How to Get a PhD, DBA, SciD, or DIA in Information Assurance

The digitization of information is one of the greatest achievements of computer technology--and one of its greatest hazards. In the words of one Naval Postgraduate School researcher, security breaches threaten to "turn computing from an enabling to a disabling technology." Without information assurance (IA), data stored and transmitted over network connections would be exposed to hackers. Even with sophisticated safeguards in place, security breaches are commonplace. The impact ranges from spam to military espionage, identity theft to financial fraud.

Information security experts play an eternal game of cat and mouse to "defend the domain" from intrusion. Information assurance specialists extend the campaign against hackers a step further, applying risk management strategies as well as computer science tools to ensure the integrity of the system.

With a PhD or applied doctorate in information assurance, you're in a position to take the lead in securing the world's data infrastructure. This guide introduces you to the opportunities in graduate information assurance education, and helps you prepare for a successful journey toward the PhD and beyond.

A Guide to the PhD in Information Assurance

Information assurance is a late-twentieth-century phenomenon. The discipline comprises information security and strategic risk management, taking into account not only computer defense tactics but also corporate governance practices. Audits, business continuity, privacy, compliance, and disaster recovery fall under the aegis of information assurance. In this sense, information assurance is not simply a computer science discipline; IA also touches accounting, forensic science, management, systems engineering, and criminal justice.

Outlook

Information assurance education is rapidly gaining steam as security breaches become more serious. Public agencies such as the Department of Homeland Security and the Department of Defense have promoted graduate-level degrees in the field through scholarships and program support. The National Center of Academic Excellence in Information Assurance Education (NCAEIAE), for example, evaluates IA programs to ensure that they meet National Security Administration standards.

Resource

To learn more about the discipline, visit WorldWideLearn.com's Guide to Majors, where you'll find a specific section devoted to information assurance.

Doctoral Degrees: PhD or an Applied Doctorate?

You have two options when you pursue doctoral education in information assurance: a PhD or an applied doctorate.

• The PhD in information assurance follows the tradition of the academic science doctorate, with its emphasis on teaching and theoretical scholarship. PhD research projects typically focus on developing new foundations for applied research, not solving a specific practical problem.

• Applied doctorates in information assurance--the Doctor of Business Administration (DBA), Doctor of Science (SciD), and the Doctorate of Information Assurance (DIA)--bear closer relationship with industry R&D than university scholarship. Researchers apply existing theory and methodology to specific problems.

The right degree for you depends on your career goals. Aspiring academics are better served with a PhD; working professionals, by contrast, benefit from the synergy between the real-world problems they face on the job and the IA strategies they learn in the classroom.

Specializations

Specialized research is the defining feature of doctoral education. You'll have the opportunity to master an information assurance niche, establishing yourself as an authority in one of these research areas:

Information assurance technological contexts:

• Critical infrastructure
• Network security
• Systems security
• Database security

Industry contexts:

• Health information assurance
• Military and defense system security
• Information policy
• Business information security and risk analysis

Information assurance practices:

• Computer forensics
• Change management
• Strategic risk mitigation
• Confidentiality
• Compliance
• Governance
• Cryptography

Your dissertation research topic will likely focus on a particular problem within one of these areas. Since your research may evolve out of collaborative work with a faculty advisor, it's important to arrive in the PhD program with a sense of how your academic interests align with existing lab projects and faculty research.

Career Track

A PhD in information assurance can help you prepare for careers in academia, public and private research, and senior management. Employers range from military contractors to public policy research institutes to universities. The NSA, Department of Homeland Security, and the Department of Defense also rely heavily on information scientists with graduate-level degrees.

Academic PhD graduates typically go on to university professor roles, where they set up a lab, mentor graduate students, and teach undergraduate classes.

Professional information assurance doctoral graduates seek advanced roles within the following job titles:

• Management information system director
• Computer security consultant
• Computer forensics investigator
• Information scientist
• Security engineer
• IT manager

Resource

WorldWideLearn.com's Career Pathways resource can help you get your bearings in the information assurance profession. Use the career planning and assessment tools to determine which course best suits your interests and abilities.

