IT Technology Support Specialist - Associate Degree
The demand for technology support specialists is growing as the quantity of technological devices and their level of complexity rises. You will learn multiple OS platforms, software applications, desktop/laptop support, mobile/Internet of Things (IoT) configuration, and support for any environment. IT Technology Support Specialists’ opportunities for employment can range from Technology Support, IT consultants, Network support – all focus on innovation and maintaining current and future technology. Graduates of this associate degree are also prepared to pursue vendor certification. If you like to work with emerging technologies, using a hands-on approach, the Technology Support Specialist program is for you.
Delivery
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Program Costs & Financial Aid
Tuition: $10,509, Books: $1,122, Supplies: $50
This program is fully eligible for financial aid.
Estimates based on in-state residency. Please visit the following URL to learn more about tuition and fees for this program. https://www.nwtc.edu/admissions-and-aid/paying-for-college/tuition-and-fees?ProgramCode=101543
Requirements for Program Entry
- Apply at www.nwtc.edu/apply
- Submit high school, GED, or HSED transcripts and college transcripts (if applicable) to transcripts@nwtc.edu
- Tip! Our admission advisors will assist you through every step. Have questions? Connect with NWTC Admissions at start@nwtc.edu or 920-498-5444.
Program Outcomes
- Manage information technology hardware
- Manage software
- Support computer networks
- Provide end user support
- Solve information technology problems
- Demonstrate customer service skill as an IT professional
Accreditation
Programs in the College of Business at Northeast Wisconsin Technical College are accredited by the Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs. ACBSP's accreditation process follows the Baldrige model. The accreditation focuses on recognizing teaching excellence, determining student learning outcomes, and a continuous improvement model. ACBSP’s student-centered teaching and learning approach, which is measured and analyzed for quality, ensures that students gain the right skills from their educational investment. Institutions with programs accredited by ACBSP are committed to continuous improvement that ensures their business program will give students the skills employers want. ACBSP - World Headquarters 11520 West 119th Street Overland Park, KS 66213 Phone: (913) 339-9356 www.acbsp.com
Curriculum
Students following the study plan below will complete the IT Technology Support Specialist Associate Degree in the number of semesters shown.
First Semester
8 Week 1
8 Week 2
Second Semester
8 Week 1
8 Week 2
Third Semester
8 Week 1
8 Week 2
Full Semester
Fourth Semester
8 Week 1
8 Week 2
Full Semester
Students must take 1 of 3 Elective Courses:
- Curriculum Note: The credit for 10-890-101, College 101 is an Institutional Requirement for graduation. Consequently, it is not part of the program requirements, but must be passed with a C.
Course Descriptions
Students gain skills that lead to success in college, employment, and life. Students should take this course in their first semester. (Pre-requisite: None.)
Course Typically Offered: Summer Fall SpringThis course provides an overview of the interconnectedness among careers within Information Technology. Learn how various fields within the broader industry each play an integral role and how a personal brand fits into preparing you for your career choice. (Corequisite: 10-890-101, College 101)
Course Typically Offered: Summer Fall SpringLearners will be introduced to installing, troubleshooting, and configuring: computing basics, PC Technician Responsibilities, hardware components, operating systems Basics, storage media, system implementation, and system management tools.
Course Typically Offered: Summer Fall SpringAll college students, regardless of their college major, need to be able to make reasonable decisions about fiscal, environmental, and health issues that require quantitative reasoning skills. An activity based approach is used to explore numerical relationships, graphs, proportional relationships, algebraic reasoning, and problem solving using linear, exponential and other mathematical models. Students will develop conceptual and procedural tools that support the use of key mathematical concepts in a variety of contexts. This course may be used as the first of a two part sequence that ends with Quantitative Reasoning as the capstone general education math requirement. (Prerequisite: Next Gen Arith score greater/equal to 250 AND Rdg score greater/equal to 250; OR ACT Math score greater/equal to 15 AND ACT Reading score greater/equal to 16; OR prep courses-contact an academic advisor 920-498-5444).
