There is a growing market for accounting and risk assurance professionals with a substantial background in IT audit and control. The Fox School’s Information Technology Auditing and Cyber Security (ITACS) program has introduced a new path to prepare students to meet the needs of this expanding job market: the Professional Certificate in ITACS. Students take any four courses in the ITACS curriculum to receive a valuable, recognized certificate they can immediately apply in their current jobs. The certificate is also an entry point to the Master of Science degree in ITACS. All four courses apply, and students only need six more to receive a master’s degree. ITACS is aligned with the curriculum set forth by ISACA, the international governing organization for IT assurance that designs and awards the Certified Information Systems Auditor (CISA) certification. Officially aligning with the organization responsible for the CISA designation provides tangible value to students, ITACS Director Richard Flanagan said. One great benefit is that graduates of Temple’s ITACS program require only two years of work experience before they can earn their CISA designation from ISACA, instead of the usual five years. For those who already are CISAs, the four-course certificate offers an excellent way to further build their skills and maintain their certification. All courses are eligible for ISACA-required Continuing Professional Education credits. “It’s a big deal,” Flanagan said. “Information systems have become increasingly important to businesses, and firms can spend more on information systems staff than any other department. What students are learning here is what ISACA thinks they should be learning.” The ITACS program began in January 2012. For 10 months, students from around the world learn to assess, manage and control IT risks while preparing for the CISA exam. In addition, the ITACS program is now recognized by the U.S. government as a Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) degree, which means that international students are granted 17 additional months of Optional Practical Training, which allows them to work at U.S. firms without needing a special visa. “Our international students can now work for almost two and a half years for an American company before needing sponsorship,” Flanagan said. The ITACS certificate is part of the growing ITACS program at Fox. The first class of students from the new MS in ITACS graduated in February 2013 and all the graduates have already been picked up by prestigious firms to work in the fast growing IT auditing profession. ITACS is also sponsoring a competition at the AIS annual student chapter competition in April 2013 on Risk management. For more information:
- MS in ITACS
- Professional Certificate in ITACS
- Professional Certificate in Protecting Information Assets