Information Security and Intelligence

ABET

The Information Security and Intelligence bachelor's degree program has been accredited by the Computing Accreditation Commission of ABET, www.abet.org.

• Dr. Jasun Hawkins - ABET Cybersecurity Program Evaluator

DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE CYBER CRIME CENTER (DC3)

• National Centers of Digital Forensics Academic Excellence
• Defense Cyber Crime Center (DC3)
• Academics Cyber Curriculum Alliance (DACCA)
   
  The National Centers of Digital Forensics Academic Excellence (CDFAE) is a partnership between  academia, standards bodies, and the US Government to establish best practices for digital forensics education. Education providers are held to digital forensics education standards based upon knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSA) used in the field. This approach advances the discipline of digital forensics and increases the number of qualified professionals to meet the needs of law enforcement, counterintelligence, national defense, and legal communities.

NATIONAL SECURITY AGENCY (NSA)

• Centers of Academic Excellence in Cybersecurity (NCAE-C)
• The Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense (CAE-CD)
   
  The Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense (CAE-CD) designation indicates that the ISI Program is helping reduce threats to our national infrastructure by promoting higher education and research in cyber defense as well as provide the nation with a pipeline of qualified cybersecurity professionals.

All associate degree-seeking, bachelor's degree-seeking, and transfer students must meet New Student Admission Requirements.

New Student Admission Requirements

• Minimum 3.00 High School GPA (on a 4.00 scale)
• Minimum Composite ACT score of 22 and ACT Math score of 22 or SAT Math score of 550.
• All students applying for admission to the Information Security and Intelligence program will have to submit a 750 to 1,000 word essay that addresses the following:
  • Who they are and why they desire admission to the Information Security and Intelligence program.
  •  A description of a personal quality, talent, accomplishment, contribution, or experience.
  • A description of someone that influenced them and why.

Transfer Student Admission Requirements

• Combined college or university GPA of 3.00 (on a 4.00 scale) from all institutions attended.
• GPA is based on completion of 24 credit hours or more.
• Completion of the transfer equivalency for Ferris State University’s MATH 115 with a grade of C or higher or have either a minimum ACT Math score of 22 or SAT Math score of 550.
• All students applying for admission to the Information Security and Intelligence program will have to submit a 750 to 1,000 word essay that addresses the following:
  •  Who they are and why they desire admission to the Information Security and Intelligence program.
  •  A description of a personal quality, talent, accomplishment, contribution, or experience.
  •  A description of someone that influenced them and why.

Minimum computer spec for ISIN students: Laptop; Windows or OSX/MacOS; 8 GB RAM minimum, 16GB strongly recommended; 500 GB Hard Drive; CPU minimum i5 or higher; external USB Drive 1TB.

Admission Questions?

We've got you covered. Contact our Admissions team at [email protected].

Windows or Mac Operating System

• CPU - Processor 
• Intel- based systems or AMD chipsets only. Both AMD and Intel processors use the x86 and x86-64 instruction set architectures, which means that software compiled for Intel processors can generally run on AMD processors without any issues. 
• No Macs with  Appple's new CPUs (M1, M2 & M3)  or systems with RISC ARM architecture. 
  • New Apple Macs with Apple's M 1-2-3 chips are not compatible with most appliances and software we use.  

Laptop or Desktop

Laptop

• The student's primary device is a personal laptop.
• Chromebooks, iPad or other similar tablet-based systems are not acceptable for course activities.
• Operating System (OS) 
• Stick with the OS you are familiar with!
• If you have had a Intel based MAC and are acclimated to it fine; else stick with Windows system. 
  • Many students convince themselves, their parents or guardians to buy them a MAC when they have never used one.
  • Unfortunately, they get to class and have double jeopardy because they have to learn how to use a MAC as well as all the ISI content; this is not good, and in most cases, students end up buying a Windows laptop because they fall behind very quickly due to not being familiar with and how to use MAC operating system. 
• Bring your laptop to all courses; Classes require students to have a laptop to perform course activities, and  most classrooms do not have computer systems.
• Students must have hardware access (ports on the laptop) to load course peripherals.
• Be careful when choosing a laptop's physical size.
  • Some students buy a beastly ( in size and weight) gaming laptop, then must lug it around campus for four years.

Desktop

• Although one's laptop is the primary device used for the program, many students also use a desktop wherever they live.
• Some students plan to remote into their (home or dorm-based) desktop from campus classrooms; this approach is fraught with security challenges and does not work for various reasons.
• Students need a laptop in class.
• Most classrooms do not have computers.
• FSU Dorm and Campus Network security restrictions make remoting to a home or dorm-based asset challenging and impractical.

Dual screens (highly recommended)

• Highly recommended is having two/dual screens.
• When one is doing homework having dual monitors saves time and headaches.
• Used monitors are inexpensive (go to a used computer parts store) and acquire one for your laptop; you will not regret it.

Laptop & Hardware Recommendations/Specifications

In order of priority

• Intel/AMD based chipset - Processor CPU 
  • No Apple M1-M2-M3 or RISC or ARM chipsets
  • I7 or higher CPU
• Random Access Memory (RAM) – as much RAM as one can afford.
  • 16GB – is the bare minimum.
  • 32 GB Windows or Mac is ideal.
• Windows Pro License (for Windows Systems)
  • Pay to upgrade to a Windows Pro license. The pro version has more access to core operating system components.
• Mac – purchase Microsoft NTFS for Mac by Tuxera 
  • Tuxera NTFS for Mac allows seamless data transfers between any Windows system and ones Mac.
• Internal HDD space is the LAST concern, as we use external drives
• Other specs as needed or wanted.

External Drive & USB (Required)

• External Hard Drive (HDD or SSD) - 1 TB or greater
  • An actual external hard drive (mechanical or ssd), not a large USB thumb drive.
• USB thumb drive of 8-12 GB or more

Undergraduate Degree and Certificates

• Artificial Intelligence - Bachelor of Science
• Cloud Computing - Certificate
• Cybersecurity - Certificate
• Cybersecurity - Ethical Hacking - Certificate
• Digital Forensics - Cybersecurity - Certificate
• Digital Forensics - Cybersecurity - Minor
• Information Security and Intelligence - Minor
• Information Security & Intelligence - Associate
• Information Security & Intelligence - Bachelor of Science
  • Five-year Bachelor’s and Master’s Dual Enrollment Program Option
• Project Management - Bachelor of Science

Graduate Degree and Post Graduate Certificates

Masters of Information Security & Intelligence Degree (MISI) - consists of three stackable certificates and a thesis/capstone.

• MS in Information Security and Intelligence - Graduate Degrree
• Business Intelligence - Post Graduate Certificate
• Incident Response - Post Graduate Certificate
• Information Systems Assurance, Strategy and Governance - Post Graduate Certificate
• Project Management - Post Graduate Certificate

• Cloud Security (AWS)
• Digital Forensics
• Mobile Security and Penetration Testing
• Network Forensics and Analysis
• Data Intelligence Competitive Theory
• Database Security
• Link and Visual Analysis
• Risk Analysis and Strategy

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