example, a student who transfers with 60 semester hours from their associate degree would need to complete 60 semester credit hours at RIT to earn their degree.
  • Have a GPA of 2.5 or higher in a technical/technology, public services, medical, or related career field. (The major is not open to students who have an earned associate degree in business and the content of any electives in the program must be non-business content.)
  • Have completed required prerequisite course work (e.g., at least one lab science course, a course in mathematics and/or statistics and related liberal arts courses) before admission. Students missing required prerequisite courses must complete prerequisite course work prior to admission. This may be accomplished (with appropriate advising approvals) at any accredited community college or university, or at RIT on a non-matriculated basis. Grades must be at the C level or higher and an overall GPA of at least 2.5 is expected for these pre-requisite courses.
  • Submit a current resume.
  • Participate in a faculty interview (as needed).
  • Applicants must currently be employed in a technical/technology, public services, medical or related career field for at least three years, or have a minimum of three years’ experience in their career field within the last five years.

International applicants

This major is conducted entirely online and all instruction is in English. No courses are offered in a traditional classroom format on the RIT campus and therefore the major does not meet the typical visa and course registration requirements for international students studying in the United States.

International students outside the United States:

  • All admission requirements must be met.
  • As per RIT policy D2, ‘The U.S. Government expects international students to prove competency in the English language prior to their acceptance to an American college or university. In keeping with this expectation, students whose native language is not English and who’s secondary or higher education was completed in a non-native English speaking country must take a test of English language proficiency. Students must achieve the following minimum scores prior to consideration for admission: 570 paper-based or 88  internet-based on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), or 6.5 on the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) or 62 on the Pearson Test of English-Academic.’ 
  • Note that TOEFL, IELTS, or Pearson provide an overall score. The academic department will review individual scores received in the test sections to determine if your language skills in each area are strong enough for admission.

Learn How to Apply

Financial Aid and Scholarships

100% of all incoming first-year and transfer students receive aid.

RIT’s personalized and comprehensive financial aid program includes scholarships, grants, loans, and campus employment programs. When all these are put to work, your actual cost may be much lower than the published estimated cost of attendance.
Learn more about financial aid and scholarships