December 6, 2006

TO: Academic Affairs Committee

FROM: Denise Wilson, Chair Graduate Curriculum Committee

Sandra Groves, Director of Graduate Studies

RE: Executive Summary – Sequence in Information Assurance and Security for the M.S. in Information Systems

The Sequence in Information Assurance and Security would be the third sequence for the M.S. in Information Systems. The other sequences include Systems Development and Telecommunications Management. A fourth new sequence in Internet Application Development will be forthcoming. All sequences share a common 21 hour core.

Of the 36-39 hours required, there will be the addition of two new 400 and one new 300 level courses specific to information assurance and security. The content for these new courses have been previously offered under decimalized topics numbers, e.g., ITK 385.06. With the addition of two new sequences, rather than sequence selection being optional, a student will be required to select a sequence as part of admissions to the M.S. in Information Technology. It is anticipated that a number of students will utilize the simultaneous sequence policy to develop expertise in more than one area.

This additional sequence constitutes a formalization of currently available course content and instruction.