Get the broadest possible training in IT. Then decide on a specialty or go on for a bachelor’s. Transfer options!
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IT-Systems Administration Specialist
Program Number: 101547
Your Degree:
Associate Degree
Area of Study:
Information Technology
Delivery Method:
Some Online/Some In Person
Estimated Time to Complete:
63 Credits | Finish degree in 2 years
financial aid icon Financial Aid Available
transfer icon Program Transfers
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What You'll Pay
Use our Net Price Calculator to estimate your tuition costs.

Estimated Program Cost

$10,651.71

Financial Aid

Applying for financial aid and scholarships help you pay for your education.
  • Program Overview

    An IT-Systems Administration Specialist associate degree from Madison College provides students with a strong foundation in a variety of computer systems, as well as substantial skills in virtualization, cloud computing and networking. Students will deploy and configure devices and configure virtual switches. Students get experience installing, configuring and managing servers in a virtualized environment. They will promote servers to be domain controllers, create and manage resources in Active Directory, use Group Policy, and configure DNS and DHCP. Students will learn to write scripts, as well as manage and automate on premise and cloud IT Infrastructures.

    We are in close contact with Madison area information technology employers, and our graduates are well regarded by employers. The skills students gain in the System Administration program, as well as an internship with an area employer, will prepare students for a satisfying career in information technology. 

    Students will gain the skills necessary to obtain key IT industry certifications such as:

    • VMware VCP
    • CompTIAA+

    Program Details

    Students in the IT-Systems Administration Specialist program at Madison College can attend full or part time.

    IT-Systems Administration Specialist classes are offered at our Madison Truax campus, with some courses being available online.  

    ** note that if starting in Spring term, it may take 5 semesters to complete program. Courses core to the IT-Systems Administration Specialist program will only be offered online or during the day for students accepted in the Spring term.

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    Careers

    IT-Systems Administration Specialist graduates from Madison College are ready for a range of professional positions in the field of IT-Systems Administration including:

    • Systems Administrator
    • Technical Support Services
    • Networking Services and Installation

    With additional education and/or work experience, graduates may find employment as:

    • Network Administrator
    • Data Center Manager
    • VMware vSphere Administrator

    Typical job duties include installing, configuring and administering client and server systems including Microsoft Windows Server, Windows client, Linux and VMware vSphere. Students will also be prepared to:

    • Integrate the hardware and software required to support new initiatives.
    • Perform technical troubleshooting of computer systems, virtual devices and networks.
    • Install, maintain and troubleshoot Internet connectivity for services such as email, web and other Internet applications.
    • Be responsible for critical system backups and plan for the restoration of computing services in the event of disasters.
    • Demonstrate initiative as a member of an information technology team.

    Resources

    Be job-ready!
    Learn how to install, configure and administer client and server systems.
  • Curriculum and Experience

    Prospective program students, the information below reflects the basic requirements for students admitted for the 2024-2025 academic year. To learn more about Madison College, visit us.

    Current and newly admitted program students, go directly to your Degree Progress Report to view:

    • Progress toward your specific requirements
    • Alternative (in lieu of) courses to meet specific requirements

    If you have questions after reviewing your degree progress report (advisement report), please see Advising Services.

    First Semester
    10-103-133
    1 credit
    10-103-139
    1 credit
    10-150-104
    3 credits
    10-151-102
    1 credit
    10-154-104
    3 credits
    10-154-184
    3 credits
    10-156-105
    1 credit
    10-801-195
    3 credits
    Second Semester
    10-154-122
    3 credits
    10-154-171
    3 credits
    10-154-190
    3 credits
    10-157-101
    3 credits
    10-801-196
    3 credits
    Third Semester
    10-107-175
    1 credit
    10-154-118
    3 credits
    10-154-147
    3 credits
    10-804-144
    3 credits
    10-809-199
    3 credits
    Fourth Semester
    10-152-109
    3 credits
    10-154-172
    3 credits
    10-154-198
    3 credits
    10-809-197
    3 credits
    Elective
    3 credits
    Recommended Electives
    Electives must be associate degree (10-level) or college transfer (20-level) courses.
    10-151-114
    3 credits
    10-157-130
    3 credits
    10-157-141
    3 credits
  • Admission

    To Apply

    Earning a degree is a great way to advance your career development opportunities, so apply today!

    International students who wish to apply for, maintain, or transfer their F-1 student visa status to Madison College are required to complete the International Admission Process.

    Application Dates

    Fall 2024

    • Application open
    • Application completion deadline is August 31, 2024

    Spring 2025

    • Application open
    • Application completion deadline is January 15, 2025

    Admission Requirements

    All materials must be submitted by the application deadline.

    1. Admission Application

    The online application allows you to save your work as you complete it and ensures fast, secure delivery to our office.

