The Digital Technology Program trains IT entrepreneurs. The 6-month program imparts the technical and entrepreneurial skills students need to start, operate or expand businesses that are based on digital technologies. The primary focus of the program is on enterprises based on applications development and computer programming

This program places equal emphasis on the technical aspects of applications development and information technology as it does on technical entrepreneurship built around those technical skills. The goal is for graduates to acquire the skills to build thriving business using their technical training. The outcome of this program is a business plan that enables students to raise money to grow their businesses.

This is an intense program that covers a considerable scope of material in one year. The program is built around modules each of which covers a number of topics. The program starts from the core technical skills needed for success as a technical specialist to the business and entrepreneurial skills needed to succeed as an entrepreneur.

Students will be expected to have working computer systems with appropriate internet access so as to fully participate in the training exercises. Guidance will be provided periodically on hardware, software and application environments that will be needed for the course modules.

Optionally, students may elect to lease an online server (via IDMANN Support Services) which will enable them to deploy and run their applications on a cloud-based virtualized server, without the need for hardware deployment in their homes. An emphasis will be placed on free or open-source software so as to minimize out-of-pocket cost to students.

The modules offered in this program are as follows:

Module I: Introduction To Applied Programming Languages

This is a foundational course that introduces students to the application of programming languages. The intent of this module is twofold: (a) Introduce the students to the practical elements of programming, and (b) Provide the students with the ability to select programming languages for given types of tasks and applications.

The goal is not to establish absolute technical mastery of a language but to provide firm grounding upon which students may build for the rest of their professional careers. This course also emphasizes the commonality between programming languages and endeavors to expedite the learning process by presenting exercises that require the use of multiple languages.

This module introduces the following languages:

• Java
• C++
• Python
• PHP
• Ruby On Rails

Module II: Database Applications

Databases provides the backbone upon which dynamic and interactive applications are built. They form an essential part of the technical entrepreneurs toolkit. In this module students will be introduced to the most commonly used database applications.

The goal is to establish a firm linkage between the programming languages introduced in the previous module and the ability to manipulate databases. This module introduces the following database system and the server systems that support their deployment: 

• mySQL
• PostgreSQL
• Microsoft SQL

Module III: Stacks & Development Platforms

The combination of programming languages, database systems, a web server, and an underlying operating systems into (somewhat) standardized offerings creates stacks that make for faster deployment and support of applications. In this module, students will be introduced to some of the more common stacks and the methods for deployment and maintenance thereof. This module builds directly on the knowledge from the two preceding modules as students will be expected to begin the process of building out their own deployment infrastructure. The following stacks are covered in this module:

• LAMP/LAPP
• WAMP/MAMP
• XAMPP

By the end of this module, students should be adequately prepared to deploy applications to address real needs.

Module IV: Web Applications & Content Management Systems

Content management systems (CMS) have become invaluable in the presentation and management of information online. (This page is being presented by one of such applications.) Building on the experience gained in the previous module on the use of stacks, students will be introduced to the deployment of content management systems.

The outcome of this module will be a functioning web site that addresses a particular need that is identified as part of a class assignment. The following CMS will be covered in the module: 

• Joomla
• Drupal
• Wordpress
• RefineryCMS

With this background, students will be expected to gain the confidence and skills to learn and master the scores of content management systems that exist and the many more that are in development. The course will also provide guidance on the selection of  CMS environments for given projects or tasks.

Module V: Emerging Sectors & Areas of Specialization:

Information technology is growing in leaps and bounds; and so is the range of areas in which programming skills are required. In this module, students will be introduced to practical areas in which digital entrepreneurship opportunities exist - and are growing. The goal is NOT to direct students in one particular area but expose them to the range of opportunities that exist as they begin the process of creating their own enterprises. This module will introduce the following areas:

• Gaming & Entertainment Applications
• Media, Motion Picture, Virtual Reality & Simulation Applications
• Business & Commercial Applications
• Medical & Health Informatics
• (Consumer) Mobile Applications
• Educational Applications
• Embedded Systems & Controllers
• Content Management & Web Design
• Social Media Interfaces & Applications
• Analytics & Decision-Support Applications

This module is characterized by real-life examples with some discussion of application selection and the commercial challenges associated with those selections.

