News Releases: Iowa State University

QUICK LINKS
Today's News
News releases
ISU homepage

NEWS RELEASE

01-07-02

Contacts:
Doug Jacobson, Electrical and Computer Engineering, (515) 294-8307
Rebecca Kellogg, Engineering Distance Education, (515) 294-4406
Bridget Bailey, News Service, (515) 294-6881

COMPUTER SECURITY PROGRAM OFFERS DISTANCE EDUCATION CERTIFICATE

AMES, Iowa -- Becoming a cybercop is getting easier. Iowa State's information assurance program (computer security) is now offering an engineering distance education (EDE) graduate certificate for students interested in enhancing their master's or undergraduate degrees in computer security.

The graduate certificate is available to off-campus students through the EDE program at Iowa State. It can be completed in two or four semesters and doesn't require the student to come to the ISU campus. However, it is only accessible to persons residing in the United States.

"After the recent creation of the master's degree in information assurance we had several students who already had a masters degree ask about the program," said Doug Jacobson, associate professor of electrical and computer engineering. "Many of them were working full time and wanted the technical courses to supplement their previous education."

Jacobson, director of Iowa State's information assurance program, said the new distance education certificate will allow students in a technical field to move into the computer security field or enhance their position within a company. The program includes video taped lectures, on-line support through chat-rooms, emails, phone, and hands-on learning experience using software systems through the Internet.

Jacobson said those who earn this certificate would qualify to work as security officers or security administrators protecting a company's computers and assets from hackers. The target audience for the new program is students with a B.S. or M.S. in computer science, computer engineering, or a closely related field.

Jacobson expects the EDE graduate certificate to be a popular program. Because of a shortage of computer security professionals, he said, now is a good time to look into the field.

-30-