Ms-Information Assurance and Cybersecurity

INTRODUCTION

Information Assurance has been one of the most dynamic fields in recent decades. With growing demand for computing professionals, the who wish to stay abreast of the rapidly changing technological world. Emphasis is placed on the development of the student’s skill for independent study and continued professional growth.

Keeping our critical cyber infrastructure safe and secure while maintaining privacy is a major concern. The report by Cybersecurity Ventures predicts that there will be 3.5 million unfilled cybersecurity positions globally by 2021. The Bureau of Labor Statistics has also predicted that the current number of cybersecurity job openings is up. Every cybersecurity worker needs to be equipped with cybersecurity concepts and know-how to protect and defend apps, data, networks, devices, critical systems, infrastructure, and people. This program is aimed at filling the void and designed for professionals who work full-time. It provides post bachelor’s academic credentials for their success leading to targeted industry-recognized certifications. The program targets professionals holding a nontechnical undergraduate or graduate degree and looking to improve their knowledge in cybersecurity, increase their job prospects, or take the first step towards a graduate degree in the cybersecurity field.

DEGREE OFFERED

The program offers a Master of Science in Information Assurance and Cybersecurity (MS-IAC) degree.

ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS

1. An applicant must present a baccalaureate degree with a GPA of at least 2.5/4.0.

2. Completed graduate application

3. Complete resume

4. Transcripts from all prior institutions

5. Three letters of recommendation

6. TOEFL scores if English is not a first language

Factors for consideration include work experience in related areas of CIS and letters of recommendation. A committee appointed by the department chairperson will review applications for admission.

ADMINISTRATION

Retention is contingent on maintaining at least a 3.0 grade point average (GPA). The course work is expected to be completed within two years for full-time students and within six years for part-time students. The degree requirements are at least thirty credit hours of study.

The program is intended to be offered in both face-to-face and online delivery mode. The face-to-face delivery mode, academic semester consists of fourteen to fifteen weeks of instruction, including one week for final exams. The courses are scheduled as regular sessions and classes meet in rooms appropriate for the course being taught. Courses requiring the use of lab equipment as part of their instructional model are taught in computer teaching labs and may include an additional lab fee. In online delivery mode, each academic semester typically consists of fourteen weeks with two courses offered in sequence. The courses are scheduled as regular online, 7-week courses. Courses requiring the use of lab equipment as part of their instructional model are taught in with distributable software/licenses and/or simulations. Courses requiring these additional materials may include a modest course fee.

The University’s policy is that a master’s degree program must be completed within six years of taking the first course. Only the Program Director and/or the Dean can grant exceptions.

PROJECT REQUIREMENT

Each graduate student is expected to conduct a directed research / development project or thesis for completion of the degree; (see Plans A and B below). To propose an independent project, the student requests a specific CySec faculty member as the project advisor to chair his/her review committee in agreement with the CySec faculty member. Decisions about the topic, project advisor and the committee members are shared between the student and the review committee chair. The committee members participate in reviewing quality and content for the directed research project/thesis and its written component. These project proposals and formulation of graduate project/thesis committees must be completed prior to registration for any Directed Project or Directed Research credits.

Proposal sessions are scheduled during the last weeks of each semester. Various communication channels are utilized to disseminate the procedure and deadline on signing up for proposal sessions. Students, who wish to register for GCYSEC 698/GCYSEC 699 credits for the coming semester, must follow the communicated procedure and deadline to be scheduled in one of the proposal sessions. The directed research project/thesis advisor directs the student’s work and determines when to recommend the manuscript for review by a faculty committee. The review committee is appointed by the usual academic approval sequence and consists of at least two full-time Gannon CIS faculty members familiar with the subject material and one optional member from outside the CIS department. The outside member can be from industry. The committee is responsible for supporting the student in their work and assessing the quality of the project. After final corrections are made in the project and/or supporting documentation, the student will give an oral defense of their work before the committee. The CIS faculty member who chairs the review committee becomes the student’s academic advisor.

