BS in Information Assurance and Security

Official Program Name:

Bachelor of Science in Information Assurance and Security

School Offering Program:

Capella University

Degree Level:

Bachelor's

Program Prerequisites:

Applicants to the Bachelor of Science in Information Assurance and Security program should be interested in developing a professional career in information systems security. Applicants to Capella University who are under 24 years of age must have completed at least two years of college or have active military status; some programs may have additional admissions requirements.

Program Description:

Students enrolled in Capella University's Bachelor of Science in Information Assurance and Security program examine security strategies to protect network systems from hackers and viruses, including firewalls, gateways, authentication, encryption, Public Key Infrastructure (PKI), and digital signature techniques. Students can study common methods hackers utilize to attack, methods for securing operating systems and applications, and computer forensics. Students have the opportunity to develop competency in organizational security, industry-specific laws, and security policy development, management, and enforcement. Additional coursework includes designing user-centric systems and applications, operating systems design, network and security design, database design, and IT project management.

Learning Format:

Online

Total Credits Required:

180 credits

Financial Aid Available:

Students enrolled in Capella University have several opportunities to reduce their tuition costs, including employer reimbursement programs, veterans benefit programs, tuition discounts through corporate alliances, U.S. Armed Forces education benefits, and credit transfers. Federal and non-federal loans and grants are available to qualifying students.

Required Courses for a Bachelor of Science in Information Assurance and Security:

Degree program and course requirements are subject to change. Contact Capella University to confirm the most accurate information before enrolling in a program.

Core Courses

• IT 3006: Communication Strategies for the Information Technology Professional
• IT 3120: Fundamentals of Project Management
• IT 3160: Ethical and Human Side of Information Technology
• IT 3200: Enterprise Architecture
• IT 3300: Human-Computer Interaction
• IT 3310: Hardware and Operating Systems Architecture
• IT 3340: Fundamentals of Software Architecture
• IT 3350: Network and Security Architecture

Specialization Courses

• IT 4803: System Assurance Security
• IT 4070: Cyber Defense and Countermeasures
• IT 4071: Cyber Attacks and Ethical Hacking
• IT 4072: Operating Systems Security
• IT 4073: Organizational Security
• IT 4074: Applications Security
• IT 4075: Computer Forensics
• IT 4076: Security Management and Policies
• Elective courses (33 credits)
• IT 4990: Integrated Action Learning Capstone Project (6 credits)

General Education Courses

Students choose 45 credits with a minimum of 6 credits from each category, as well as 21 elective credits.

• Choose a minimum of 6 communication credits:
  • ENG 1000: English Composition (6 credits)
  • ENG 2000: Research Writing (6 credits)
  • ENG 3300: Business and Technical Writing (6 credits)
  • SPC 1000: Public Speaking (3 credits)
  • SPC 2000: Intercultural Communication (6 credits)
  • SPC 2050: Visual Design in Communications (3 credits)
  • SPC 3700: Conflict Resolution (6 credits)
  • SPC 4100: Media and Culture (3 credits)
• Choose a minimum of 6 humanities credits:
  • ART 2000: Art History Survey (6 credits)
  • HUM 1000: Introduction to the Humanities (6 credits)
  • HUM 1050: World Religions (3 credits)
  • HUM 3300: Global Multiculturalism and World Religions (6 credits)
  • LIT 2001: Introduction to Literature: Short Stories (3 credits)
  • LIT 2100: Women's Literature (3 credits)
  • PHI 1000: Introduction to Philosophy (6 credits)
  • PHI 2000: Ethics (6 credits)
  • PHI 2050: Human Nature and Ethics (3 credits)
  • PHI 2100: Introduction to Logic (6 credits)
  • PHI 3200: Ethics in Health Care (6 credits)
• Choose a minimum of 6 natural science and mathematics credits:
  • BIO 1000: Human Biology (6 credits)
  • BIO 1050: Biology and Society (3 credits)
  • BIO 2000: Environmental Health (6 credits)
  • CHM 1000: Chemistry for Changing Times (6 credits)
  • CHM 1050: Chemistry and the Environment (3 credits)
  • PHY 1000: Introduction to Astronomy (6 credits)
  • MAT 1050: College Algebra (6 credits)
  • MAT 1051: Pre-Calculus (6 credits)
  • MAT 2001: Statistical Reasoning (6 credits)
  • MAT 2050: Statistical Literacy (3 credits)
• MAT 2051: Discrete Mathematics (6 credits)
• Choose a minimum of 6 social science credits:
  • ECO 1050: Microeconomics (6 credits)
  • ECO 1051: Macroeconomics (6 credits)
  • HIS 1000: Immigrants in the American City (3 credits)
  • HIS 3200: History of Health Care in America (3 credits)
  • PSYC 1000: Introduction to Psychology (6 credits)
  • POL: 1000 The Politics of American Government (6 credits)
  • POL: 2000 Globalization (6 credits)
  • SOC: 1000 Introduction to Human Society (6 credits)
  • SOC: 2000 Cultural Diversity (6 credits)
  • SOC: 3400 Social Deviance (6 credits)
• General Education Electives (21 credits)

Post Graduation Opportunities

Furthering Your Education:

Students who complete the Bachelor of Science in Information Assurance and Security program may wish to prepare for additional responsibilities as an information security professional by pursuing an IT-related master's degree. Earning a master's degree can help students expand their technical skills and information security training. Examples of master's degrees students may be interested in include:

• Master of Science in Information Security
• Master of Science in Information Assurance
• Master of Information Technology in Information Assurance and Security

Potential Career Paths:

Graduates of the Bachelor of Science in Information Assurance and Security program could seek an information security position in virtually every field and sector that use computer information systems, including public and private businesses, financial institutions, government and military agencies, law enforcement, education, and health care. Security positions that graduates could pursue include:

• Information systems security engineer
• System administrator
• Computer security analyst