Mar 19, 2024  
2017-2018 Undergraduate Catalog 
    
2017-2018 Undergraduate Catalog This is not the most recent catalog version; be sure you are viewing the appropriate catalog year.

Information Assurance & Cyber Defense | BS


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The Bachelor of Science in Information Assurance & Cyber Defense program prepares prospective students with the knowledge and skillset necessary for future computing and cyber security professionals to build, maintain and protect networks and computer systems in both government and industry.

The program has been designated by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and National Security Agency (NSA) as the Center of Academic Excellence (CAE) in Information Assurance (IA) and Cyber Defense (CD) education (DHS/NSA CAE-IA/CD).  The program is classified as a Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) program.

Learn

The Information Assurance and Cyber Defense program places emphasis on design, integration, administration, hardening and protection of all types of computer information systems and network infrastructures in modern cyber environments. Students are immersed in solid theories as well as intensive hands-on practical experiences to enhance their critical thinking and problem-solving capabilities applied to all elements in modern computing disciplines. The curriculum covers:

  • Computing and networking theories/practices
  • System architecture and administration, integration and troubleshooting
  • Cyber security threat/risk evaluation
  • Incident response analysis and practice
  • Network/digital forensics and investigation
  • Penetration testing and system auditing
  • Cyber laws, legislation, policy/compliance, and project management

Opportunities

Per the U.S. Department of Labor 2014 handbook, computer and information technology occupations are projected to grow 12 percent from 2014 to 2024, faster than the average for all occupations. The median annual wage for computer and information technology occupations was $81,430 in May 2015, which was higher than the median annual wage for all occupations of $36,200. Graduates are in demand to work in private, public, and government agencies. 

Recent graduates have held positions at Snapchat, Google, Amazon, General Electric, Dominos Corporate, and Raytheon. 

Articulation Agreement | An articulation agreement exists between this program and at least one community college. To see a current list of program articulation agreements, please click here.

Program Admission


Requirements for Admission

Students must meet the following requirement to be admitted to the ISAC programs

  • Completion or transfer credit of IA 103  and IA 110  with a grade of B- or above

Application Process

Students who wish to be admitted to the IA/CD program must do the following:

  • Complete all requirements listed above. Students may be enrolled in one or two of the required courses listed above during the semester they apply.
  • Submit a transcript to cot-isac@atari.emich.edu by October 1, February 1, or July 1
  • Attend a mandatory meeting with an IA/CD faculty member or a designated COT staff advisor. The student will be contacted to schedule an appointment after the receipt of their application.

Decision Notification Process

  • Students will be notified by letter and/or through e-mail after a decision is made. This notification will be made no later than the start of the semester following the application.

School Information


Information Security and Applied ComputingCollege of Technology

Suleiman Ashur, Ph.D. | Interim Director | 206 Roosevelt Hall | 734.487.2490 | sashur@emich.edu

Advisor Information


Contact department for advisor information

General Education Requirements:


For specific General Education requirements, click here  or print a General Education Worksheet  

Major Requirements: 72 hours


Requirements for Graduation

  • Students can NOT apply courses at the 300-level or above to this program, if not taken at EMU
  • ALL students MUST take at least 45 credits at the 300-level or above in the IA/CD program
  • Students must maintain a minimum cumulative EMU GPA of 2.5.

Additional Requirements: 12 hours


Minor Requirement:


This major does not require a minor.

Program Total:


Students must earn a minimum total of 124 credits at the 100-level or above.

Beginning in Fall 2022, all baccalaureate degree programs for all undergraduates (regardless of catalog year) will require a minimum of 120 credit hours for completion.

Critical Graduation Information


Each undergraduate student will be responsible for the fulfillment of the requirements or their equivalents of the Eastern Michigan University catalog in force at the time of their initial registration at a college or university or a subsequent catalog including the one in effect at the time of their graduation.

In the event an undergraduate student does not complete the degree requirements within seven years of the date of their original registration at a college or university, the student may be required to have their credits re-evaluated by the academic department(s) of their major/minor in keeping with catalog requirements in force during the year of their graduation.

The following are minimum requirements for all bachelor’s degrees awarded by Eastern Michigan University. Some majors and minors require more than the minimum in one or more of the areas below; students are urged to consult the online catalog for the requirements of their particular programs.

  • Earn a minimum total of 124 credits at the 100-level and above. Courses with numbers below 100 will not be counted toward this degree requirement. At most 8 credit hours of physical education (PEGN) activity courses will be counted toward this requirement.
  • Meet the requirements of the General Education program (see information below).
  • Complete a Writing Intensive (GEWI) Course in your major.
  • Earn a minimum of 60 credits from a four-year college or university; courses taken at community colleges cannot be used to meet this requirement. (Some formal program-to-program articulation agreements modify this requirement. See specific agreements for details.)
  • Earn a minimum of 30 credits from courses taken at EMU.
  • Complete 10 of the last 30 hours for the degree from courses taken at EMU.
  • Have a minimum of 30 unique credit hours in their major and 20 unique credit hours in their minor for a total of at least 50 unique credit hours between them. Some majors that require 50 or more hours themselves do not require a minor; students should check requirements of the selected major in the undergraduate catalog to see if a minor is required.
  • Earn no more than 60 credit hours in one subject area (prefix). Credits in excess of the 60 maximum will not be counted toward the minimum of 124 credits required for a bachelor’s degree.
  • Earn the minimum number of credits in 300-level and above courses in each major and minor as specified below - these credits must be earned in distinct courses; that is, no course can be used to fulfill this requirement in more than one major or minor.
    • Earn a minimum of 6 credits in 300-level or higher courses at EMU in each minor
    • Earn a minimum of 9 credits in 300-level or higher courses at EMU in each major that requires a minor.
    • Earn a minimum of 15 credits in 300-level or higher courses at EMU in each major that does not require a minor
  • Transfer credit will be awarded for courses taken at colleges and universities that are accredited by one of the recognized regional accrediting bodies only if the courses are college-level (equated to 100-level or above at EMU) and the student earned a “C” (or 2.0 on a 4 point scale) or better. Transfer credit may be awarded on a case-by-case basis for college-level courses in which a “C” (2.0) or better was earned at institutions outside the U.S. or at non-accredited U.S. institutions; the internal review of such courses is conducted by individual departments/schools within EMU, and additional documentation may be required. Please note: EMU awards only credits for transferred courses; grades are not used in the calculation of an EMU GPA.
  • Earn a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.0 in courses taken at EMU in order to graduate. In addition, a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.0 must be reached in each major and minor. Only courses taken at EMU and those applied to a student’s major or minor will be used in the calculation of their major and minor cumulative GPAs. (Note: some programs may require a higher GPA - check with your program advisor.)

General Education Requirements EMU’s General Education Program requires students to choose from a menu of approved courses in several different areas; do not assume that other courses in the same department or with similar names will fulfill these requirements. A detailed description of General Education requirements is available in the General Education  section of the catalog.

Students who transferred to EMU may have modified general education requirements based on Michigan Transfer Agreement (MTA) or articulation agreements; consult your academic advisor for additional information.

 

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