Information Assurance, ME

Network and system security has become very critical and increasingly urgent in today’s network and information systems. Information Assurance deals with operations that protect and defend information and information systems by ensuring their availability, integrity, authentication, confidentiality, and non repudiation. The Information Assurance curriculum includes courses designed to prepare individuals who engineer computer/network systems or develop policy for these systems with knowledge of methods, techniques, and tools used in information assurance.

These courses are regularly offered in the late afternoon and evening to provide a more ideal time slot for the working professional.

Our MEIA degree program and curriculum are certified by the National Security Agency’s (NSA) Committee on National Security Systems (CNSS and meet the Information Assurance Professional (4011) Training Standards. Successful graduates of the MEIA degree program will receive the CNSS Information Assurance Professional (4011) certificate without additional testing requirements.

Admission Requirements

A Bachelor of Science or a Bachelor of Arts degree in mathematics, computer science, engineering information systems, or equivalent.
An overall undergraduate grade point average of 3.0 (on a scale of 4.0; awarded within the past five years) or minimum1800 GRE (verbal + quantitative + analytic). Applicants with a grade point average of less than 3.0 or with degrees awarded greater than five years ago will be admitted on a case-by-case basis. Applicants with a grade point average between 2.75 and 3.0 awarded within the past five years may be admitted provisionally.
It is recommended the applicant have two years experience with commercial, industrial or government software development or system/network administration.
Completed Application Forms, include two copies of official transcripts, four references, and a concise statement of experience and career goals sent to the Department of Computer Science.

Program Prerequisites

Knowledge of a modern programming language, e.g., Java or C++

Degree Requirements

Required Core Courses

(15 credit hours, common to both the Thesis option and Non-Thesis option):

Degree Completion Courses

(15 credit hours) Two options are available: Thesis or Non-Thesis.

1. Thesis Option

Complete CS 700 Master Thesis (6 credit hours)
Complete three courses from the approved list of courses. The Graduate Studies Committee must approve the courses selected.

2. Non-Thesis Option

Complete CS 701Master Project (3 credit hours)
Complete four courses from the approved list of courses.

Note

The Graduate Studies Committee must approve the courses selected.

Transfer Credit

Up to 9 hours of graduate work may be transferred from an accredited graduate program, provided:
- The course work has not been used for any other degree.
- Grade earned for the course(s) is B or better.
- The course work has been taken within the past six years.
- The course coverage is equal in level, content, and depth to the course for which it is being substituted.

Additional Graduate Degree Requirements

See also Graduate Degree Requirements for EAS and the Graduate School Requirements.