Information Assurance, MSIA

(MSIA) CURRICULUM

PROGRAM OUTCOME

Information Assurance (IA) Awareness Program (AFI33-204) has defined the term Information Assurance as Conducting those operations that protect and defend information and information systems by ensuring availability, integrity, authentication, confidentiality and non-repudiation. This includes providing for restoration of information systems by incorporating protection, detection and reaction capabilities. The 31- semester credit Master of Science in Information Assurance (MSIA) includes seven core courses, two upper-level electives, and a thesis focused on Information Assurance and Computer Security. Students will also choose two electives within their concentration.

PREREQUISITE REQUIREMENTS

All students admitted into the Davenport University MS Information Assurance are expected to have the necessary computer, networking, and security foundations prior to entering the 600-level courses. Students that have not successfully completed equivalent undergraduate courses or do not have any of the following Security Certifications: Security +, CISSP, GSE, CCSP, SSCP, CIW or RSA will be required to complete the following undergraduate level prerequisites. A grade of ?B? or better must be earned in each course to show proficiency.

Undergraduate level Prerequisites:
CISP247 Database Design
NETW101 PC Operating Systems
Graduate level Prerequisites:

CISP520 Distributed Systems
IAAS581 Information Security and Assurance
IAAS591 Cryptography
NETW221 Security Foundations

The 31-semester-credit Master of Science in Information Assurance (MSIA) includes seven core courses, two upper-level electives, and a thesis focused on the Information Assurance and Computer Security - all of which directly map to the Information Assurance topics identified by the National Security Agency (NSA). Topics will include: information security planning, cryptography, project management and risk mitigation, application security, network security, forensics, and legal and ethical roles and topics specific to security. Students will also choose electives within their concentration and complete a thesis under the direct guidance of a faculty member.

These elective courses will provide an introduction to the different technical and administrative aspects of Information Security and Assurance. Topics will include: wireless and mobile security, banking and financial security, securing resource transfer, and health care security. The elective courses will also include methodologies for prioritizing information assets and threats to information assets, including risk analysis, architecture components of an incident response plan, legal and public relations implications of security and privacy issues, and the framework of a disaster recovery plan.

MASTER'S THESIS

A thesis paper/project forms the Capstone of this MS in Information Assurance program. Students must complete and submit an acceptable proposal to the graduate coordinator prior to enrolling in this Capstone. Once the proposal is accepted, the thesis paper/project is to be completed under the guidance of a faculty member. The Capstone is a comprehensive project that encapsulates all leaning from the program, and needs to include specific demonstration of Information Security Planning, Applied Cryptography, Project Management/Risk Mitigation, Legal and Ethical Security Topics, Application Security, Network Security, Advanced Computer Forensics and the elective topics taken during the student's degree.