Course Typically Offered: Summer Fall SpringThis course will provide the learner the opportunity to develop the knowledge, skills, process, and understanding of client OS installation, configuration, administration, including troubleshooting, network connectivity, standard system maintenance procedures, and command line introduction.
Course Typically Offered: Summer Fall SpringLearners develop knowledge/skills in planning, organizing, writing, editing. Students will also analyze audience/purpose, use elements of research, format documents using standard guidelines, and develop critical reading skills. (Prerequisite: High school GPA greater/equal to 2.6; OR ACT Reading score greater/equal to 16 AND English greater/equal to 18; OR Next Gen Reading score greater/equal to 250 AND Writing score greater/equal to 260; OR "preparatory course(s)", contact academic advisor at 920-498-5444)
Course Typically Offered: Summer Fall SpringLearners will continue to enhance their skills through installing, troubleshooting, and configuring: hardware, software, system management tools, file management and permissions setup, configuring peripheral devices, overview networking fundamentals, mobile and smart devices, printing and printer setup, security and best practices. (Prerequisite: 10-154-150, Hardware 1)
Course Typically Offered: Fall SpringCore OS operation, configuration of desktop/network OS, manage software, system security/audit policy, data communications, network topologies, virtual desktop management and advanced scripting. (Prerequisites: 10-150-177, Windows Client Essentials; 10-154-150, Hardware 1)
Course Typically Offered: Fall SpringThis course focuses on developing effective listening techniques and verbal and nonverbal communication skills through oral presentation, group activity, and other projects. The study of self, conflict, and cultural contexts will be explored, as well as their impact on communication. (Prerequisite: Next Gen Rdg score greater/equal to 250 AND Writing score greater/equal to 237; OR ACT Rdg score greater/equal to 16 AND English score greater/equal to 16; OR preparatory course-contact an academic advisor at 920-498-5444)
Course Typically Offered: Summer Fall SpringDescribe the role of the help desk in technology support, use terminology, processes, and tools, and demonstrate the use of business, technical, communication, and self-management skills required for help desk support professionals.
Course Typically Offered: Fall SpringCreate code for generating the structure, function, and design of static websites using standards-based HTML5 and CSS3; validate code; test multi-browser and multi-device functionality.
Course Typically Offered: Summer Fall SpringLearners will develop an understanding of cybersecurity methods, terms, and key technical concepts to identify and protect assets against attacks.
Course Typically Offered: Summer Fall SpringCreating and editing documents, formatting and customizing documents, collaborating with others and working with reports, using tables, columns, and graphics.
Course Typically Offered: Summer Fall SpringCreating worksheets; enter data, make modifications, work with formulas and functions, create and enhance charts, manage data, transform data, conditional formatting, importing/exporting data, introduction to PivotTables and PivotCharts.
Course Typically Offered: Summer Fall SpringInvestigate the fundamentals of computer programming using the Python programming language. Students examine data types, variables, conditional statements, looping, array structures, and structured programming techniques. Upon completion of the course, students will be able to use Python to apply problem solving skills to create applications for delivery to various platforms.
Course Typically Offered: Summer Fall SpringProvides a foundation of syntax/semantics of C# .NET programming language to develop Windows-based applications. Covers the architecture of Microsoft's .NET platform where C# is the native language.