Plan for a PhD in Information Assurance

Once you've settled on an academic and career objective, you're ready to put into place the necessary academic resources. Examine your options carefully to find a PhD program that fits your needs and expectations.

Step One: Find the Right Graduate Information Assurance Program

Goal: Find online or campus PhD programs that meet your criteria. Since doctoral programs vary widely in their orientation to the discipline, plan to research schools until you find one aligned with your interests and research goals.

1. List Accredited Doctoral Programs in Information Assurance

Start your search by developing a list of schools with doctoral programs in information assurance. Make sure that each school you consider is accredited by a nationally recognized accreditation agency. Accreditation is an important baseline criterion for program quality. It indicates the value of the doctoral degree to an employer and qualifies you for financial aid programs. See the U.S. Department of Education Web site for a list of approved accreditation agencies.

Resources

Online directories and accrediting agency member lists offer good starting points for your research.

The National Security Agency designates over 100 National Centers of Academic Excellence in Information Assurance Education (CAEIAE). Though most programs on this list do not venture beyond an undergraduate degree, you'll find some PhD programs among the list.

WorldWideLearn.com represents accredited graduate programs in information assurance. Search Degrees by Subject to find an online or campus PhD program, or browse a list of university partners.

ABET's Computer Science Accreditation Board (CSAB) lists over 300 accredited ABET-accredited programs in computer science, including information systems. Search by location and program area.

2. Choose Campus or Online Format

Program format could have a major impact on your access to doctoral education. Advances in multimedia design and internet communications technology have made online degrees a viable alternative to campus-based programs.

• Online PhD degrees in information assurance may be the only route to doctoral education if you're a working adult managing work and family commitments. Some programs take advantage of the work-study model, allowing students to develop dissertation projects that overlap with a real-world problem or work initiative.

• Campus PhD programs remain a great option for aspiring academics who don't have access to lab facilities through a work connection. The campus PhD offers benefits such as strong faculty mentorship, access to lab and library features, and apprenticeship-like programs in guided research and undergraduate teaching.

If life circumstances or career goals steer you toward a particular program format, focus your school search from the outset.

Resources

WorldWideLearn.com takes you through your delivery format options and helps you find online degree programs or campus education programs that meet your needs. For campus programs in your vicinity, search Degrees by Location.

3. Explore Academic Programs

Once you've eliminated any programs due to non-negotiable factors, you've cleared the field for a more nuanced assessment of your options. Explore the following features of academic programs to determine whether the school's resources and academic orientation matches your needs:

• Faculty research topics
• Research facilities
• Specializations
• Curriculum and course requirements
• CAEIAE designation from the National Security Administration
• Research foundations, conferences, or university publications in your field
• Relationships with industry leaders or government agencies

Resources

WorldWideLearn.com facilitates the initial sweep in the research process by matching you with schools that fit your specifications. Fill out an online form indicating your academic program criteria, and have a school counselor contact you to answer any questions. The system saves you time, allowing you to quickly identify the most promising online or campus PhD programs in information assurance.

School Web sites offer links to most of the information listed above. Look for course reading lists, degree requirements, faculty CVs and links to recent publications, dissertation titles, an more.

Academic journals can direct you to the academic departments and faculty producing influential research in your area of interest. Journal of Information Assurance and Security (JIASP) is the most prominent journal, but you'll also find niche publications in specific areas such as The International Journal of Health Care Quality Assurance.

4. Evaluate Program Quality

Finally, narrow down your list to six or seven schools that are within your reach as an applicant and offer good value for your educational investment. Evaluate quality and the graduate student experience, taking into account:

• Reputation
• Selectivity
• Graduation Rate
• Job Placement Statistics
• Career Support Resources
• Student Body Profile

To gauge your likelihood of admission, compare your GPA and test scores (if available) to the average levels of last year's entering doctoral class.

