Smart watches, smart phones, many home security systems and autonomous vehicles: The Internet allows them to communicate with each other and together they make the Internet of Things (IoT). Starting in the spring of 2018, FIU will be the first university in the nation to offer a bachelor’s degree in managing these growing networks of smart things.
“We are proud to lead in this field and provide our students the opportunity to be equipped for the technology-driven jobs of the future,” said FIU Provost Kenneth G. Furton. “The Internet of Things degree will allow our students to get and create great jobs, many of which don’t exist today.”
FIU’s College of Engineering and Computing is at the forefront of this technological shift. The new degree will address the four major areas of IoT – hardware, software, communication and cybersecurity. A handful of similar degrees exist at universities throughout the world but FIU’s is the first in the U.S.
Experts agree that in the next few years, billions of IoT devices will be connected worldwide. This new wave of technology will spearhead the demand for highly trained IoT specialists.
“When companies hire a computer science graduate, that employee focuses mainly on software aspects and programming,” said Kemal Akkaya, program director of the IoT degree and associate professor in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering. “When they hire a computer engineer, that person can focus on the hardware aspect, but companies want to hire employees who can do it all. With this degree, these skill sets will be combined in one person so companies don’t have to do multiple hires.”
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