Course Typically Offered: Summer Fall SpringUse JavaScript to manipulate a web browser’s Document Object Model (DOM). HTML and CSS are also used to create and update the page design. JavaScript is used to create objects, functions, validate web forms, store local data, access server data, and public API endpoints. (Prerequisite:10-107-117, Careers in IT; 10-152-185, Website Coding HTML & CSS)
Course Typically Offered: Fall SpringPlan documentation content and delivery methods; develop online, context-sensitive written documentation, become familiar with ISO 9000 standards, package PDF files, and create compiled help modules. Proficiency using Word required. (Prerequisite: 10-801-136, English Composition 1)
Course Typically Offered: Fall SpringPC hardware, software, OS configuration, IT resources, malware, bootable and unattended install media, data backups, disaster recovery plans, troubleshooting, virtualization, RAID storage, server configuration, AR/VR/XR technology, emerging technologies. (Prerequisite: 10-154-153, Operating Systems & Data Com)
Course Typically Offered: Fall SpringDatabase uses, database terminology, analyzing information requirements, data models, database design phases, entity relationships, normalization processes, database management systems, database objects, development environments, creating tables, writing queries using SQL, testing.
Course Typically Offered: Fall SpringCreate professional resume and cover letter, prepare for interviews, understand interviewing techniques, participate in a mock interview, evaluate outcomes of interview, and prepare for Career Experience. (Prerequisites: 10-105-100, Careers in Business OR 10-107-117, Careers in IT OR 10-201-100, Careers In Digital Arts)
Course Typically Offered: Summer Fall SpringThis course introduces application software types and business usage. Students will be exposed to the differences between consumer and enterprise software versions, basic concepts behind service-oriented and microservices architecture, and software compatibility. (Prerequisite: 10-103-121, MS Word Intro; 10-103-131, MS Excel Intro)
Course Typically Offered: Fall SpringIntroduces the architectures, models, protocols, and networking elements that connect users, devices, applications and data through the internet and across modern computer networks - including IP addressing and Ethernet fundamentals. By the end of the course, students can build simple local area networks (LANs) that integrate IP addressing schemes, foundational network security, and perform basic configurations for routers and switches.
Course Typically Offered: Summer Fall SpringWrite queries in a relational database: creating tables, setting primary/foreign keys, populating tables, manipulating data and reporting. Explore join types, stored procedures, functions, and database administration SQL statements. (Prerequisite: 10-152-125, Database Design)
Course Typically Offered: Fall SpringThis science of psychology course is a survey of multiple aspects of behavior and mental processes. It provides an overview of topics such as research methods, theoretical perspectives, learning, cognition, memory, motivation, emotions, personality, abnormal psychology, physiological factors, social influences, and development.. (Prerequisite: Cumulative GPA of 2.6 or greater OR satisfactory reading and writing assessment scores OR 10-831-107, College Reading and Writing 1 with "B" or better OR Corequisite: 10-831-102, English Comp Prep).
Course Typically Offered: Summer Fall SpringExplore the business environment; global business; ethics and social responsibility; types of business ownership; entrepreneurship; role of management: operations management; human resources; marketing; managing financial resources and legal issues impacting business.
Course Typically Offered: Summer Fall SpringEffective presentation skills, plan training content and delivery methods, write lesson plans, provide training materials, conduct training sessions, and assess learners' grasp of stated objectives. (Prerequisites: 10-154-194, IT Documentation OR 10-152-173, Programming in C# Part 1)
Course Typically Offered: Fall SpringThis course introduces the study of diversity from a local to a global perspective using a holistic, interdisciplinary approach that encourages exploration and prepares students to work in a diverse environment. The course introduces basic diversity concepts, examines the impact of bias and power differentials among groups, explores the use of culturally responsive communication strategies, and compares forces that shape diversity in an international context. (Prerequisite: Next Gen Rdg score greater/equal to 250 AND Writing score greater/equal to 237; OR ACT Rdg score greater/equal to 16 AND English greater/equal to 15; OR 10-831-107, College Reading and Writing with a B or better.)
Course Typically Offered: Summer Fall SpringStudents can select any hands on experience related to: Internship, Field Research, Service Learning, Simulations, Capstone, Industry Related, or International. Instructor approval required. (Prerequisite:10-105-103, Career Fundamentals)
Course Typically Offered: Summer Fall Spring