Academia and industry disagree about what students should learn in school and what they should learn on the job. In IT, constantly changing technologies and the increasing emphasis on information as a strategic asset complicate the issue. Chief information officers and IT managers must have the hard technical skills to understand the intricacies of information systems, as well as the skill and knowledge to make strategic business decisions regarding these systems. To address this need, the University of Alabama at Birmingham developed a graduate program specialty in electrical and computer engineering. UAB consulted industry executives to help them develop a curriculum that addresses industry's needs without compromising academic fundamentals.