RE: A degree in MSIA - the various programs

["Daniel I. Didier" <ddidier () netsecureia com>]

Kimberly,
I am currently enrolled in the MSIA program at Norwich.  I think you
provided a very good summary of the program and its benefits.  I agree
that the program is very demanding, but also extremely worthwhile.  The
content and instructors are excellent.  

There have been some additions to the "consultancy" requirement since
your attendance that I will briefly expand upon.  As you stated, each
student must identify an organization, typically their incumbent
employer, to apply each week's material to and produce an essay.  The
final assignment for each seminar(and much of the grade) will require
you to compile a report citing specific recommendations and findings
from your weekly essays.  Norwich has expanded this to allow for an
industry specific consultation.  This is to allow individuals that do
not have an incumbent organization, or they have one that isn't well
fitting.  This has worked very well for me as I am an independent IA
consultant.  When I started the program nine months ago, this option was
not yet available.  When I started the MSIA program I worked through 2
consultancy organizations and always found it very difficult to try and
obtain the information I needed from an organization I was not directly
employed by.  Now, I can focus on the material and less on trying to
contact various individuals and extract information from them.  

> -----Original Message-----
> From: listbounce () securityfocus com
[mailto:listbounce () securityfocus com]
> On Behalf Of Kimberly F. Adams
> Sent: Tuesday, August 12, 2008 1:22 PM
> To: Trance Kat; security-basics () securityfocus com
> Subject: RE: A degree in MSIA - the various programs
>
> I am a 2005 graduate of the Norwich University Information Assurance
> graduate program. I researched numerous graduate degrees in the area
of
> Information Security, spoke with a good number of graduates from
several
> different universities and based on the input I rec'd, decided to
apply
> to Norwich University. It is an extremely comprehensive program. Small
> cohorts, excellent professors. The director of the MSIA program at
> Norwich is the well-known Information Security Specialist, Mich Kabay.
> Adjunct professors include highly respected and widely published
> specialists such as Stephen Cobb, Chey Cobb, Peter Stephenson, Jim
> Maloney, Mike Levine, Michael Miora, Don Holden, and Gary Bridges,
just
> to name a few. If you have read many Infosec books, you will probably
> recognize these names.
>
> Norwich University is designated by the National Security Agency and
> Department of Homeland Security as a 'Center for Academic Excellence
in
> Information Assurance Education'. This prestigious evaluation is based
> on stringent criteria and review, judged according to the standards
and
> guidelines set by the Committee on National Security Systems.
>
> Probably the most unique ingredient of the MSIA program is the series
of
> individual projects that is required of each MSIA student. All
incoming
> students are required to obtain an agreement from their employer to
> permit and support their active involvement in the analysis and, to
the
> extent possible, improvement of information assurance within their
> organization. From what I understand, in rare cases, students are
> accepted with study agreements from organizations other than their own
> employers.
>
> During each week of each MSIA seminar, you are required read about and
> discuss (on the online discussion board) the topics included in your
> readings; as you study various aspects of information
> security/assurance, you will analyze the state of affairs at your
> workplace with respect to what you have learned. You are required to
> submit a topic paper for each week's findings, and use them to prepare
a
> report with recommendations for specific areas of IA improvement, to
be
> submitted at the end of each seminar to your MSIA instructor. After
your
> online facilitators have graded and commented on your work, you are
then
> expected to submit your report to the appropriate information security
> contacts/director within your organization. If all goes as planned,
your
> IA education will continue through discussions with your own
colleagues
> about your findings. The program culminates with a one-week residency
> and graduation ceremony at Norwich University in June. This provides
you
> with a wonderful opportunity to meet the instructors and classmates
with
> whom you've been interacting for the past 18 months in a face-2-face
> environment. This experience also instills pride in your institution
and
> is a great reward for all your hard work!
>
> You will work your fingers to the bone in this program, but you will
> gain a tremendous amount of knowledge in the field. It is well worth
the
> investment. Norwich U pulls from an international student base and you
> will receive a global perspective on our field. Go to
> http://www.graduate.norwich.edu/infoassurance/ for details.
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: listbounce () securityfocus com
[mailto:listbounce () securityfocus com]
> On Behalf Of Trance Kat
> Sent: Tuesday, August 12, 2008 11:47 AM
> To: security-basics () securityfocus com
> Subject: A degree in MSIA - the various programs
>
> Hello All,
> I am in the process of selecting a school to pursue a Masters in
> Information Assurance.  I've been told that Norwich University's
> program is very good and very demanding (but you can complete your
> degree in just 18 months).  I haven't heard or seen any other
> individual feedback on other programs out there and I'm hoping that
> some of you on this list have some experience with them.
>
> I'd love to hear what you know about the other schools out there that
> offer a MSIA degree.  Good, bad, time invested vs. education gained,
> etc.
>
> Thanks in advance for your time and help!
> Alex