6th European Conference - Academic Conferences

Tanya Zlateva et al.
Computer Information Systems and Telecommunication in 2002. The central goal of the program was
to draw upon the resources of a large research university and to give students the academic
knowledge and technical skills as well as to develop their ability to identify and solve security
problems in their multi-disciplinary complexity taking into account technical, managerial, legal, and
ethical aspects of information security. We emphasized from the outset an interdisciplinary design
approach with strong laboratory and experiential components; a program scope that embraces
contributions from multiple fields; and a program structure that integrates information assurance
concepts, topics, and methods throughout the curriculum as opposed to predominantly in specialized
courses (Zlateva et al., 2003). The integration of information assurance topics across the curriculum is
conducted at three levels (Table 1):
First, the fundamental information assurance topics are taught within the existing core courses at
the undergraduate and graduate level. This ensures that all students are equipped with the basic
knowledge of information security that is currently indispensable for any professional working in
computer software, hardware, systems, or networks.
Second, specialized semester long courses—such as information security, network security,
database security, cryptography, biometrics, digital forensics, etc. —provide in-depth analysis of
different security aspects. These courses provide the core for concentrators in information
security and are available as electives to students outside the information security concentration.
Third, advanced specialized courses—such as web applications, web services, enterprise
computing, mobile applications, data mining etc. —include cyber security topics and modules.
Our Master’s programs consists of ten four-credit courses and a concentration requires the
completion of four courses, typically three specialized that provide depth and one related high level
elective for breadth. When first introduced in 2002 the security concentrations in the MS in CS, CIS,
and TC were based on five specialized courses— cryptography, computer networks and security,
information systems security, database security, and network management and computer security
(Table 1).
The programs were well received and grew rapidly. From a curriculum point of view we soon
recognized two related trends both of which required the introduction of new security topics and
further development of the curriculum both in depth and breadth. From the point of view of pedagogy
and access it became clear that novel online technologies such as virtualization and videocollaboration
can increase the impact of content presentation and that new delivery formats, such as
hybrid or distance learning, can make the program available to students at remote locations or who
are unable to attend on-campus classes due to demanding work schedules. In the following we first
discuss the evolution of the curriculum and then the novel teaching approaches.
The large majority of students in our programs are information technology professionals and a
considerable number are already involved in information security. From the very beginning of the
programs their interests ranged from biometrics to digital forensics on the technical side, and from
security policies to legal and regulatory issues on the managerial and organizational side. At the same
time the information security field was rapidly evolving, maturing, and its importance was becoming
widely recognized. Both these factors required us to deepen the theoretical and applied knowledge of
the core, to updated and broaden the curriculum with topics and/or courses on emerging
technologies, and to seek synergies with programs that focus on related and complementary fields.
Depth was achieved by restructuring the teaching of security fundamentals and adding a course on
network security in recognition of the central importance that global networks play in the modern
world. Breadth was achieved by introducing a four-course certificate in digital forensics, a new course
in biometrics and a number of specialized content modules in the advanced courses. In collaboration
with the administrative sciences department we are currently exploring synergies with the
concentration in Business Continuity, Security, and Risk Management and the introduction of new
course on cyber law.
269