Information Security - Management / Master of Science
Please see College of Business section for additional policy and procedure information.
The Master of Science in Information Security (MSIS) program provides students with background and insights into the key management and technical issues of information security. It is an interdisciplinary program administered by the Management Information Systems Department in the College of Business and the Mathematics and Computer Science Department in the College of Arts and Sciences.
The management concentration focuses on the identification and mitigation of information security risks and threats faced by organizations, as well as strategies for securing the data, processes, and systems of organizations. It discusses identification and prevention of cybercrime, computer forensics, ethical hacking, database security, risk management, and information security governance and compliance. The technical concentration examines the tools, techniques, and concepts by which information systems can be made secure. It examines the details of how computer-based systems perform their various functions, teaching students how operating systems, software applications, database and file systems, and data networks can be made secure through cryptography, security protocols, secure coding practices, vulnerability testing, and forensics.
The management concentration has hands-on courses that provide skills required for managing the information security infrastructure of organizations. This option is appropriate for information technology (IT) leaders, information security managers, and directors who are responsible for designing, recommending, and maintaining the IT infrastructure and information security controls and for developing strategic technology plans. The technical concentration is a hands-on option that is attractive to IT professionals who desire a deep understanding of how to design and implement defenses against today's and tomorrow's cyber threats, identify and investigate security breaches, and resolve security problems when and where they arise.
To accommodate the needs of working professionals, the program is structured for part-time students with courses offered in the evenings. All courses are offered in an eight-week format. Additionally, the program is fully offered online.
Foundation Coursework
Students who lack prior coursework in computer science or management information systems from an accredited collegiate institution are required to take up to two foundation courses in the major to gain background in computer programming and computer organization. The determination of whether a student is required to take one or both Foundation Courses will be made during the application review process by the Program Director. The Program Director will evaluate the applicant's prior academic transcripts, looking for courses in computer programming and computer organization. If the transcripts provide evidence of academic credit in Computer Programming and / or Computer Organization from an accredited collegiate institution, the student will not be required to take the corresponding Foundation Course. The Foundation Courses are designed to provide students who lack prior academic coursework in the fundamentals of Computer Science and Management Information Systems. These concepts will help them to appreciate fully the technical and managerial aspects of information security.
Graduation Requirements
To complete the MSIS degree, a student must earn between 35 and 41 credit hours, depending on whether the student was required to take the Foundation Courses. Students must complete at least 35 graduate credits in the program beyond the two Foundation Courses. These 35 credit hours consist of eighteen credit hours of core coursework, twelve hours of elective coursework, two hours of seminar coursework, and a three-credit hour capstone course. For their electives, students must take at least 9 hours of management courses.
Degree Offered: Master of Science
Total Credit Hours: 35-41
Curriculum
Program: MS-INFO-B
I. Foundation Courses (6)
II. Core Courses (18)
III. Management Courses (9)
IV. Elective (3)
Choose an additional elective from either Management or Technical Courses to earn a total of 12 credit hours of elective coursework.
V. Seminar Courses (2)
Two credit hours of seminar coursework.
| INSY-59700 | Information Security Certification Prep 1 | 1 |
| INSY-59710 | Information Security Certification Prep 2 | 1 |
VI. Capstone (3)
| INSY-59100 | Information Security Capstone: Management Concentration | 3 |
Policy on Incomplete Grades
Credit for the capstone experience (INSY 59500) will be deferred until the project has been completed to the satisfaction of both the student and the mentor. Until the project has been completed, a grade of I (Incomplete) will appear on the student’s record for that course. For all other courses in which the student receives a grade of I, he or she has until the sixth week of the following semester to complete the requirements for the course. If the student fails to complete the requirements of the course before the six-week cutoff, the incomplete grade will be converted to a grade of “IF”, which is equivalent to a failing grade.