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Master of Science in Information Systems & Technology - Day 1 CPT & STEM OPT Eligibility
Day 1 CPT and STEM OPT Eligibility

Master of Science in Information Systems & Technology

A STEM-designated executive master's for international students who want to build a U.S. technology career while they study. Earn your degree in California in 12-16 months and start paid employment in your very first term.

Specialize in cybersecurity or technology management - and get paid while you do it.

33 credits · Los Angeles & San Diego · Six start dates a year

Student on computer at an international university lecture
Start when you're ready - six intakes a year Jan · Mar · May · Jul · Aug · Oct
Day 1 CPTWork from day one
3 yearsSTEM OPT
12-16 monthsHybrid Masters
$5,500Tuition grant
Executive MS in Information Systems & Technology

A STEM master's designed around your visa and your job

The Executive Master of Science in Information Systems Technology is delivered through EduConnect's partnership with Alliant University and built for international professionals who cannot afford to stop working for two years. It is 33 credits, takes 12-16 months, and runs in a hybrid format: coursework online, on campus only twice per 8-week term in Los Angeles or San Diego.

Because the degree is STEM-designated and Day 1 CPT eligible, you can begin paid U.S. employment in your very first term and continue working on STEM OPT for up to three years after you graduate. Tuition is paid in small, interest-free installments, and a $5,500 grant is available.

Our CareerConnect team helps you secure paid off-campus roles, and our advisors handle the part most students find hardest; documents, deadlines, the I-20, and keeping your F-1 status clean while you work.

Talk to an advisor

Tell us where you are in your journey, and we'll walk you through all of your options.

No obligation. We never share your information, and you can opt out at any time.

Why students choose it

A technology degree that pays for itself while you earn it

Most master's programs ask you to stop working. This one is built on the opposite idea: you gain U.S. technology experience and income from your first term, and graduate with both a STEM credential and a resume American employers recognize.

Day 1 CPT - start earning in term one

Because the program is CPT-eligible from your first term, you can take paid, off-campus work with U.S. employers immediately, no waiting out a full academic year. Real technology projects, real paychecks, and experience that counts toward your degree.

Three more years after graduation

STEM designation extends OPT to up to 36 months of post-graduation work authorization.

Two campus days per term

Coursework is online. You attend on campus in Week 1 and Week 8 of each 8-week term, in Los Angeles or San Diego - and study and work from any U.S. state in between.

Two focused concentrations

Specialize in Cybersecurity or Technology Management, both aligned to what technology employers are hiring for right now.

Six start dates a year

Terms begin in January, March, May, July, August, and October, so you enroll when your status and your employer allow, not when a traditional academic calendar says you can.

The program at a glance

Everything students ask about, in one place

The details that decide whether a program actually fits your status, your budget, and your schedule; without digging through a course catalog.

Degree Executive MS in Information Systems Technology STEM-designated
Length 12-16 months 33 credit hours
Format Hybrid Online coursework plus two on-campus sessions per 8-week term
Campuses Los Angeles & San Diego Attend at either location; work from any U.S. state
Starts Six per year Jan · Mar · May · Jul · Aug · Oct
Work options Day 1 CPT + STEM OPT Up to 3 years of post-graduation work authorization
Concentrations Cybersecurity or Technology Management
Graduate students working together on a technology project
Day 1 CPT Plus up to 3 years of STEM OPT after you graduate
How an 8-week term works

Built around a full-time job, not against it

Each term runs eight weeks. You are on campus at the beginning and the end - the rest is online, on your schedule.

Week 1

On campus

Open the term in person with faculty and your cohort in Los Angeles or San Diego.

Weeks 2–7

Online & working

Complete coursework online around your job. This is where CPT employment and your classes reinforce each other - the systems and security work you study is the work you apply on the job.

Week 8

On campus

Close the term in person with presentations, assessments, and cohort sessions.

Los Angeles & San Diego Six terms per year Full-time enrollment keeps your F-1 status active throughout.
Technology professionals reviewing systems together
Choose your track

Two concentrations, one STEM degree

You build the same core in information systems, data infrastructure, and enterprise technology, then specialize in the direction your career is heading.

Concentration 01

Cybersecurity

As organizations move toward IPv6 and dual-stack networks, legacy IPv4 exposure keeps creating costly vulnerabilities - ARP spoofing, man-in-the-middle attacks, and network reconnaissance among them. This track builds the practical security skills to find and close those gaps, and earns you an accredited cybersecurity master's.

