Security Informatics, Master of Science

Program Overview

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Program RequirementsCourse Requirements for the M.S.S.I. DegreeThe Master of Science in Security Informatics program has a course requirement of a minimum of 10 courses, plus a team-based capstone project including a report and presentation.Students must choose one of two tracks – Technology & Research Track or Policy & Management Track.All courses supporting the M.S.S.I. are categorized into four areas of Technology, Policy, Health, and Management. Each course may be further classified into Core, Elective or Foundational category.The Technology & Research Track program of study must satisfy the following course distribution requirements:Five Technology courses: at least four Core Technology courses including at least one Core Technology course in Cryptography.Three Core Policy/Management/Health courses: at least one Core Policy course and one Core Management course.Two additional courses from Core or Elective Technology categories; or when deemed appropriate relative to a student’s background, interests, and goals AND with the prior approval ofthe faculty advisor and the program, from other course areas.The Policy & Management Track program of study must satisfy the following course distribution requirements:Three Technology courses: at least two Core Technology courses including at least one Core Technology course in Cryptography.Five Core/Foundational Policy/Health/Management courses: at least one course from each of Core Policy/Management/Health categories and at least one Foundational Management course.Two additional courses from Core/Elective Technology or Core/Foundational Policy/Management/Health categories; or when deemed appropriate relative to a student’s background, interests, and goals AND with the prior approval ofthe faculty advisor and the program, from other course areas.Capstone Project Requirement for the M.S.S.I. DegreeThe required M.S.S.I. Capstone Project will include both technology and non-technology components, and will be conducted within a team-structured environment comprising students and faculty mentors (plus external mentors or research assistants if appropriate). These projects can be sponsored by government/industry partners and affiliates, and can also be related to faculty research projects supported by grants and contracts. They should relate to real-world problems and exhibit both theoretical and practical significance. The project must be documented by a report and presentation, as well as other applicable deliverables including but not limited to system prototypes, utility libraries, experimental demonstrations, conference or journal submissions, and so on. It should follow the best practice of software engineering and research ethics including public disclosure of security vulnerability.Students should actively initiate the project while communicating with a potential faculty mentor. They are expected to develop a project plan before the project starts. In addition to regular project meetings and briefings, a final presentation will be scheduled when the project concludes. The capstone faculty mentor should approve each milestone of the project. When the project is completed with all the deliverables, the faculty mentor determines whether the project is satisfactory for the M.S.S.I. degree requirement.Additional Course RequirementsAll courses toward the degree requirement must be 600-level or above. Other courses can be used with the approval of the program.Courses not found on the area-specific lists can be used to meet area requirements with priorapproval from the student’s advisor and the program.At most two independent study courses can be counted toward the course requirements.No courses with grades of P may be counted with the exception of independent study courses.At most two courses may be transferred from other institutions. The student’s faculty advisor and the M.S.S.I Director must approve such transfer courses.The overall grade point average of the courses counted towards the coursework requirements must be 3.00 or higher.At most two courses with grade less than B- may be counted towards the course work requirements. No courses with grade less than C- may be counted.A grade of D or F results in probation. A second D or F is cause for being dropped from the program.Completion of EN.500.603 Graduate Orientation and Academic Ethics and Responsible Conduct of Research training.MSSI CoursesCourse ListCodeTitleCreditsEN.601.640Web Security3EN.601.641Blockchains and Cryptocurrencies3EN.601.642Modern Cryptography3EN.601.643Security & Privacy in Computing3EN.601.644Network Security3EN.601.645Practical Cryptographic Systems3EN.601.740Language-based Security3EN.601.741Advanced Topics in Secure and Censorship-Resistant Communications3EN.601.742Advanced Topics in Cryptography3EN.601.743Advanced Topics in Computer Security3EN.601.745Advanced Topics in Applied Cryptography3EN.650.601Introduction to Information Security3EN.650.614Rights In Digital Age3EN.650.621Critical Infrastructure Protection3EN.650.624Network Security3EN.650.631Ethical Hacking3EN.650.640Moral & Legal Foundations of Privacy3EN.650.653Financial Issues in Managing a Secure Operation3EN.650.654Computer Intrusion Detection3EN.650.655Implementing Effective Information Security Programs3EN.650.656Computer Forensics3EN.650.658Introduction to Cryptography3EN.650.660Software Vulnerability Analysis3EN.650.663Cloud Computing Security3EN.650.672Security Analytics3EN.650.673Mobile and Wireless Security3EN.650.681Global Cybersecurity Trends and Practices3EN.650.683Cybersecurity Risk Management3EN.650.757Advanced Computer Forensics3EN.650.836Information Security Projects1EN.650.837Information Security Projects1EN.650.840Information Security Independent Study3For seven-week course modules, e.g., several courses offered through the Whiting School of Engineering Center for Leadership Education (CLE), two of them count as one course of 3 credit hours.For quarter-based courses, e.g., several courses of course numbers starting with ME from the School of Medicine Division of Health Sciences Informatics, two of them are equivalent of one WSE course of 3 credit hours.Core Technology CoursesCourse ListCodeTitleCreditsEN.601.640Web Security3EN.601.642Modern Cryptography3EN.601.643Security & Privacy in Computing3EN.601.644Network Security3EN.601.645Practical Cryptographic Systems3EN.601.740Language-based Security3EN.601.741Advanced Topics in Secure and Censorship-Resistant Communications3EN.601.742Advanced Topics in Cryptography3EN.601.743Advanced Topics in Computer Security3EN.601.745Advanced Topics in Applied Cryptography3EN.650.601Introduction to Information Security3EN.650.624Network Security3EN.650.631Ethical Hacking3EN.650.654Computer Intrusion Detection3EN.650.656Computer Forensics3EN.650.658Introduction to Cryptography3EN.650.660Software Vulnerability Analysis3EN.650.663Cloud Computing Security3EN.650.672Security Analytics3EN.650.673Mobile and Wireless Security3EN.650.757Advanced Computer Forensics3Elective Technology CoursesCourse ListCodeTitleCreditsEN.601.631Theory of Computation3EN.601.633Intro Algorithms3EN.601.641Blockchains and Cryptocurrencies3EN.650.621Critical Infrastructure Protection3EN.650.840Information Security Independent Study3EN.695.637Introduction to Assured AI and Autonomy3EN.695.715Assured Autonomy3Core Policy CoursesCourse ListCodeTitleCreditsEN.650.614Rights In Digital Age3EN.650.640Moral & Legal Foundations of Privacy3EN.650.681Global Cybersecurity Trends and Practices3EN.595.731Business Law for Technical Professionals3EN.635.672Privacy Engineering3Core Health CoursesA list of School of Medicine courses may be taken to fulfill core health course requirements.1Core Management CoursesCourse ListCodeTitleCreditsEN.650.653Financial Issues in Managing a Secure Operation3EN.650.655Implementing Effective Information Security Programs3EN.650.683Cybersecurity Risk Management3EN.595.660Planning and Managing Projects3EN.635.775Cyber Operations, Risk, and Compliance3EN.635.776Building Information Governance3Foundational Management CoursesCourse ListCodeTitleCreditsEN.663.644Writing for Clarity1.5EN.663.645Improving Presentation Skills for Graduate Students1.5EN.663.660Managing People and Resolving Conflicts1.5EN.663.670Project Management1.5EN.663.671Leading Change1.5EN.663.673Leading Teams in Virtual, International and Local Settings1.5EN.663.674Fundamentals of Management31For additional information refer to http://isi.jhu.edu/mssi/course_distribution