    2. Education Completion
    Official transcripts must be sent from the institutions you attended and indicate one of the following:

    • High school transcript (current high school seniors may submit an in-progress transcript)
    • GED/HSED transcript
    • College transcript(s) showing:
      • Completion of an associate degree or higher, or
      • At least 30 credits completed with a minimum GPA of 2.0 on a 4-point scale
        • The credits must be completed at a single college and cannot be combined with other transcripts
        • Any transfer credit listed on a transcript does not count toward the 30-credit minimum

    All high school and/or college transcripts are recommended to be submitted for Credit for Prior Learning evaluation.

    Additional Notes

    • Class capacity is limited and is available on a first come, first served basis.
    • Course prerequisites differ from admission requirements; admission into a program does not guarantee eligibility to enroll in courses or success in the program. Refer to program curriculum for details.

    After Acceptance

    Once you are admitted into your program, review the Start of Semester Checklist to prepare for your first day of classes at Madison College. 

    Questions?

    Contact the Enrollment Center at EnrollmentServices@madisoncollege.edu or 608.246.6210.

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    Get Started!

    Apply to Madison College and take the first step towards your IT-Systems Administration Specialist career.

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  • Transfer Opportunities

    UW System Schools

    The terms of the Leadership & Org Studies agreement are limited to students who complete an associates of applied science degree and are admitted to the Organizational Studies emphasis of the Leadership and Organizational Studies at UW O. Students must have a cumulative GPA of 2.5 or higher.
    Courses that have been completed with a "D" or better may be acceptable to meet program requirements unless UW Stout major requires a higher acceptable grade. The maximum number of transferable credits is 72. Students will be required to meet UW S general education and major requirements.
    This articulation agreement establishes a cooperative relationship between the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater (UW-W) and Madison College effective for students starting the Bachelor of Science (B.S.) or Bachelor of Arts (B.A.)- Computer Science-Applied Computing Emphasis, in or after the fall 2022 term. Students transferring under the guidelines of this articulation agreement must successfully complete the Associate of Applied Science-Information Technology degree program in one of the following areas: Cybersecurity Specialist, Web Software Developer, Cloud DevOps Specialist, Network Specialist, or Systems Administration Specialist

    Wisconsin Private Schools

    A student who completes an associate of arts, associate of science or associates of applied science is considered part of the ‘advanced core‘. The Advanced Core requires students to have earned at least 64 credits of transfer. If students transfer prior to completion or with less than 64 credits they will be considered part of the standard core and credits will be evaluated on a course by course basis.
    Students will be granted admission to a bachelors degree program upon completion of an approved transfer program at Madison College. Students must have earned a cumulative GPA of 2.0 or greater while at Madison College. Regardless of the number of credits transferred students must complete at least 25% of their baccalaureate degree credits at Herzing University University.
    Student who earn an Associate Degree from Madison College can transfer a minimum of 60 credits and a maximum of 72 credits to Lakeland College to be applied to the requirements of the Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Sciences degree.
    Any Madison College student who has successfully completed an associate degree in applied science after 2015, and meets admission requirements for the Rader School of Business (RSOB) at the Milwaukee School of Engineering (MSOE) can earn a Bachelor of Business Administration degree in Technical Sales at MSOE by successfully completing the AAS to BBA Technical Sales Transfer Track in the Business Administration program. --- In particular, any Madison College student who successfully completes all technical courses and general education courses in their AAS program with a grade of C or better (not C-) in each course; successfully completes all other specified courses, as defined in this transfer agreement, with a grade of C or better (not C-) in each course; and meets the MSOE admission requirements for transfer students into the BBA Program at MSOE, minimum 2.75/4.0 cumulative GPA from the last regionally accredited school will be admitted into the AAS to BBA Technical Sales Transfer Track in the Bachelor of Business Administration program at MSOE.
    Students who complete the IT-Systems Administration Specialist program can transfer up to 65 credits toward the Bachelor of Science in Business Management and Leadership offered through the College of Adult and Graduate Studies.

    Out-of-State Schools

    Students who complete any associate degree at Madison Area Technical College will have no additional general education core curriculum requirements to meet but must satisfy the Kirkpatrick Signature Series requirement. This applies to students who are pursuing a bachelors of arts, bachelors of science or bachelors of fine arts at Bellevue University.
    Per the agreement, students must complete the associates of arts, associates of science or associates of applied science with an overall GPA of a 2.0 prior to transferring. Articulation agreement is for students who graduate from appropriate program and wish to pursue one of the following degrees at Capella: Bachelor of Science in Business specializations, Bachelor of Science in Information Technology, Bachelor of Science in Public Safety specializations, Bachelor of Science in Nursing (must hold a valid RN license) and Bachelor of Science in Psychology.
    Students graduating with an associate degree from MATC with a 2.0 GPA or higher are guaranteed admissions into CSU-Global and can transfer up to 64 semester credits from MATC to be applied toward earning a Bachelor’s Degree at CSU-Global.
    Franklin University will guarantee acceptance of all Madison College graduates with an Associate in Arts, Associate in Science or Associate of Applied Science. Madison College graduates will have junior standing at Franklin University and may transfer additional credits (up to a maximum of 94) toward their baccalaureate degree.
  • Career Outcomes

