George Mason University – Graduate Council
Graduate Course Approval Form
All courses numbered 500 or above must be submitted to the Graduate Council for final approval after approval by the
sponsoring College, School or Institute.
Graduate Council requires submission of this form for a new course or any change to existing courses. For a new course,
please attach a copy of the syllabus and catalog description (with catalog credit format, e.g. 3:2:1). The designated
representative of the College, School or Institute should forward the form along with the syllabus and catalog description,
if required, as an email attachment (in one file) to the secretary of the Graduate Council. A printed copy of the form with
signatures and the attachments should be brought to the Graduate Council meeting. Please complete the Graduate Course
Coordinator Form if the proposed changes will affect other units.
Note: Colleges, Schools or Institutes are responsible for submitting new or modified catalog descriptions (35 words or
less, using catalog format) to Creative Services by deadlines outlined in the yearly Catalog production calendar.
Please indicate: New X____
Modify_______
Delete_______
Department/Unit: AIT___________________ Course Subject/Number: Analysis & Management/ IT 665
Submitted by: R.T. Quinn Ext: 33565 Email: rquinn1@gmu.edu
Course Title: Managing IT Programs in the Federal Sector.
Effective Term (New/Modified Courses only): _Fall 2008__ Final Term (deleted courses only):____________
Credit Hours: (Fixed) __3__
(Var.) ______ to ______
Grade Type (check one): ___X__
_____
_____
Regular graduate (A, B, C, etc.)
Satisfactory/No Credit only
Special graduate (A, B, C, etc. + IP)
Repeat Status*(check one): ___ NR-Not repeatable ____ RD-Repeatable within degree ____ RT-Repeatable within term
*Note: Used only for special topics, independent study, or internships courses
Total Number of Hours Allowed: _______
Schedule Type Code(s): 1. SEM LEC=Lecture SEM=Seminar STU=Studio INT=Internship IND=Independent Study
2.____ LAB=Lab RCT=Recitation (second code used only for courses with Lab or Rct component)
Prereq __x_ Coreq ___ (Check ne): Permission of Instructor_____________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
Note: Modified courses - review prereq or coreq for necessary changes; Deleted courses - review other courses to correct prereqs that list the deleted course.
Description of Modification (for modified courses):____________________________________________________________________
Special Instructions (major/college/class code restrictions, if needed):__________________________________________
Department/Unit Approval Signature:_________________________________________ Date: _____________
College/School Committee Approval Signature:__________________________________ Date:_____________
Graduate Council Approval Date:____________ Provost Office Signature:_________________________________
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George Mason University
Graduate Course Coordination Form
Approval from other units:
Please list those units outside of your own who may be affected by this new, modified, or deleted course. Each of these units must
approve this change prior to its being submitted to the Graduate Council for approval.
Unit:
Head of Unit’s Signature:
Date:
Unit:
Head of Unit’s Signature:
Date:
Unit:
Head of Unit’s Signature:
Date:
Unit:
Head of Unit’s Signature:
Date:
Unit:
Head of Units Signature:
Date:
Graduate Council approval: ______________________________________________ Date: ____________
Graduate Council representative: __________________________________________
Date: ____________
Provost Office representative: _____________________________________ Date: ____________
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Catalog Description
IT 665 Managing IT Programs in the Federal Sector (3:3:0). The case study-grounded seminar introduces student team
members to the unique complexities of the Federal Sector, including Congressional and Executive Branch oversight,
reporting, justifying and sustaining annually, very large IT programs.
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Pre-requisites
Permission of Instructor
Objectives
The class offers the opportunity to learn the form and the practice of the legal and political tools at the government’s
disposal. The objective is to teach students how to prudently navigate the Federal Sector oversight from program vision
through implementation, to sustainment.
Outcomes
Expected outcomes include:

Understand the government rules and rule makers:
(a) Executive Branch and its agencies
(b) The Congress, its committees and its agencies

Understand the influencers, their tools and methods:
(a) The 5th Estate: news and PR
(b) K Street Gang
(c) Industry Associations
Syllabus
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Landscape View; Teams
Executive Branch
The House, The Senate, their Agencies
Case One: IRS National Processing System
Voting Effect: national, state, legislation
Guest lecture: The DOD Budget
Press Relations and PR: Both Ways
Case Two: FBI Criminal Information System
Guest lecture: Industry Association Influence
Effective Lobbying
Reporting Beyond Compliance
FAA: Inertial Navigation Control System
Final Course Synthesis: Planning, Discipline and Ethics
Grading Policy
(Three) Team Business Case Analysis Presentations (60% [20% each])
Individual Class participation (40%)
Reading List
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Selected business case studies. Boston. Harvard Business School Publishing.
Selected topics, Instructor handouts.
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Expertise
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Anne J. Marchant, Ph.D., Associate Professor-Applied Information Technology Department, George Mason
University.
Potential Similar Courses: None
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