New information security concentration to be offered

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — The Purdue University Department of Computer Science will offer a new degree concentration in information security starting with courses in summer 2016.

The program will allow anyone with a computing or programming background to obtain a Master of Computer Science degree in one year. Unlike a traditional master's degree, this program is open to professionals whose undergraduate degree may not have been in computer science. The program is appropriate for professionals with programming experience acquired during their professional career, those who earned a computer science minor as an undergraduate, or recent undergraduates with a computing major, said Randy Bond, assistant head of the Department of Computer Science.

Students will earn the degree with 30 credit hours, including two gateway courses (six credits), six computer science courses (18 credits) and two electives (six credits). Students are anticipated to graduate in 12 months. The first group of students will be admitted into the program in the summer with the gateway course sequence starting in the June summer session. The gateway sequence courses will offer students a refresher so that they are better prepared to succeed in the remainder of the courses. There is not an online option for the program at this time.

Bond said the concentration will provide students with the skills to implement security features on traditional computer systems and networks, plus a variety of devices, including mobile phones, airplanes, cars and point-of-sale machines. They would learn how to write software that would defend a system against phishing emails or viruses that try to probe a computer.

Prospective students can apply for the program at http://www.purdue.edu/gradschool and on the department's website. Visit https://www.cs.purdue.edu/ISCP for more information. 

Writer: Megan Huckaby, 765-496-1325, mhuckaby@purdue.edu

Source: Randy Bond, 765-494-2248, bond@purdue.edu