Doctor of Science in Information Assurance (DSc)
Description
This degree program helps students to advance their Information Assurance careers in government, industry or academia. In this program, students engage in primary research and complete original applied field research, derived from theory and practice, which contributes to the advancement of knowledge and application in Information Assurance.
Program Objectives
This program fosters the development of students who:
- Are recognized as thought leaders with expertise in a specialized field of applied research relevant to the cybersecurity community
- Apply critical thinking and problem-solving skills in assessing research issues relevant to information assurance
- Possess an awareness and expertise in recognizing gaps in knowledge that have generalized applicability to the cybersecurity community
- Have a commitment to advancing the state of practice and knowledge relevant to the field of information assurance
- Contribute to the strategic development of practices in the field of cybersecurity
Learning Outcomes
Upon completion of this degree program, graduates will be able to:
- Demonstrate secondary research competencies in the investigation and identification of research topics relevant to information assurance practitioners
- Analyze, evaluate and propose opportunities for applied research projects relevant to the cybersecurity community
- Formulate the rationale and objectives for conducting primary research which investigates practice-relevant research questions
- Apply appropriate hypothesis testing methodologies and analysis techniques in conducting practice-driven primary research
- Demonstrate primary research competencies through the completion of an original applied field research project in information assurance
- Articulate a thorough understanding of a specialized field of study relevant to the cybersecurity community
Qualifying Exam
Doctoral students enrolled in the DSc program must pass the Qualifying Exam. This exam is used to evaluate mastery of the concepts and foundations of applied research and is administered at the conclusion of the RM8500 course.
Comprehensive Exams (Level I and II)
Doctoral students enrolled in the DSc program must pass two Level I Comprehensive Exams completed in CEX8220, CEX8230 or CEX8240. Each Level I Comprehensive Exam consists of a 25-30 page research paper on a specified topic in Information Security and must demonstrate mastery of content and literature-based research skills, while utilizing APA format and citation requirements.
DSc students must also pass the Level II Comprehensive Exam completed in CEX9200, which consists of a 25-30 page paper addressing a research question relating to one of the 10 Information Security domains known as the Common Body of Knowledge (CBK). The exam must demonstrate mastery of the subject matter content as well as literature-based research skills, while utilizing APA format and citation requirements.
If necessary, students may repeat any or all of the Level I or Level II Comprehensive Exams.
Credit Requirements
The Doctor of Science in Information Assurance consists of a minimum of 70 semester credits beyond a Master’s degree, including 63 credits of pre-dissertation courses (consisting of 18 credits of Information Security content taken from core and specialization courses, 18 credits of research methods courses, 9 credits of comprehensive exam courses, 18 credits of research- preparation courses) and 7 credits of dissertation development courses.
To ensure that doctoral students make steady progress towards the completion of their dissertations, the University has developed the Dissertation Project Plan. This plan consists of a series of deliverables students produce in research methods courses and dissertation courses.
Earning Graduate Certificates
DSc students complete the requirements for graduate certificates as they progress through their programs. Upon completion of the required courses, they may elect to receive the applicable graduate certificate(s) listed under the Graduate Certificate Program.