The ITAS - Systems Administration and Networking program prepares students for careers in the design, installation, operation, and administration of network and Internet-based information systems. The program combines rigorous theoretical and technical education with hands-on, project-based learning. Using the most up-to-date curriculum, the ITAS program develops a student's technical skills, as well as teamwork, communications, and project management skills that align with VIU's graduation attributes, to satisfy industry demands for well-rounded, highly employable technology graduates.
The program will cover modern IT systems administration skill sets and set up students for careers in the implementation and management of Information Technology hardware, networks, operating systems, cybersecurity and virtualized cloud computing.
ITAS - Systems Administration and Networking is offered as a two-year diploma program. The program consists of two 4-month terms per year, plus a one month practicum work experience session at the end of the first academic year.
The first year of the program provides students with a solid foundation in Information Technology hardware, Windows and Linux client and server operating systems, wired and wireless networking and project management.
In the second year of the program, students will install, configure, and administer a wide variety of Information Technology services such as Active Directory, E-mail, web site servers, cloud and virtualized systems, network routing and switching, and cybersecurity best practices, in a mix of Linux, VMware and Windows Server environments. Second year graduates receive a diploma in Information Technology and Applied Systems - Systems Administration and Networking.
Career Opportunities
Graduates of the ITAS program will be qualified to work for:
September 2025
Nanaimo Campus
900 Fifth Street,
Nanaimo,
British Columbia,
V9R 5S5, Canada
Recommendations for Admission
To meet the English language requirements for academic program, students must have completed:
VIU English Language Centre's - Successful completion of University Preparation Level 5
International Baccalaureate English A1/A2 - Higher Level (HL)/ Standard Level (SL) grade 3 or higher
IELTS 6.5 (with no band under 6.0)
TOEFL 550 (with no section under 56)
TOEFL iBT 88 (with no section under 20)
Pearson (PTE) 60 no section below 60
Cambridge Certificate of Proficiency in English with a minimum Cambridge English Score of 176.
Cambridge Certificate of Advanced English with a minimum Cambridge English Score of 176.
*There may be different IELTS requirements depending on your chosen course.