The emergence of IT degree programs: when did it happen?

Information technology (IT) educators are now facing the challenge of designing a program of study for IT that is not constrained by idiosyncrasies of a particular specialty, including those of computer science [5]. It may be useful for IT educators to understand how and why IT degree programs emerged from other earlier established computing programs such as computer science, software engineering, information systems etc. This study will begin the process of exploring historical reasons and forces that contributed to the birth of IT degree programs by establishing the timeframe for the emergence of IT degree programs in the United States (US). The focus of this paper is to report the process used to determine the timeframe and the results of that process.Two approaches were used to insure the accuracy of this study's conclusions. First, initiatives carried out by organizations that develop IT curricula or skill standards were mapped. Secondly, pioneer schools and departments that have offered, or are currently offering, IT programs were identified and information on when they began offering IT degree programs was gathered. Based on the results of these two approaches, an estimation of the timeframe was established. This study concluded that research designed to uncover the events and forces that triggered the birth of IT degree programs, as distinguished from those in computer science, should begin its examination in 1990.