Marymount University
Graduate Catalog 2012-13
Information Technology
Cybersecurity (M.S.)
Marymount’s Cybersecurity program is designed to prepare working professionals for high-level positions in computer and information security by developing the necessary knowledge, skills, and abilities in the technology and management of cybersecurity. Graduates will work in the protection of the digital world for the federal government, state and local governments, nonprofits, or industry.
Because of the University's proximity to federal agencies, including the Department of Homeland Security, the Department of Defense, the National Security Agency, and the National Science Foundation, faculty members in the program are involved in and aware of current federal government initiatives and requirements. Further, program leaders are able to call on practitioners in the field as guest speakers.
This 36-credit program is offered primarily online. Courses are rigorous, including readings, collaboration, and practical assignments using inquiry-based learning techniques with online multimedia presentations, online tools, and online simulations and labs. The program is designed primarily for working professionals to prepare them for promotion to a cybersecurity leadership position, and to meet the certification requirements currently imposed on the profession, particularly by the Department of Defense on its employees and contractors. While all other coursework is completed online, the culminating course is completed in residency in order to take advantage of the cybersecurity resources of the Washington, DC, area. Students will gain hands-on practice with equipment and tools, interacting with cybersecurity experts in government.
The program is committed to exhibiting the highest professional and ethical standards addressing the needs of working individuals, full-time students, and business and government organizations.
Upon successful completion of this program, students will be able to
- identify and solve cybersecurity issues in business and society by managing cybersecurity operations using available tools and techniques;
- describe the regulatory environment for security and privacy and identify requirements for business and society; and
- work effectively as a member or leader of a cross-disciplinary team in the cybersecurity field where teamwork is essential to the success of a time-critical project.
Admission Requirements: In addition to meeting Universitywide requirements and School of Business Administration requirements, applicants for this program must hold certification or demonstrate work experience in computer networking. Those lacking this credential or work experience must take IT 520 Enterprise Infrastructure and Networks before entering the program.
Minimum Grade Requirements: A minimum grade of B- is needed to receive credit for a course in the Cybersecurity program. All SBA graduate students must maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher.
Degree Requirements
36 credits
Courses are listed in recommended sequence of enrollment.
IT 530 Computer Security
IT 535 Advanced Computer Security
IT 560 Cryptography
IT 670 Computer Network Defense
IT 570 Cybersecurity: Law, Policy, Ethics, and Compliance
IT 575 Information Security Management
MSC 545 Project Management
IT 585 Managing Technical People
3 courses from the following: IT 537 Computer Forensics and Incident Response; IT 547 Security and Privacy of Electronic Documents; IT 557 Monitoring, Auditing, and Penetration Testing; IT 567 Global Cybersecurity; IT 577 Human Considerations in Cybersecurity; IT 587 Cybersecurity Systems: Certification and Accreditation
IT 680 IT Master's Project
Information Technology (M.S.)
Marymount’s Information Technology (IT) program offers advanced study to prepare individuals for leadership roles in the IT industry, whether managing enterprise infrastructure, designing computer systems with current systems life cycle methodologies, creating and maintaining high-quality computer software, engaging in computer security management or technical operations, or managing complex IT projects. A variety of electives, a research or project option, and specialized tracks enable individuals to tailor their graduate studies to their career needs in government or industry.
Students have the option of choosing a specialized track to complete their program:
- Computer Security
- Health Care Informatics
- Project Management and Technology Leadership
- Software Engineering
The program is designed to provide the academic foundation for those seeking to become a chief information officer (CIO) or attain a similar senior IT position.
The full-time faculty for this program conduct research in information security, data management, open source software, technology for health care, and other areas. Adjunct faculty work in the field in areas such as requirements analysis, cybercrime, hardware design, software development, database management, information assurance, and operations management.
Upon successful completion of this program, students will be able to
- manage enterprisewide information systems to ensure that the organization can compete in today’s global and high-performance environment;
- exercise leadership roles in analyzing, designing, developing, and integrating high-quality IT solutions that meet the Information Technology Infrastructure Library (ITIL) and Capability Maturity Model Integration (CMMI) requirements;
- effectively lead IT project and software development activities in government or industry;
- independently conduct research, evaluate options, and apply the knowledge learned to IT applications in areas such as computer security, software engineering, data management, and IT policy;
- optimize the application of IT to business processes to ensure the creation and management of effective IT solutions with good governance, ethical awareness, and current technical knowledge; and
- use specialized IT knowledge and skills to obtain certifications in areas such as software engineering, information architecture, computer security, and project management.
Admission Requirements: Applicants for this program must
- have an overall minimum GPA of 3.0 in an accredited undergraduate program; or 9 recent credits in an accredited graduate program with a minimum GPA of 3.0; or a high-level certification, such as PMP, CISSP, or CCNA; or a satisfactory score on the GRE or GMAT (Applicants to the M.B.A./IT or Health Care Management/IT dual degree programs must submit a GRE or GMAT score);
- submit two letters of recommendation from educators or employers who can attest to the applicant's potential for graduate study;
- submit a letter from the applicant including a statement of personal goals, objectives, motivations, and intended area of concentration; and
- interview with the program director.
- Software Engineering track applicants are required to hold a bachelor’s degree or a post-baccalaureate certificate in Computer Science; and
- Project Management and Technology Leadership track applicants are expected to have a minimum of two years of IT work experience.
If a departmental review reveals deficiencies in the information technology knowledge, the student may be required to complete additional undergraduate courses.
Course Substitution Policy: If a student can exhibit a depth of knowledge gained through prior experience and/or previous coursework, more advanced courses may be substituted for 500-level program requirements.
