Information Security and Assurance

  • ISA

    What is Information Security and Assurance?

    The purpose of the Bachelor of Business Administration with a major in Information Security and Assurance (BBA-ISA) program is to create technologically proficient, business-savvy information security professionals capable of applying policy, education & training, and technology solutions to protect information assets from all aspects of threats, and to manage the risks associated with modern information usage. Information security is the protection of the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of information while in transmission, storage or processing, through the application of policy, technology, and education and awareness. Information assurance concerns information operations that protect and defend information and information systems by ensuring availability, integrity, authentication, confidentiality, and nonrepudiation. This program spans both areas in its approach to the protection of information in the organization.

    Coles College of Business

    Learn More About Information Security and Assurance

    Admission Requirements

    Students may initially declare an "-Interest" based major in this subject, but must still meet additional requirements to be formally accepted into the degree program.

    Before a business major can be admitted to the Coles College Undergraduate Professional Program and enroll in any upper-division business courses (3000-4000 level), she or he must meet the Coles Sophomore GPA Requirement. This involves earning an Adjusted GPA of 3.00 or greater for the following seven courses:

    • ACCT 2101 Principles of Accounting I
    • ACCT 2102 Principles of Accounting II
    • ECON 2106 Principles of Microeconomics
    • ECON 2105 Principles of Macroeconomics
    • ECON 2300 Business Statistics
    • IS 2200 Information Systems Communications
    • BLAW 2200 Legal and Ethical Environment of Business

    Students should take BUSA 2150 as soon as they have completed its prerequisite of ENGL 1101.  Successful completion of this course is a requirement for admission to the Coles Undergraduate Professional Program.

    General Education Core IMPACTS Curriculum Requirements Specific to This Major

    M: Students must take MATH 1111 or higher.

    Double Owl Pathways

    Related Minors or Certificates Available

    • Business Fundamentals Certificate
    • Information Security and Assurance Certificate
    • Information Security and Assurance Minor

     

    Sample Classes

    • An introduction to the various technical and administrative aspects of Information Security and Assurance. This course provides the foundation for understanding the key issues associated with protecting information assets, determining the levels of protection and response to security incidents, and designing a consistent, reasonable information security system, with appropriate intrusion detection and reporting features.

    • This course is an exploration of client computer system security and vulnerabilities, including client computer architectures, and operating systems. It provides the detailed technical coverage necessary to protect computer information system clients by presenting the knowledge of client platform computer hardware components, client network devices and interfaces, as well as the structure and usage of common client operating system software from an information security perspective. Additional learning regarding ongoing maintenance and operational issues of client computing systems will also be included.

    • An examination of the detailed aspects of incident response and contingency planning consisting of incident response planning, disaster recovery planning, and business continuity planning. Developing and executing plans to deal with incidents in the organization is a critical function in information security. This course focuses on the planning processes for all three areas of contingency planning incident response, disaster recovery, and business continuity, and the execution of response to human and non-human incidents in compliance with these policies.

    • This course contains a detailed examination of real world information security knowledge, enabling recognition of vulnerabilities, exploitation of system weaknesses, and implementation of safeguards against threats. Through hands-on exercises and a final project students will learn the art of penetration testing. Students who complete this course will be equipped with the knowledge necessary to analyze and evaluate systems security.

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