Information Assurance

The world faces a growing need for secure digital networks and data storage. This has created significant demand for high skilled Information Assurance professionals. Information Assurance is a rapidly growing and well compensated field. Businesses, governmental organizations such as cities, counties, state and federal agencies, law enforcement and public safety agencies, the military, medical providers, bioscience businesses and research organizations, banking and financial organizations are among the critical organizations dependent upon secure digital networks and data storage. Even consumers face critical challenges in protecting and preserving private data. Information Assurance (IA) is the science of managing the risks to information assets.

FHSU Offers Committee on National Security Systems (CNSS) Certified Coursework that meets two national certifications: - NSTISS 4011 National Training Standard for Information Systems Security (INFOSEC) Professionals; and - NSTISS 4013E National Information Assurance Training Standard for System Administrators. Students will earn and be recognized with a certificate upon successfully completing INT 684 Foundations of Information Systems Security. This course is open to students of any major or profession who have completed MIS 101 or have received permission from a course instructor.

Fort Hays State University provides both undergraduate and graduate educational opportunities in Information Assurance. An undergraduate student can major in Information Networking and Telecommunications with a concentration in Computer Networking and an emphasis in Information Assurance. A graduate student can earn a Masters of Liberal Studies in Information Assurance.

In 2007, the Kansas Legislature realized the importance of Information Assurance and provided funding to Fort Hays State University to develop a Center of Academic Excellence in Information Assurance. The university is devoted to using this support to provide both on-campus and distance learning students with a superior Information Assurance education. In 2008, Fort Hays State University’s Information Assurance received 100% certification from the Committee on National Security Systems for the NSTISS 4011 National Training Standard for Information Systems Security (INFOSEC) Professionals; and NSTISS 4013E National Information Assurance Training Standard for System Administrators and is certified until 2013.

Fort Hays State University conducted a national search during the summer of 2007 and recruited Dr. Keyu Jiang to lead the Information Assurance educational and research effort. Dr. Jiang has an impressive background in government and private industry. He has conducted sponsored research for DARPA and NASA. He has multiple patents. One of these was the basis for a successful business of which he was CEO before selling it and returning to academia. Professors Kevin Shaffer, Jon Tholstrup, Angela Walters, Robert Pierce, and Mark Bannister also instruct Information Assurance oriented classes.

The Fort Hays State University program is network and professionally oriented. It covers the domains of the Certified Information System Security Professional (CISSP). Its curriculum is mapped to the NSA 4011 and NSA 4013 standards. It also provides curriculum preparing students for the Cisco security certifications and Cisco networking certifications. Students will learn theory and applied strategies for using professional tools to protect, PCs, servers, data and voice networks. Students will learn that information security encompasses more than technology. Physical security, policies, practices, and law are also key components in protecting information.

Links
Under Graduate Study
Graduate Study
Specialized Training and Workshops

Sample Careers:
Network Engineer/Network Design Engineer
Network Architect
Network/Systems Administrator
Network Security Specialist/Consultant
Systems Administrator
Chief Information Security Officer
Chief Information Officer
FBI/CIA/U.S. Military/State Law Enforcement

Current Graduate Students and Alumi are working at:
Cisco
Sprint
Net Standard Incorporated
Messa Community College
Berbee Information Networks
NexTech
Fort Hays State University
Clark Country, Washington

Corporations offering support to the Fort Hays State University Information Assurance program:
Cisco
IBM
Oracle
Nex-Tech

Information Assurance Students and Alumi say...

"Being one of the first to complete FHSU's Information Assurance (IA) concentration required boldly going where no INT student had gone before. Successfully finishing my culminating project meant proving not only to my committee, but also to myself, that I had a holistic grasp of the IA subject matter as well as the willingness and ability to compensate for the types of SNAFUBARs commonly encountered in real world projects. Earning the MLS in IA was one of my most challenging, and most satisfying, academic experiences." - Cyd Athens INT Alumi, MLS Information Assurance

"I am currently working towards my masters in Information Assurance from Fort Hays State University. I have held a variety of IT positions in both the public and private sectors. I have been impressed with the responsive, very knowledgeable instructors and have been able to apply what I have learned in this program directly to my job." - Glen Acheson INT Student, MLS Information Assurance