Minimum Grade Requirements: A minimum grade of C is needed to receive credit for a course in the Information Technology program. All graduate students must maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher.
Degree Requirements
36 credits
Courses are listed in recommended sequence of enrollment.
IT 510 Requirements Analysis
IT 515 Decision Making for IT
IT 520 Enterprise Infrastructure and Networks
IT 530 Computer Security
IT 540 Enterprise Data Management and Analysis
IT 550 Ethics, Law, and Policy in the Information Age
IT 610 IT Governance and Strategy
IT 680 IT Master’s Project or IT 670 Computer Network Defense (for those in Computer Security track)
4 electives or track courses, as follows:
Computer Security
IT 535 Advanced Computer Security
IT 547 Security and Privacy of Electronic Documents
IT 570 Information Assurance and Policy
1 course from the following: IT 560 Cryptography, IT 575 Information Security Management, IT 670 Computer Network Defense
(Students who complete this track will be awarded the Computer Security and Information Assurance graduate certificate in addition to the degree.)
Health Care Informatics
IT 545 Health Care Informatics
IT 547 Security and Privacy of Electronic Documents
HCM 510 Health Care Management
HCM 520 Health Care Reimbursement Systems
(Students who complete this track will be awarded the Health Care Informatics graduate certificate in addition to the degree.)
Project Management and Technology Leadership
MSC 545 Project Management
MSC 555 Program Management
IT 580 Technology Leadership or IT 585 Managing Technical People
1 course from the following: MGT 507 Leadership, MGT 515 Leading and Managing Teams, MGT 525 Knowledge Management, MGT 551 Negotiation Skills and Management, MSC 516 Operations Management, MSC 550 Procurement and Contracting
(Students who complete this track will be awarded the IT Project Management and Technology Leadership graduate certificate in addition to the degree.)
Software Engineering
IT 500 Programming Language Selection and Design
IT 505 Design and Analysis of Algorithms
IT 565 Human Computer Interaction
IT 552 Operating Systems
Business Administration/Information Technology Dual Degree (M.B.A./M.S.)
See dual degree program under Business Administration.
Health Care Management/Information Technology Dual Degree (M.S./M.S.)
See dual degree program under Health Care Management.
Computer Security and Information Assurance (Graduate Certificate)
This program prepares students for the computer security field in business and government, which is expanding locally and globally. The field is predicted to foster job growth, especially in the Washington metropolitan area. Students cover the body of knowledge required for the Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP) certification.
Admission Requirements: In addition to Universitywide requirements for graduate certificate admission, the applicant should hold a bachelor’s degree and show significant coursework or experience in Information Technology or Computer Science.
Course Substitution Policy: If a student can demonstrate a depth of prior experience and/or education, higher-level courses can be substituted for 500-level courses.
Program Completion Requirement: All coursework must be completed at Marymount University within 3 years of the date of matriculation.
Certificate Requirements
18 credits
Courses are listed in recommended sequence of enrollment.
IT 520 Enterprise Infrastructure and Networks
IT 530 Computer Security
IT 535 Advanced Computer Security
IT 547 Security and Privacy of Electronic Documents
IT 570 Information Assurance and Policy
1 course from the following: IT 560 Cryptography, IT 575 Information Security Management, IT 670 Computer Network Defense
Health Care Informatics (Graduate Certificate)
This program is designed for those who wish to pursue an information technology career in a health care organization.
Admission Requirements: In addition to Universitywide requirements for graduate certificate admission, the applicant should hold a bachelor’s degree and show significant coursework or experience in Information Technology or Computer Science.
Program Completion Requirement: All coursework must be completed at Marymount University within 3 years of the date of matriculation.
Certificate Requirements
18 credits
Courses are listed in recommended sequence of enrollment.
IT 510 Requirements Analysis
IT 520 Enterprise Infrastructure and Networking
IT 530 Computer Security
IT 540 Enterprise Data Management and Analysis
IT 545 Health Care Informatics
IT 547 Security and Privacy of Electronic Documents
Information Technology (Graduate Certificate)
This program offers current perspectives on the major issues facing information technology professionals.
Admission Requirements: In addition to Universitywide requirements for graduate certificate admission, the applicant should hold a bachelor’s degree and show significant coursework or experience in Information Technology or Computer Science.
Program Completion Requirement: All coursework must be completed at Marymount University within 3 years of the date of matriculation.
Certificate Requirements
18 credits
Courses are listed in recommended sequence of enrollment.
IT 503 Managing Information Technology
IT 510 Requirements Analysis
IT 515 Decision Making for IT
IT 520 Enterprise Infrastructure and Networks
IT 530 Computer Security
IT 540 Enterprise Data Management and Analysis
IT Project Management and Technology Leadership (Graduate Certificate)
This certificate prepares students for the IT project management field in business and government, which is expanding both locally and globally. Individuals with project management qualifications are increasingly sought by government agencies, government contractors, and other industries.
Admission Requirements: In addition to Universitywide requirements for graduate certificate admission, the applicant should hold a bachelor’s degree and show significant coursework or experience in Information Technology or Computer Science.
Program Completion Requirement: All coursework must be completed at Marymount University within 3 years of the date of matriculation.
Certificate Requirements
18 credits
Courses are listed in recommended sequence of enrollment.
IT 510 Requirements Analysis
IT 515 Decision Making for IT
MSC 545 Project Management
MSC 555 Program Management
IT 580 Technology Leadership or IT 585 Managing Technical People
1 course from the following: MGT 507 Leadership, MGT 515 Leading and Managing Teams, MGT 525 Knowledge Management, MGT 551 Negotiation Skills and Mediation, MSC 516 Operations Management, MSC 550 Procurement and Contracting
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