Choose Your Path
I am looking to earn my
Doctorate of Information Assurance
Classroom to Career
As a doctoral student, all of your courses here will explore relevant cybersecurity policy issues in enterprise management, you’ll complete a cybersecurity project in each, enabling you to make immediate and lasting workplace contributions. You’ll learn from leading, practitioner cybersecurity faculty whose cybersecurity colleagues can become an integral part of your professional network throughout your career.
You can access your project-driven courses online from any location, when it’s convenient for you, and easily communicate with your instructors and classmates. You’ll progress through your coursework in a group, which provides opportunities for collaborative learning and support, as well as more personalized instruction.
Close communication with your advisor and the University’s unique Dissertation Project Plan enable you to complete manageable milestones that ensure you’re making steady progress toward completing your dissertation and reaching your goal.
Course Information
Doctorate of Information Assurance (DIA): 62 credits
SYNC SESSIONS
DIA Courses
1-2 hours every other week
Core Courses
CEX 8220: Security Program Strategies and Implementation
IA7020: Information Security Systems and Organizational Awareness
IA7040: Information Security and Organizational Change
IA8010: Business and Security Risk Analysis
IA8021: Cloud Cybersecurity
IA8110: Certification and Accreditation
IA9150: Strategic and Technical Trends Information Security
IA9200: Research Topics in Information Security
RM8500: Research Foundations
RM9100: Qualitative and Quantitative Analysis
Program Electives (Select 3)
BR9200: Designing Solutions to Business Problems
CEX8230: Legal and Ethical Management Issues in Information Security
DC7450: Advanced Research Methods in Communications Networks
DS7000: Database Management and Implementations
DS7100: Advanced Operating Systems
DS7600: Big Data and Analytical Research Methods for Software Developers
DS9200: Designing Solutions to Software Development Problems
IA7000: Security in the Digital Age (CISSP)
IA7030: Legal and Ethical Practices in Information Security
IA7401: Ethical Hacking (CEH)
IS7402: Information Security Management (CISM)
IA8020: Security Policies, Standards, and Procedures
IA8030: Design, Development, and Evaluation of Security Controls
IA8031: Cybersecurity Insurance
IA8060: Intrusion Detection, Attacks, and Countermeasures
IA8070: Design and Development of Security Architectures
IA8190: Forensic Evaluation and Incident Response Management
PM8100: Information Security Project Management
RM9150: Feasibility Problem-Driven Research
RM9200: Designing Solutions to Information Security Problems
Free Electives (Select 3)
7000-Level Elective
8000-Level Elective
9000-Level Elective
Comprehensive Examination
DST9500: Comprehensive & Qualifying Examination
Dissertation Courses
RES8110: Dissertation Initiation
RES8120: Dissertation Literature Review I
RES8121: Dissertation Literature Review II
RES8130: Dissertation Research, IRB, and Analysis
DST8110: Dissertation Results and Findings
DST8130X: Dissertation Manuscript Certification
Minimum credits required for Doctorate of Information Assurance: 621
1Credit hours may exceed the minimum stated if dissertation deliverables are not completed within the expected timeframes.
Upon completion of courses IA8021, IA8190, and IA9150, students will earn the Enterprise Information Security (EIS) Graduate Certificate.
- Sync Sessions provide a forum for collaborative learning by enabling “real time” interaction between faculty and students.
- SyncSessions are conducted through the use of a meeting web-based application called Zoom. Your instructor will provide details as to how you will access a Zoom meeting. In order to participate in the session, you must be at a computer. To participate in the audio portion of the SyncSession, your computer will need to be configured with a microphone and/or headset.
- Sync Sessions are 1-2 hours long and will be held every other week.
- Attendance is required for Sync Sessions.
- The Sync Sessions are spent having students defending and explaining their research assignment for that week. Assignment instructions and grading rubrics are posted in the Canvas course shell.
Technology Requirements
Following are the recommended general technical hardware/software specifications for students enrolled in all academic programs at the University of Fairfax. Please note that
a) these specifications are sufficient for the entire duration of the program,
b) need for specific applications/software would be determined by the actual course(s) registered and the availability of the applications, and
c) although students with Mac computers can access any applications/software by leveraging remote access tools, Mac platform is not recommended and supported, and
d) doctoral students will be required to use several open-source applications, hosted services, and publicly available virtual machines. This may include but is not limited to SAS (Statistical Analysis System) OnDemand, Oracle Virtual Box, Kali OS, Apache Web Server, GNU/Linux, OpenSSL, ROS (Robot Operating System), Blender (3D computer graphics), and Orange (Data Mining).