Concentration 02

Technology Management

Learn to bridge the gap between technical teams and business goals: leading digital transformations, managing complex IT infrastructure, and running high-level technology projects. Built for students heading toward IT leadership, consulting, or enterprise architecture.

Where it takes you

Roles our graduates move into

Information systems is one of the few fields where a STEM master's and real U.S. work experience can be earned at the same time. Employers hire for both.

Information Security Analyst Computer Network Architect Systems Analyst Cybersecurity Specialist IT Project Manager Solutions Architect Cloud & Infrastructure Engineer IT Operations Manager

Technology & software

Infrastructure, platform, and security teams that need people who can design systems and explain trade-offs to non-technical stakeholders.

Enterprise & consulting

Firms hiring for digital transformation, IT governance, and the systems that move information across large organizations.

Finance, healthcare & government

Regulated industries where network security, compliance, and resilient infrastructure are the core of the job.

Tuition & payments

Priced so you can pay it while you work

The cost of a U.S. master's is the reason most international students hesitate. This one is structured so you are never asked for a large lump sum, and so the income you earn on CPT can cover the payments as you go.

  • A $5,500 grant is available and applied directly to your tuition.
  • Interest-free installments - no financing charges, ever.
  • Paid roughly every 2 weeks across two years, so payments line up with a normal paycheck cycle.
  • One registration fee, then the remaining balance is split automatically for you.
  • Scholarship opportunities are available for international students in all executive-format programs.
$5,500
Tuition Grant

Ask an advisor whether you qualify and we'll show you exactly what your biweekly payment looks like once the grant is applied.

Get My Cost Breakdown
How to enroll

Five steps from first question to first day of class

You won't do any of it alone, an EduConnect advisor stays with you from the first conversation through your first term.

1

Free consultation

We review your status, background, and goals to confirm the program fits.

2

Prepare documents

Transcripts, passport, visa records, and financials; we tell you exactly what is needed.

3

Submit application

We review everything before it is filed so nothing comes back for a missing item.

4

Admission & I-20

Receive your acceptance, complete enrollment, and get your I-20 issued.

5

Start & work

Begin classes and, with CPT authorization, begin paid employment in your first term.

Questions

Frequently asked questions

What kind of jobs can I get with an MS in Information Systems Technology?
Graduates work as computer network architects, systems analysts, information security analysts, cybersecurity specialists, IT project managers, solutions architects, and cloud or infrastructure engineers. The program develops critical thinking and technical literacy that transfer well beyond the IT department - marketing, finance, and operations teams all need people who understand the systems their work runs on.
How do I make my tuition payments?
Program costs are divided into small, interest-free installments paid roughly every two weeks. Once you pay the initial registration fee, the remaining balance is split automatically, so you pay manageable amounts while you study and work. All executive-format programs also offer scholarship opportunities for international students.
What concentrations are offered?
Two: Cybersecurity, focused on securing networks and infrastructure against modern threats, and Technology Management, focused on leading digital transformation and managing complex IT infrastructure. Both are designed around current industry demand and leadership roles in technology.
How does the hybrid schedule work?
Most coursework is completed online. You come to campus twice each 8-week term, in Week 1 and Week 8, and those sessions can be attended in Los Angeles or San Diego. Between them, students can study and work from any U.S. state.
How long does it take to complete the program?
The Executive MSIST is a 33-credit program that typically takes 12 to 16 months. After graduation, STEM OPT eligibility allows up to three additional years of U.S. work authorization.
Can I really work from my first term?
Yes. The program is Day 1 CPT eligible, so once your CPT is authorized you can take paid, off-campus roles with U.S. employers from the start, and continue on STEM OPT for up to three years after you graduate.
Please note: EduConnect USA is an education services provider, not a law firm, and does not provide legal advice. CPT and OPT eligibility, authorization, and maintenance of F-1 status are determined by the school's Designated School Official and by U.S. federal regulations. Program details, start dates, and tuition are subject to change by the institution. Speak with a licensed immigration attorney for guidance about your individual situation.
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Let's find out if you qualify

One short conversation tells you your start date, your total cost after the grant, and exactly what your CPT timeline looks like. No pressure, no obligation.