MASTER OF SCIENCE IN INFORMATION ASSURANCE • MSIA

Admissions  

PROGRAM OUTCOME

The term Information Assurance has been defined 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 34 credit hour Master of Science in Information Assurance and Cyber Security (MSIA) includes nine core courses, two upper-level electives, and a thesis focused on Information Assurance and Cyber Security.

TECHNOLOGY FOUNDATIONAL REQUIREMENTS

All students admitted into the Davenport University Master of Science in Information Assurance and Cyber Security are expected to have the necessary undergraduate preparation, outlined in the Admissions Requirements, prior to entering the 600-level courses. Students who have not successfully completed equivalent undergraduate courses will be required to complete the following graduate (500-level) foundational courses or the undergraduate level equivalent courses. A grade of “B” or better must be earned in each course to show proficiency. These courses are not included in the credits required for degree completion.

Graduate Level Foundational Courses:

• CSCI 531 - Introduction to Programming  or
• CISP 553 - Python Scripting 
• IAAS 581 - Information Security and Assurance 
• IAAS 591 - Cryptography 
• NETW 520 - Data Communications and Networks 
• STAT 500 - Statistics for Business  

CURRICULUM

The master’s degree program in Information Assurance and Cyber Security (MSIA) has been certified by the National Security Agency (NSA) and Committee on National Security Systems (CNSS) as meeting the requirements of NSTISSI-4011, Training Standard for Information Systems Security (INFOSEC) Professionals, and CNSSI-4012, Training Standard for Security System Managers.

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 forms the capstone of this Master of Science in Information Assurance and Cyber Security program. The capstone is a comprehensive research paper encompassing the learning from the students’ coursework in the program. Prior to enrolling in the CAPS795 capstone course, students must have both an approved Capstone Intent Form and an approved Research Proposal on file with the MSIA program office. A research seminar (or pre-capstone seminar) is available to students to provide guidance on developing the research proposal. The final thesis paper is to be completed under the guidance of your faculty advisor and/or university designated faculty member during the CAPS 795  course. More details on the master’s thesis and capstone process may be found in the Capstone Guidebook, available on the ISaAC site or from your faculty advisor.