Minimum Recommended Specifications
1. Ownership of either laptop or desktop is mandatory. Mobile devices such as Tablets/Smart Phones cannot be used for running any applications. Mobile devices may be used for simple tasks such as accessing Canvas courses for checking messages, grades, due dates, and read the slides. For other tasks such as taking test, uploading assignments, and participating in discussion forums, mobile devices are not recommended and must not be used.
2. These recommendations are universal across all academic programs and provide a basic format for all courses. As you move further into a degree program, these requirements may increase (only minimal) based on the expectations of the program and the availability of applications.
|
Platform: Intel-based systems |
Minimum |
Better |
Best |
| CPU | 4 core 3.0 GHz. | 6 core 3.0 GHz. | 8 core 3.0 GHz. |
| RAM | 16GB | 32GB | 32GB |
| Storage | 500GB SSD | 1TB SSD | 1TB SSD |
| Graphics | {Integrated} OR {2GB} OR {1GB DirectX 11} | {Integrated} OR {4GB} OR {2GB DirectX 11} OR {NVIDIA 4GB} OR {NVIDIA 4GB DirectX 11} | {4GB} OR {NVIDIA 4GB} OR {4GB DirectX 11} OR {NVIDIA 6GB DirectX 11} |
| Operating System | Windows 11 64-bit (Professional Edition only), No Home Edition | Windows 11 64-bit (Professional Edition only), No Home Edition | Windows 11 64-bit (Professional Edition only), No Home Edition |
| Extras |
2-3 USB 2.0 or 2-3 USB 3.0 Ports
Microphone
Camera
External USB Drive for backup (minimum 1 TB) |
2-3 USB 2.0 or 2-3 USB 3.0 Ports
Microphone
Camera
External USB Drive for backup (minimum 1 TB) |
2-3 USB 2.0 or 2-3 USB 3.0 Ports
Microphone
Camera
External USB Drive for backup (minimum 1 TB) |
| Recommended Standard Productivity Applications |
Access, Excel, OneNote, Outlook, PowerPoint, Power BI, Project, Publisher, Visio, Sway, Word, Forms, Delve
Internet browsers like Microsoft Edge, Google Chrome, Safari, Firefox, etc. (recommend the use of multiple browsers)
Document Management Application – Adobe Acrobat Professional
Zoom Desktop Client (https://zoom.us/download)
Free Video / Photo Editing (select 1 or2) Application – PowerDirector (best) – Google, Promeo – Best App for Social Media, iMovie – Video Editor App for Beginners, Splice – Free Video Editor for Trimming and Cropping, Quik – Best Video Editor for Montages, KineMaster – Video Editing App For Experienced Editors, Filmmaker Pro – Best for Vertical Editing, InShot – Best Video Editor App for Aspiring Social Media Content Creators, Mojo – Best for Any Kind of Social Media Post, VivaVideo – Best for Beginners
Keep the system up to date with Windows Updates, .NET Framework etc.
|
Access, Excel, OneNote, Outlook, PowerPoint, Power BI, Project, Publisher, Visio, Sway, Word, Forms, Delve
Internet browsers like Microsoft Edge, Google Chrome, Safari, Firefox, etc. (recommend the use of multiple browsers)
Document Management Application – Adobe Acrobat Professional
Zoom Desktop Client (https://zoom.us/download)
Free Video / Photo Editing (select 1 or 2) Application – PowerDirector (best) – Google, Promeo – Best App for Social Media, iMovie – Video Editor App for Beginners, Splice – Free Video Editor for Trimming and Cropping, Quik – Best Video Editor for Montages, KineMaster – Video Editing App For Experienced Editors, Filmmaker Pro – Best for Vertical Editing, InShot – Best Video Editor App for Aspiring Social Media Content Creators, Mojo – Best for Any Kind of Social Media Post, VivaVideo – Best for Beginners
Keep the system up to date with Windows Updates, .NET Framework etc. |
Access, Excel, OneNote, Outlook, PowerPoint, Power BI, Project, Publisher, Visio, Sway, Word, Forms, Delve
Internet browsers like Microsoft Edge, Google Chrome, Safari, Firefox, etc. (recommend the use of multiple browsers)
Document Management Application – Adobe Acrobat Professional
Zoom Desktop Client (https://zoom.us/download)
Free Video / Photo Editing (select 1 or 2) Application – PowerDirector (best) – Google, Promeo – Best App for Social Media, iMovie – Video Editor App for Beginners, Splice – Free Video Editor for Trimming and Cropping, Quik – Best Video Editor for Montages, KineMaster – Video Editing App For Experienced Editors, Filmmaker Pro – Best for Vertical Editing, InShot – Best Video Editor App for Aspiring Social Media Content Creators, Mojo – Best for Any Kind of Social Media Post, VivaVideo – Best for Beginners
Keep the system up to date with Windows Updates, .NET Framework etc. |