The Federal government moved quickly following the events of September 11, 2001 to pass legislation to address the nation’s security needs – including the need to secure information systems and assets. Suddenly, information security became a national priority; however, the availability of qualified professionals in the field fell far short of meeting the substantial and rapidly growing demand.

The University of Fairfax, an independent, non-profit graduate institution, was established to help address accelerating shortages in qualified information security personnel who can effectively protect the nation’s information and information systems.

To this end, the University of Fairfax provides high quality, flexible graduate programs that respond quickly to emerging technologies and critical information security needs in both the public and private sectors. The State Council of Higher Education for Virginia (SCHEV) certified the University as an institution of higher learning in 2002. Over the next year, a select group of educators and senior information security practitioners from employers and government agencies including Ernst &Young, Anteon, CSC and Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA) developed a curriculum designed to meet the needs of employers in the information security arena. This group of professionals became the initial faculty of the university.

In contrast to other graduate institutions which offer information security only as a concentration in a degree program, the University of Fairfax has dedicated the entire institution to degree and certificate programs in pursuit of excellence in information security. This singular focus distinguishes the University and provides mid-career professionals seeking to advance in the field of information security, as well as their employers and clients, an innovative approach for addressing growing professional demand in a rapidly evolving field.

In January 2003, the University of Fairfax, with the Northern Virginia Technology Council (NVTC) and the Professional Services Council (PSC), co-sponsored a conference on the shortage of cleared information security professionals, highlighting the national need. This conference generated support for the University from employers including Accenture, Northrop Grumman, Ernst &Young, and SAIC.

In July 2003, the University enrolled the first cohort of graduate students from the Washington metropolitan area in its unique graduate degree programs. In April 2004, in response to the needs of its highly mobile non-traditional student body, the University initiated online instructional delivery via the eCollege platform. Distance education has made the University’s programs accessible to professionals worldwide and has enabled both faculty and students on active duty to participate as well.

The first graduates of the University of Fairfax earned their Master of Science degrees in October 2004; the University awarded its first doctoral degrees in February 2007.

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