    After completing the IT-Systems Administration Specialist program at Madison Area Technical College, you will be able to:

    • Manage and support client operating systems
    • Manage and support server operating systems
    • Manage and support virtualization technologies
    • Configure network and directory services
    • Solve problems individually and in a team environment
    • Develop scripts for IT automation
    • Deploy, configure, and support services in a cloud environment
    • Manage IT hardware and software
    • Graduate Summary

      Graduate Report Summary Overview

      202020212022
      Number of Program Graduates313117
      Number of Surveys Sent313117
      Number of Surveys Returned232112
      Percent of Surveys Returned
      Available for Employment231911
      Percent Available for Employment100.00%90.50%91.70%
      Not in Labor Market
      Percent Not in Labor Market0.00%9.50%8.30%
      Available for Employment

      202020212022
      Graduates Employed22198
      Percent of Graduates Employed95.70%100.00%72.70%
      Employed in Related Occupation20157
      Percent Employed in Related Occupation90.90%78.90%87.50%
      Employed in Unrelated Occupation241
      Percent Employed in Unrelated Occupation9.10%21.10%12.50%
      Employed - No Response000
      Percent Employed - No Response0.00%0.00%0.00%
      Seeking Employment103
      Percent Seeking Employment4.30%0.00%27.30%
      Reaction To Training at Madison College

      202020212022
      Student satisfaction Mean (Out of 4)3.53.43.5
      Number of Satisfaction Responses232112
      Very Satisfied (4)1296
      Percent Very Satisfied52.20%42.90%50.00%
      Satisfied (3)10126
      Percent Satisfied43.50%57.10%50.00%
      Unsatisfied (2)100
      Percent Unsatisfied4.30%0.00%0.00%
      Very Unsatisfed (1)000
      Percent Very Unsatisfied0.00%0.00%0.00%
      Primary Reason for Attending Madison College

      202020212022
      Number of Primary Reason Responses232112
      Preparation for Getting a Job9105
      Percent Preparation for Getting a Job39.10%47.60%41.70%
      Career Change1285
      Percent Career Change52.20%38.10%41.70%
      Improvement of Existing Skills121
      Percent Improvement of Existing Skills4.30%9.50%8.30%
      Preparation for Further Education101
      Percent Preparation for Further Education4.30%0.00%8.30%
      Personal Interest010
      Percent Personal Interest0.00%4.80%0.00%
      Other000
      Percent Other0.00%0.00%0.00%
      When Employment was Obtained

      202020212022
      Number of When Employment Obtained Responses22198
      Before Enrollment262
      Percent Before Enrollment9.10%31.60%25.00%
      While Attending the College1494
      Percent While Attending the College63.60%47.40%50.00%
      After Training at the College642
      Percent After Training at the College27.30%21.10%25.00%
      Location of Employment (related and unrelated)

      202020212022
      Number of Employment Location Responses21148
      In College District20138
      Percent In College District95.20%92.90%100.00%
      In Wisconsin, Not in District000
      Percent of In Wisconsin0.00%0.00%0.00%
      Outside of Wisconsin010
      Percent Outside Wisconsin0.00%7.10%0.00%
      Employer Location Unknown100
      Percent Location Unknown4.80%0.00%0.00%
      Salary Trend
      Salary Trend202020212022
      Full Time Employment (Related Job)Full Time Salary Count18115
      Average Monthly Wage$4,216$4,561$3,882
      Average Hourly Wage$24.51$26.52$22.57
      Average Work Hours per Week40.841.141.9
      Part Time Employment (Related Job)Part Time Salary Count
      Average Hourly Wage
      Average Work Hours per Week
    • Graduate Employers

      Graduate Employers for academic year: 2022
      Employer(s)Job TitleCity*State**Positions
      Converge CFD SoftwareIT Helpdesk
      Elevity ITJunior Consulting EngineerFitchburg
      Kinetic SolutionsEnterprise ConsultantMarshall
      Network Engineering TechnologiesService Desk TechnicianMiddleton
      Sun Prairie Area School DistrictTechnology Support TechnicianSun Prairie
      TeamsoftAdministrator
      WKOW-TV Channel 27IT Administrator

      * - Only cities outside of Madison will display.

      ** - Only states outside of Wisconsin will display.

      *** - If you have a position to post, please contact Career and Employment Services at jobpostings@madisoncollege.edu

Ready to get started?
Your first step is to apply to Madison College. It's easy and free to apply, so get started today!
Contact the School of Technologies and Trades

Madison Truax Campus
Main Building, A2105

1701 Wright Street
Madison, Wisconsin 53704

tandt@madisoncollege.edu
608.246.6800

Hours

Monday - Thursday: 8:00 am - 4:30 pm
Friday: 8:00 am - 4:30 pm (phone or email only)