Georgia Tech's College of Computing today announced the creation of a new Master of Science in Information Security available online in a distance learning format, a flexible degree option for working information security professionals who want more than industry certification. Georgia Tech is the only university of its class certified by the National Security Agency (NSA) and the Department of Homeland Security as a Center of Academic Excellence in Information Assurance Education that offers the degree in an online format.

"Because of the growing sophistication of threats we face in cyber space, organizations that both build new security solutions and those that must utilize such solutions to protect their information technology assets will need qualified IS professionals with advanced knowledge of the field to address new security challenges," said Mustaque Ahamad, Professor in the College of Computing's School of Computer Science and Director of the Georgia Tech Information Security Center. "An organization's reputation rests on its ability to safeguard its information and remain compliant with regulatory requirements. This requires a much broader, deeper understanding of the field than a certificate can supply."

Georgia Tech is an established leader in the field of information security research and education, unique in its offering of a technical or policy specialization in the degree program. Close ties to the College of Management and the School of Public Policy in the College of Liberal Arts keep the policy track relevant while the technical portion of the degree is taught by faculty from a nationally ranked top ten computing program. Approximately 30 candidates per year are expected to be admitted to the distance program. Georgia Tech currently has over 25 faculty actively engaged in information security research.

"The rigor, breadth and depth of Georgia Tech's MS in information security degree program comprehensively prepares students for the high level of accountability that information security leaders have in today's environment," said Christopher Rouland, CEO of Endgame and former CTO of IBM Internet Security Systems. Mr. Rouland, a recognized leader in the information security field, received the MS in information security degree from Georgia Tech in 2008.

The new online degree program offers the same course rigor and academic discipline that is found in the traditional on-campus curriculum. Each student is required to complete seven core courses and three additional courses in a self-selected technical or policy specialization. Core areas of study include Information Security, Applied Cryptography, Network Security, Secure Computer Systems, and Strategies and Policies. The technical specialization examines the dimensions of providing security for information processing systems, including secure operating systems and applications, network security, cryptography, and security protocols. The policy concentration focuses on the many non-technical possibilities of information processing and security, including domestic and international policy processes, organizational routines and innovation, risk perception, industry-government relations, and the constitutional framework for governmental actions. An applied research project must also be completed.

More information about the degree program can be found at http://www.cc.gatech.edu/infosec.