The best of both worlds? Students tell us why they chose to major in MICT

“MICT has granted me opportunities in almost all fields of a successful business. Whether it is sales, supply chain, marketing, HR, or IT they all depend on analyzing data. It has given me opportunities to do internships in FMCGs such as PepsiCo, as well as the office of the Minister of Youth and Sports. The major has given me the capabilities of being a Project Manager, which requires you to understand both the business and the technical aspects of the project. I am currently a graduating senior in my last semester, and I can’t wait for the opportunities yet to come.” - Ahmed Yakout, MICT undergraduate student.

Since 2009, the AUC School of Business has been offering the Bachelor of Business Administration in Management of Information and Communication Technology (MICT) in collaboration with the AUC School of Sciences and Engineering. The program provides its students with a balanced blend between business and technology – something that the School saw as incredibly vital for the job market and the economy of this day and age.

Graduating senior Yakout recounted the story of how he ended up majoring in MICT.

“At the beginning of my journey in AUC, I declared computer science as I have been a technology and gaming fanatic since a very young age,” he began. “But, as time passed by, during my sophomore year I realized that I was also interested in business, and I wanted to explore that field, especially as AUC School of Business has the Triple Crown Accreditation and is considered among the top 1 percent of business schools in the world.”

He recalled: “I remember the day when a friend of mine, an MICT graduate, introduced me to professor Dina Rateb, one of the pioneers of the MICT major at AUC and who jointly introduced the major in the academic year 09/10. I met her at a time where I was lost in terms of what I want to do in my career and what major I wanted to study. She introduced me to the world of MICT, and I realized that it perfectly combines business administration and computer science. It made me utilize my passion for technology and start thinking of it from a business perspective, which opened for me a lot of doors and opportunities in both fields.”

Hana ElMalky, also a graduating senior majoring in MICT, shared a similar vision.

“MICT is a great major that bridges between business and computer science. It provides students with an array of diverse skills that are vital for today’s business from programming, using sophisticated programs to promote business objectives, understanding and analyzing customers and business needs, up to launching projects,” she explained. 

“I chose this major because the knowledge and skills being taught open up many opportunities in my career. I am not constrained in working in certain jobs but rather free and equipped to work in many different areas,” she underlined.

The combination of two disciplines allows the students to tap into different fields. For Hana, MICT provided her with the advantage of understanding different perspectives from both the business and the developers’ points of view.

“In one of my past internships, I had to use both my business knowledge and technical computer  skills to create a new management system for a company. At another internship, I used my business knowledge to create a marketing plan for a launch of a new product,” she told us, adding: “In terms of career, this major equips me with a sound foundation, in which I am free to explore different opportunities.”

“Technology has become a vital part of business in order to adapt and survive in the increasingly competitive market. Thus, it has become more and more important for students to have a basic understanding of technological advancement before entering the workforce,” highlighted ElMalky.

Ahmed also echoed this thought: “I believe that the MICT major is crucial in this day and age as almost all businesses rely on information systems and data analytics. Without data analytics, it is extremely difficult to make a well informed business decision, especially for big corporations.” 

“I believe that those who grasp both the business and technical aspects are those who will become the leaders of successful businesses of the future,” he concluded.

Learn more about the Management of Information and Communication Technology major at AUC School of Business here.