MS in MIS with InfoSec concentration or MS in InfoSec ?

mengo17mengo17 Member Posts: 100 ■■■□□□□□□□
Hi All,

You do not see me posting all the time, but I am here almost every day reading all sorts of useful info posted by all of you. I try to contribute as much as I can.
I do have a BBA in MIS with concentration in InfoSec. I do love the InfoSec world.
I do have A+ and Network+ and will go for the Security+ test pretty soon.
My real life experience is on Oracle Financials (Implementation and Sys Admin) and right now I am working as a Systems Analyst. I do support an Informix database in a UNIX environment. We are in a project to move from this to MS SQL Server 05 on Windows.
Having said that, I am kind of confused on which Masters degree to go. Which one will give me more knowledge, which one will attract more employers and of course, money is important too. More than money is my desire to work in the InfoSec industry. I do love the subject, pen test, defense against hacking, firewall, policies & procedures, and etc). I am breathing InfoSec. I am really decided that this is the path for me. Not for the money, but because I really like the subject.
I do not have real experience in InfoSec. But I want to move in to it ASAP. It is difficult to move without real experience but I will try.
I believe having a master in InfoSec and the Sec+ and CEH will boost my chances to find that InfoSec job that I always wanted. So my question is: Which one will give me more knowledge, which one will attract more employers?
I am planning to go for the Masters at NOVA SOUTHEASTERN UNIVERSITY.
The M.S. in MIS with Concentration in Information Security is 14 courses. It will cost me more, and will take more time for me to finish. Another thing, it is more towards the managerial side.
The M.S. in Information Security is 12 courses (10 core + 2 electives). It will take me less time and will be less money. It is more towards the technical side.
I would love to combine all 5 (InfoSec) courses in each program into a 10 core course program and just choose 2 more as electives, but I have to decide which program to go. I am saying this because (MMIS 683, MMIS 684, MMIS 685, MMIS 686 and MMIS 687) are different courses if you compare the 2 programs below. As I said one goes to the managerial side (MS MIS with concentration in InfoSec) and the other goes towards the technical side (MS in InfoSec).

Which one should I go? I like both the technical and the managerial side. I believe in order for me to be a manager in InfoSec, I have to be an InfoSec analyst or specialist before. What do you recommend me to do? Why?

http://www.scis.nova.edu/

The M.S. in MIS with Concentration in Information Security (14 courses)
MMIS 610 Survey of Computer Languages
MMIS 620 Management Information Systems
MMIS 621 Information Systems Project Management
MMIS 627 Enterprise Info Systems, Technologies, and Infrastructures
MMIS 630 Database Systems
MMIS 653 Telecommunications and Computer Networking
MMIS 660 Systems Analysis and Design
MMIS 671 Decision Support Systems
MMIS 680 Human-Computer Interaction
MMIS 683 Fundamentals of Security Technologies
MMIS 684 Information Security Management
MMIS 685 Information Security Policy, Privacy, and Ethics
MMIS 686 Information System Auditing and Secure Operations
MMIS 687 Information Security Project

The M.S. in Information Security (10 core courses + 2 electives)
Core Courses (three credits each)
MCIS 615 Operating Systems
MCIS 630 Database Systems
MCIS 645 Software Engineering
MCIS 650 Computer Networks
MCIS 665 Client-Server Computing
MCIS 683 Secure Computer Systems
MCIS 684 Applied Cryptography
MCIS 685 Database Security
MCIS 686 Advanced Network Security
MCIS 687 Information Security Project

Electives (three credits each)
MCIS 611 Programming Languages
MCIS 623 Legal and Ethical Aspects of Computing
MCIS 654 Electronic Commerce on the Internet
MCIS 670 Artificial Intelligence
MCIS 671 Decision Support Systems
MCIS 680 Human-Computer Interaction

Ps. My Company offers Education Reimbursement.

I would like to thank all of you for your answers.
Sign In or Register to comment.