Resources

Rankings offer instant means of comparing the reputation and selectivity of different PhD programs in information assurance. The major rankings include:

• U.S. News & World Report, Best Business Schools Specialty Rankings: Information Systems
• The National Research Council, Assessment of Research Doctorate Programs
• The Center for Measuring University Performance, The Top American Research Universities, 2008 Annual Report

Admissions department data provide a frank look at graduate student demographics, job placement, selectivity criteria, and average admission scores.

Campus visits offer firsthand insight into the graduate student experience. Tour campus facilities, meet with faculty and students in your field, audit graduate courses for a day, and see what it feels like to be a doctoral student in information assurance.

Step Two: Apply to PhD Programs in Information Assurance

Goal: Set in motion the application process, completing any eligibility requirements and submitting both program and financial aid applications.

1. Complete Prerequisites

The following standard eligibility requirements apply for most PhD and applied doctoral programs in information assurance:

• A bachelor's or master's degree in information assurance, information systems, or a related field.
• If your degree is in another field, supplement your basic knowledge by taking prerequisite courses. An admissions counselor can help you decide which prerequisites you need to fulfill.
• GRE standardized test. International students may also have to pass the TOEFL.

2. Prepare Application Materials

In addition to filling out the application forms, plan to submit the following supporting documents:

• Academic transcripts
• Faculty or professional letters of recommendation
• Test scores
• Personal statement of research interests

3. Secure Financial Aid

Finally, prepare applications for financial aid. Universities generally offer funding in the form of:

• Teaching and research assistantships
• Scholarships and fellowships
• Tuition waivers and stipends

Federal support sources include:

• Scholarships from the key information assurance stakeholders in the U.S. government, namely, Department of Homeland Security, Department of Defense, and NSF scholarships
• Aid sources included on the FAFSA application, including Pell grants and Stafford loans

Private financial aid includes:

• Scholarships from community groups
• Student loans from banks
• Corporate tuition assistance programs

Step Three: Join the Academic Community

Goal: Reinvent yourself as an academic scholar by building relationships and gaining insight into the IA community.

Once you've submitted your applications, you're likely to have several months or more to prepare before classes start. Use the time wisely by establishing yourself within the academic community.

• Join professional organizations such as ISACA

• Read academic journals and blogs

• Attend conferences

These steps introduce you to other academics who share your interest in information security and risk management. Journals give you a sense of who's who in the information assurance community, and what approaches are currently dominating IA research. A consistently maintained blog can offer up-to-date insight into the field. "Information Assurance and Security," a blog maintained by a National Center of Academic Excellence graduate program, features regularly updated IA-related news. Take these steps to orient yourself within the academic community, and you'll hit the ground running when the PhD program begins.

Conclusion

A PhD or applied doctorate in information assurance offers a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to work alongside the luminaries of information security engineering and management. By preparing yourself for your educational journey ahead, you are in a position to make the most of the experience. With access to advanced research equipment and faculty mentors guiding your progress, you can emerge as a next-generation leader in information assurance technology.

Sources

• Assessment of Research Doctorate Programs, National Research Council.
• Best Graduate Schools, Best Business Schools Specialty Rankings: Information Systems, U.S. News & World Report (2009).
• Center for Education and Research in Information Assurance and Security (CERIAS), Purdue University.
• Database of Accredited Postsecondary Institutions and Programs, U.S. Department of Education.
• Doctorate of Philosophy in Information Assurance, University of Fairfax.
• Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Information Technology, Capella University.
• Information Assurance and Security Community, Capella University.
• Information Assurance, National Security Agency.
• Irvine, Cynthia E. and Timothy E. Levin. "A DOCTORAL PROGRAM WITH SPECIALIZATION IN INFORMATION SECURITY," Naval Postgraduate School, Monterey, California.
• ISACA (Information Systems Audit and Control Association).
• National Information Assurance Training and Education Center.
• Rutgers Center for Information Assurance (RCIA), Rutgers University.
• "The Top American Research Universities, 2008 Annual Report." The Center for Measuring University Performance.