LEWIS UNIVERSITY Master of Science in Information Security


NEWS FOR CURRENT STUDENTS

This page is intended for current students or those thinking about taking a class in the MSIS program.  If you have any questions, please contact Ray Klump by email or by phone at 815-836-5528.

If you are not familiar with the Master of Science in Information Security program at Lewis, you should visit the homepage for the MSIS major to familiarize yourself with the program. 

Quick Links:

Summer Semester Begins June 2, 2008

The following classes are offered the summer 8-week session.
To register for classes, please contact Ray Klump by email or by phone at 815-836-5528.

68-515-9 Operating Systems and Distributed Systems
Required text: Operating Systems - A concept-based approach by D M Dhamdhere, ISBN 978-0-07-295769-3
 T. Chow Tue 6-10 S120
68-525-9 Encryption and Authentication Systems
Recommended textbook: Cryptography and Network Security, 4th edition, by William Stallings 		R. Klump Wed 6-10 S120
68-551-W Information Security Strategies and Risk Management
Required textbooks:
Information Security Risk Analysis, 2nd Edition
Thomas Peltier

A Practical Guide to Security Assessments
Sudhanshu Kairab

Note: This course will be offered in blended format. Approximately half the sessions will be in-person in Oak Brook, and half will be conducted online.
 T. Moritz Thur 6-10
 Oak Brook
& online
68-565-9 Secure Programming
Required textbook: 19 Deadly Sins of Software Security
Howard, LeBlanc, & Viega 		W. GreeneMon 6-10S121
68-595-9 Information Security Project

 R. Klump Arranged
 None

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Fall Semester Begins August 25, 2008

The Fall Semester is divided into two terms. Term 1 meets from August 25 to October 17, and Term 2 meets from October 20 to December 13.

During Term 1, the following courses are offered:

  • 68-500-1 Computer Organization (Foundation, for those with an IT-related degree)
  • 68-506-1 68-507-1, 68-508: Introduction to Information Security (Core)
  • 68-530-1 Legal Issues in Information Security (Core)
  • 68-555-X Security Assurance Principles (Management Elective)
  • 68-557-X Project Management and Information Security (Management Elective)
  • 68-564-1 Wireless Security (Technical Elective)
During Term 2, the following courses are offered:
  • 68-515-1 Operating Systems and Distributed Systems (core)
  • 68-561-1 Securing Linux (Technical Elective)
  • 68-563-X Database Management and Security (Management & Technical Elective)
  • 68-596-1 CISSP Prep #1 (Seminar Requirement)
  • 68-597-1 CISSP Prep #2 (Seminar Requirement)
Also, the MSIS Capstone experience, 68-595-1, will be offered. It lasts the full 16 weeks of the semester.

Click here to download the full schedule, including instructors and room numbers.

To register for classes, please contact Ray Klump by email or by phone at 815-836-5528.


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Tuition Reimbursement

If your company reimburses you for tuition costs, it is very important that you complete a form and submit it, along with a letter from your employer stating that you qualify for reimbursement, to the bursar at the very beginning of each semester. You may download the form here. As part of what you submit to the bursar, you must also provide a letter from your employee on company letterhead that verifies your employment and that you are eligible for tuition reimbursement. Please remember that this form and the accompanying letter must be filed at the beginning of each semester!

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What do you need to graduate?

The graduation requirements are fairly easy to identify. All students need 41 credit hours to graduate. The first 6 hours are the foundation courses. Some students entered the program having received credit for one or both of these courses, because they received credit for comparable classes elsewhere. All students take the same set of core courses. All students also take a practicum project for three credit hours and two seminar courses (often, but not limited to, the CISSP preparation courses), each worth one hour of credit. Finally, students must take at least four specialization classes from the technical and managerial tracks. A student may take all four courses from one track, or he may take three courses from his track of specialization and one course from the other track. 

The following list summarizes the requirements. You may use this as a checklist:

  68-500 Computer Organization
  68-501 Principles of Programming
  68-505 Introduction to Information Security -or-
  68-506 Introduction to Information Security I
  68-507 Introduction to Information Security II
  68-508 Introduction to Information Security II
  68-510 Data Networks: Hardware, Protocols, and Architecture
  68-515 Operating Systems and Distributed Systems
  68-520 Intrusion Detection, Response, and Recovery
  68-525 Encryption and Authentication Systems
  68-530 Legal and Ethical Issues in Information Security
  68-595 Information Security Project / Thesis
  First 1-hour seminar course For example, 68-596, 68-597, or 68-598.
  Second 1-hour seminar course For example, 68-596, 68-597, or 68-598.
Four courses from the following two groups, with at least three courses from your track of specialization.
Managerial Track  
  68-523 Computer Forensics
  68-550 Operational and Organizational Security
  68-551 Information Security Strategies and Risk Management
  68-555 Security Assurance Principles
  68-557 Project Management and Information Security
  68-563 Database Management and Security
Technical Track  
  68-523 Computer Forensics
  68-560 Securing Windows
  68-561 Securing Linux
  68-563 Database Management and Security
  68-564 Wireless Security
  68-565 Secure Programming

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Practicum: Information Security Project

The purpose of the practicum course is to give you an opportunity to apply what you have done in the rest of the curriculum.  You will identify a research topic or a project that solves a problem related to information security.  You will then research that topic or fulfill the requirements of the project you identified and compose an original paper to document your findings. Finally, you will present your work to interested Faculty and fellow students. Here are some general guidelines:
  • You must have received credit for at least three courses in the major before enrolling in 68-595.
  • You need not complete the project within the 8-week session for which you enroll in it. In fact, in most cases, you should expect to work on the project longer than 8 weeks. Credit will be deferred until you submit your paper and it is approved.  Thus, you may take the capstone project when you know what it is that you want to do and it is economically convenient for you to enroll in it.
  • You must submit the title of your project and a one-page description of its purpose and expected outcomes by the end of the second week of the session for which you enroll in the class. The course director will review your proposal, accept or reject it, and offer suggestions for implementing it.
  • The content of your thesis or project is up to you.  Your classroom experiences have exposed you to the many challenges and issues in the information security field. Some of you also have work or volunteer experiences that demand security expertise. Look around for a topic that interests you, consult with the course director for advice on the appropriateness of the topic, and then submit your formal description for approval.  The intent is to have you apply your lessons in a way that will be meaningful to you.
  • The deliverable for your project or thesis is a paper at least thirty pages in length that includes references to the relevant literature. The paper must be well-written: it must be free of grammar, spelling, and punctuation errors.  This is a document that will become part of the major's archive for years, so the quality must be something that represents the program well. 
  • The course director will serve as your advisor as you work on the project. He or she will help you focus your research and scale any technical hurdles you encounter.

Click here to view a list of previously submitted graduate capstone projects.

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