Module VI: Enterprise Development (Two Courses To Be Selected From Here, Subject To Availability)

This module provides the critical skills needed to build successful enterprises. Most of the courses are cross-listed in the College of General Studies.

Essentials of Psychology

• In this course, students will identify major psychological theories. Discussion topics will include consciousness, memory, thought, and language. Students will be expected to define and understand intelligence, personality, and stress.
• Students will analyze the role of gender in psychology and explain how community influences behavior.

Business Ethics

• In this course, students will explore current ethical issues in the business world. Students will discuss social and professional responsibilities, as well as employee rights and obligations and also discuss workplace discrimination, organizational culture, and ethics in a global economy.

Negotiation and Conflict Management

• In this course, students will gain the ability to describe the patterns and features of constructive and destructive conflict. Students will learn how to consider the various dimensions along which a conflict situation can be assessed, and the implications of assessment strategies for conflict management options.
• Students will evaluate the influence of structural features such as power, culture, and organizational context in a conflict situation and evaluate the influence of psychological features such as emotions, attribution, and framing in a conflict situation. This course will also explore the influence of interactional features such as conflict styles, positioning, and metaphor use in a conflict situation.

Business & Technical Writing

• Students will learn how to organize material logically and systematically. This course will require students to use action verbs effectively and construct paragraphs. Students will also conduct research and document sources.

Human Resource Management

• This course will introduce students to the techniques for selecting, placing, assessing, developing, and compensating employees. Students will examine other HR goals and processes, such as labor relations, employee rights and disciplinary procedures, and high-performance work systems.

Financial Accounting

• In this course, students will solve problems that involve the time value of money. This course will enable students to perform a basic analysis of financial statements, describe the components of financial assets, and explain the role of a financial intermediary. Students will be able to describe the role of security markets and identify the components of financial decision making.

Business Law

• This course will allow students to learn the principles of business law as applied to contracts, personal property, sales, negotiable instruments, agency, employment, business organization, insurance, bankruptcy, and real property.

Compensation Management

• This course will explore the development, implementation, and maintenance of a program. Students will analyze the impact of internal and external equity as well as examine additional factors that must be considered for the overall success of a program.

Business Communication

• Students will be introduced to the basics of written communication in business. This course will enable students to explore the differences in approach and format for various business documents, and examine techniques for planning, researching, organizing, and writing reports.

Organizational Behavior

• In this course, students will learn the process of human decision-making, study conflict management, communication in groups, power and influence, and organizational environment, structure, and design. Students will be introduced to the fundamental forces of change.

Employee Benefits

• This course will explore the development, implementation, and maintenance of a program. Students will be enabled to analyze the impact of internal and external equity as well as examine additional factors that must be considered for the overall success of a program.

Labor Relations

• In this course, students will learn the current trends in labor organization in light of changes in the labor force, such as the trend toward a two-tier wage system. Students will understand why workers join unions and why management is sometimes not enthusiastic about unions. Students will discover the relationship between national and local unions.
• This course will teach students the characteristics of the collective bargaining process and why early negotiations are marked by exaggerated demands. Students will be required to identify variables that impact labor management negotiations

Module VII: Business Planning & Capital Formation

In this final module, students focus on developing their business plans and raising money to start their businesses. This module draws on ALL the material that students have learned to date. The outcome is a business plan that will help students to raise money and start their businesses in earnest. Students are encouraged to form "cooperatives" such that they can develop a business plan jointly, as a prelude to becoming real-life partners in a digital enterprise.

Classes are held weekly in LIVE, interactive online sessions led by highly experienced practitioners and trainers. Classes are typically scheduled for evenings and weekends to accommodate working professionals. Students are assigned to cohorts based on a balance between availability in a given cohort and indicated preference of students during the application process.

• The program runs for 6 months.
• Training cohorts typically start the first (working) Monday of every quarter (January, April, July and October).
• Registration for new cohorts closes 1 month in advance of the start date. (For instance, students who want to participate in a  program starting in January need to be registered by the end of November.) This is to ensure proper planning and management of cohort sizes.
• Classes typically meet online twice a week; registered students have access to study and test material on the online platform every day of the week.
• Special classes for organizations, groups or associations may be arranged outside of this standing schedule. (For group schedules, send email to )

The application fee for the  program is shown below.