Plan A (Directed Research): GCYSEC 699

The student is required to complete a 3-credit independent/team IAC research project and to pass a final oral examination covering the student’s project area and related subject areas. The content of the independent/ team research should be in-depth scholarship culminating in a publishable-quality manuscript. The content should represent a researched and creative expression of the student’s advanced capability as a result of the graduate program. The directed research must be proposed and approved prior to the commencement of the independent/team project work. Proposals must be approved prior to registering for research credits. Per department guidelines, directed research students register for GCYSEC 699 Directed Research when completing the research effort and after having received agreement from a faculty member to be the chair of the student’s research effort.

Plan B (Directed Project): GCYSEC 698

The student is required to complete a 3-credit independent/team IAC project and to pass a final oral examination covering the student’s project area and related subject areas. The content of the independent/ team project should be the study and development of a prototype-level application culminating in a publishable quality technical report. The content should represent a researched and creative expression of the student’s advanced capability as a result of the graduate program. The directed development project must be proposed and approved prior to the commencement of the independent/team project work. Proposals must be approved prior to registering for project credits. Per department guidelines, directed project students register for GCYSEC 698 Directed Project when completing the development effort and after having received agreement from a faculty member to be the chair of the student’s development effort.

While enrolled in GCYSEC 698 and GCYSEC 699 Directed Research, the student is required to satisfy other department-stipulated activities such as attendance at research seminars, participation in research presentations, and writing- or research improvement seminars.

THE CURRICULUM PLAN

The MS-IAC is a professional degree program. Students may begin studies with a wide variety of academic and work backgrounds.

Courses are presented in three general categories:

• Cyber Essentials Courses: 12 credits of required coursework.

• Information Assurance Courses: 9 credits of required coursework.

• Scholarship Seminar: 3 credits of required coursework.

• Cyber Electives: 3 credits required of upper-division coursework.

The student must complete 30 credits of graduate course work. Students must maintain a cumulative grade point average of at least 3.0 for the duration of their master’s degree program. A total of ten graduate level courses (500-level or higher), exclusive of foundations-series courses are required. Students seeking placement for required coursework may be granted placement for certification, significant work experience on review of the program director.

DEPARTMENT POLICIES

Incomplete Grades in IAC coursework

Incomplete (“I”) grades for a course within the CIS Department require students to follow extra procedures in order for the “I” grade to be appropriately handled.

• Students must obtain confirmation from the course instructor to be assigned the “I” grade.

• The course instructor and student complete and sign an “Incomplete Grades” form before issuing the “I” grade. The form identifies required deliverables, expected delivery dates, and consequences for not following through on the work.

• The course instructor and student complete and sign a “Behavioral Contract”. The contract stipulates other activities and arrangements expected of the student in order to earn a grade in the course.

• The course instructor submits both forms to the department and to Graduate Records.

• If the “I” grade is assigned for either GCYSEC 698 Directed Research or GCYSEC 699 Directed Research, then the student is also required to register for GCIS 697 (1 cr.) Directed Project in the semester when the incomplete work is being done. Registering for GCIS 697 Directed Project is to occur regardless of the other courses registered in the semester.

Research and Technical Projects

All qualifying research and/or technical projects must be successfully proposed to the department faculty and have a review committee assigned prior to course registration. Standards for project scope and proposal methods are managed by the department chair. Externally-sponsored projects are encouraged, but not required. All projects must have a computing faculty member in charge of the work, with a supporting committee of two department faculty and optionally one external committee member. The committee is assigned by the chair prior to registration. The committee is responsible for:

• Supporting the student in completing their work

• Approving changes to the defined work scope,

• Judging the quality of the project work through the written and oral presentations of the work.

• Grading of these courses is by the committee as a whole.

Students are responsible to identify the project, stakeholders and/or topics, and complete the project on their own. Students are encouraged to identify and start work on their projects, especially requirements and exploratory research prior to proposing their projects. Students should register for their project or thesis credits in the semester that they expect to complete the project, not necessarily in the semester they start the project. Please refer questions to the program director or chair.

C- Grade Policy

Gannon graduate students are required to earn a grade point average (GPA) of 3.0 or better in order to successfully complete the graduate program. IAC graduate students are expected to maintain a semester GPA of 3.0 or better. Because of IAC scheduling patterns, the necessity of retaking a course to improve one’s GPA may cause the duration of one’s graduate studies to extend one year or more.