Curriculum and Courses

Organization of courses

ITACS Program courses are organized in Core, IT Audit and Cyber Security groups.  Four core courses are mandatory for students of both IT Audit and Cyber Security concentrations. Beyond the core courses, there are 7 IT Audit concentration courses and 8 Cyber Security concentration courses.  ITACS course organization is illustrated below:

ITACS Course Descriptions

Core Courses
ID	Name	Description
MIS 5202	IT Governance	Understanding how IT organizations are structured and managed is essential to effective IT auditing. In this course students will learn how IT organizations are managed and the issues which make IT management so challenging. Students learn how strategic planning is performed within IT organizations. A number of tools, techniques, and frameworks such as COBIT are discussed which will help make the auditor effective in this environment.
MIS 5206	Protection of Information Assets	Information is an organization’s most precious asset. Inadvertent disclosure of sensitive information can have significant operational and financial impact on the organization. Loss of information or access to it can also have serious adverse impacts on the organization. In this course students learn the importance of managing the information assets of the organization including business continuity, disaster recovery, logical IT security, physical, and environmental security.
MIS 5214	Security Architecture	Examines the methodology by which an organization aligns its business strategy with its security operations. Both the current and desired future states of the business’ security efforts are described so that resources can be directed to the security efforts most needed to support the business.
MIS 5287	Business Skills for ITACS Professionals	In this course students practice a variety of business skills that are necessary to be effective as an ITACS professional (e.g. IT Auditor, Information Security Analyst, Cyber Security Analyst). These skills include managerial communications and public speaking skills, interviewing skills, negotiation and personal selling skills, business writing, industrial psychology and behavioral science skills, project/time management and team building skills. The course is delivered through a series of workshops and simulations and include observations of business practices at host IT companies. The practicum will be scheduled for fall (1.5 credits) and spring (1.5 credits) semester to allow for optimal development of business skills.
IT Audit Courses
MIS 5121	Enterprise Resource Planning  Systems	This course introduces students to the essential concepts of an Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system, e.g. SAP. The course looks at how a business’ key transactions are executed and accounted for in an ERP.  Students will learn how transaction processing transform data for management analysis and legal entity reporting, and gain an understanding of Information system and accounting controls to assure confidentiality, integrity and authenticity.
MIS 5122	Enterprise Architecture for IT Auditors	This course is a preparatory course for IT Audit student needing additional background in information systems technology.  The course surveys technology concepts and components that are critical for the IT auditor to understand. It uses an enterprise architecture framework to explore issues of business process, business data, applications and the infrastructure that are necessary to run those applications.
MIS 5201	IT Audit Process	This course introduces students to the essential concepts of IT auditing. Students will learn standards and guidelines for performing an IT audit. Topics will include concepts of internal controls. Students will learn to plan and manage an audit as well has how to report on evidence collected during the audit.
MIS 5203	Systems and Infrastructure Lifecycle Management	This course introduces students to the methods used as organizations builds an enterprise information system architecture within an environment of internal control. Topics include information system planning, management and usage, the development, acquisition and maintenance of these technologies and their impact on the organization’s business processes.
MIS 5205	IT Service Delivery and Support	This course examines the operational aspects of an IT organization and how it delivers on its value proposition while assuring the IT infrastructure provides a reliable and secure platform for applications. Students learn about service center management and how teams are utilized to deliver value to the organization.
MIS 5208	Data Analytics for IT Auditors	This course examines the emerging approach of continuous-audit through data analysis automation within audit and security controls.  Students learn and apply security data analysis concepts in the context of practical security and audit problems.
MIS 5902	IT Audit Capstone	In this course students are given the opportunity to demonstrate the capabilities they have gained throughout the ITACS program through case studies and role playing exercises. Students explore a comprehensive case study which exposes them to each of the CISA domains covered in the curriculum.
Cyber Security Courses
MIS 5170b	Special Topics – Network Security	This course helps students understand information security controls over wide area and local area communication networks.  Students learn about network operations practices and control software for authorizing and restricting access, audit trails, access monitoring, balancing workloads, encrypting data traffic and restricting access to sensitive devices and services.
MIS 5209	Securing Digital Infrastructure	This course introduces students to methods for securing information system components supporting an organization’s computer infrastructure. Network, firewall, and basic operating system security issues are explored through conceptual and hands-on in-class and homework exercises.  Knowledge of and experience with computer programming is required.
MIS 5211	Introduction to Ethical Hacking	This course introduces student to the hacking strategies and tactics used by ethical or “White Hat” hackers. Methods of vulnerability exploitation to be used primarily in the process of security penetration are explored in theory and in hands on exercises. The course requires simple programming using Open Source scripting languages and hacking tool kits. For that reason knowledge of and experience with computer programming is required
MIS 5212	Advanced Penetration Testing	This introduces student to penetration testingmethods of vulnerability assessment and exploitation as a means to identify areas requiring improved security and develop recommendations for improvements. Ethical, business governance and legal implication of penetration testing are examined as students gain a practical understanding of how penetration tests are conducted through laboratory-based exercises.
MIS 5213	Intrusion Detection & Response	This course examines tools and techniques that enable businesses to work as secure as possible. Students learn techniques for preventing attacks, quickly identifying successful attacks, detecting advanced persistent threats and monitoring systems activity  to deter intrusions.
MIS5215	Operating System Security	This course introduces students to operating system security and tools to secure operating systems. Methods of securing operating systems are explored in theory and through hands on exercises securing Linux and Microsoft Windows based computers and information systems.  Knowledge of and experience with computer programming is required.
MIS5216	Organizational Forensics	This course introduces students to the field of cyber forensics and how technology and law interact to form this forensic science. Students learn about investigating digital data, gathering evidence relating to criminal or other legal events/incidents, preserving evidence and documenting findings which may be used in court.
MIS 5903	Cyber Security Capstone	This course helps students review what they have learned and gain an integrated understanding of the eight cyber security knowledge domains while preparing to pass the CISSP exam. Students conduct a practical research project focused on an emerging topic in the field of information systems security.
Elective Courses
MIS 5190	Special Topics	Special topics in current developments in the field of information systems security are covered.
MIS 5182	Independent Study	This course enables the student to work under the guidance of an instructor and focus on a information systems security topic of interest.