Brandeis University

1
Information Assurance Program Overview

• Brandeis University
• Rabb school of continuing studies
• Division of
• graduate professional studies

2
Introductions

• Cynthia Phillips, Ph.D.
• Academic Program Chair
• Information assurance
• Information Technology Management

3
What Is Information Assurance (IA)?

• Involves securing cyberspace and global
  information infrastructures
• Emphasizes strategic risk management over tools
  and tactics
• Covers a broad range of topics including
  reliability, and governance issues such as
  privacy, compliance, audits, business continuity,
  and disaster recovery

4
IA is Interdisciplinary

• Draws from multiple fields
• Fraud examination
• Forensic science
• Military science
• Management science
• Systems engineering
• Security engineering
• Criminology
• Computer science

5
IA Combats Threats

• Threats to organizations
• Inadequate security and authentication processes
• Increased frequency and complexity of computer
  viruses
• Corporate espionage
• Internet and extranet connectivity
• Endless stream of software patches to resolve
  vulnerabilities

• IA Solutions
• Education
• Strategic risk management
• Disaster recovery
• Regulatory compliance
• Enterprise-wide information assurance, security,
  and compliance

6
MSIA Overview

• Professionally oriented degree
• Emphasis on industry relevant knowledge to
  realize IA solutions
• Policy, management, and technology aspects of
  information security and risk management
• Ten courses, online only

7
MSIA Advantages Skills

• Graduates from the MSIA Program will be able to
• Assess information security risks and the
  technical, organizational, and human factors
  associated with these risks.
• Evaluate IT tools to protect against threats
  facing organizations.
• Assess the impact of security policies on complex
  systems and organizational objectives while
  considering regulatory requirements and
  compliance.
• Oversee the Information Assurance lifecycle
  including planning, acquisition, development, and
  evolution of secure infrastructures.

8
MSIA Advantages Curriculum and the EBK

• Curriculum covers the essential body of knowledge
  (EBK) for IT Security
• Published by the United States Computer Emergency
  Readiness Team (US-CERT) in partnership with the
  Department of Homeland Security in October, 2007

9
MSIA Advantages Quality

• Courses
• Developed by expert professionals in the field
• Monitored by oversight body of industry
  professionals
• Evolve with the industry as new challenges emerge
• Adhere to comprehensive standards for distance
  learning
• Instructors
• Expert professionals in the field
• Trained in distance learning instructional
  methods

10
MSIA Advantages Flexibility

• Part-time
• Open course enrollment
• No GRE
• Apply for Admission any time before your 4th
  course
• Three 10-week terms fall, spring, summer
• Distance learning courses
• Participate from anywhere around the world
• Asynchronous no required meeting days/times
• Flexible curricula

11
MSIA Required Courses

• Four Required Courses
• Foundations of Information Assurance
• IT Security and Compliance
• Applied Cryptography and Access Control
• Network Security

12
MSIA Electives

• Four Elective Courses from among
• Information Technology Forensics and
  Investigations
• Securing Applications, Web Services and SOA
• Principles of Incident Response and Disaster
  Recovery
• Legal Ethical Practices in IT Security
• Security Testing and Auditing
• Computer Networks Data Communications
• Secure Software Practices

13
MSIA Electives

• Two Elective Courses from among those offered
  within GPS for example
• Strategic IT Management Organizational Strategy
• Strategic IT Management Operational Strategy
• Risk Management
• TCP/IP
• Leadership, Team-Building, and Decision Making
• Linux Administration

14
MSIA Careers

• Governmental Agencies
• National Security Agencies
• Military Organizations
• U.S. Department of Homeland Security
• Private industries
• Financial services
• Medical institutions
• Universities

• IA Professionals
• Chief Information Officer
• Digital forensics
• Information Security Officer
• IT security compliance
• IT security engineers
• IT systems operations maintenance
• Privacy professionals
• Physical security professional
• Procurement professional

15
More Information

• Contact the GPS office
• 781-736-8787
• Contact us
• gps_at_brandeis.edu
• gps-ias_at_brandeis.edu
• Explore our web site
• www.brandeis.edu/gps

Thank you for your attention!