WGU's MS:ISA has been certified by the CNSS

veritas_libertas

This program has been certified by the National Security Agency’s Information Assurance Courseware Evaluation (IACE) Program. This certification verifies that WGU's courseware meets the requirements established by the Committee on National Security Systems National Training Standards No. 4011 (Information Systems Security Professionals) and 4012 (Senior Systems Managers).

Online IT Degree | MS in Information Security and Assurance

Hyper-Me

Thats good!

I may pursue this one down the line, after I finish the BS.

qwertyiop

veritas_libertas wrote: »

Online IT Degree | MS in Information Security and Assurance

I hope their still working on becoming a Center of Academic Excellence by the National Security Agency.

I'm sure that being certified by CNSS is going to help.

I'm trying to finish my BS IT by this summer and may start in their MSISA program after that.

the_Grinch

I'd wait till they get the CAE before starting the program. Plenty of online programs that already have that designation.

cleanwithit

I went to NSA's website to look at the process. Looks like it will take a full year to receive National Centers of Academic Excellence in IA Education (CAE).

IA Courseware Evaluation Program - NSA/CSS

veritas_libertas

cleanwithit wrote: »

I went to NSA's website to look at the process. Looks like it will take a full year to receive National Centers of Academic Excellence in IA Education (CAE).

IA Courseware Evaluation Program - NSA/CSS

From what they told me we should be hearing about that as well very soon.

cleanwithit

veritas_libertas wrote: »

From what they told me we should be hearing about that as well very soon.

Great news, Veritas!

qwertyiop

veritas_libertas wrote: »

From what they told me we should be hearing about that as well very soon.

Please kep us informed if you hear anything else about this

down77

If they get it, the announcement would come from the NSA in June.

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Applying to the National Centers of Excellence Program
Call for Applications

Each year NSA and DHS hold a call for applications for these programs. Applications for CAEIAE and CAE-R are due 15 January of each year. New and redesignated CAEIAEs and CAE-Rs will be announced in June each year at the Colloquium for Information Systems Security Education (The Colloquium).

Prior to submitting an application for the National Centers of Academic Excellence in IA Education Program (CAE/IAE), IA courseware must be certified under the IA Courseware Evaluation Program for NSTISSI 4011 and one other CNSS standard. Completed electronic mapping for 4011 and one other CNSS standard must be submitted no later than 31 August of each year. Institutions with IACE Certificates must also map their courseware to the current version of each standard by 31 August of the year preceding their expiration. CAE-Rs do not need to map to the curriculum. The Carnegie Foundation classification or its equivalent is the requirement they must meet.

qwertyiop

down77 wrote: »

If they get it, the announcement would come from the NSA in June.

---

Applying to the National Centers of Excellence Program
Call for Applications

Each year NSA and DHS hold a call for applications for these programs. Applications for CAEIAE and CAE-R are due 15 January of each year. New and redesignated CAEIAEs and CAE-Rs will be announced in June each year at the Colloquium for Information Systems Security Education (The Colloquium).

Prior to submitting an application for the National Centers of Academic Excellence in IA Education Program (CAE/IAE), IA courseware must be certified under the IA Courseware Evaluation Program for NSTISSI 4011 and one other CNSS standard. Completed electronic mapping for 4011 and one other CNSS standard must be submitted no later than 31 August of each year. Institutions with IACE Certificates must also map their courseware to the current version of each standard by 31 August of the year preceding their expiration. CAE-Rs do not need to map to the curriculum. The Carnegie Foundation classification or its equivalent is the requirement they must meet.

My last term ends in July so I hope that they get it.

veritas_libertas

This announcement was in the WGU IT Program community from one of the faculty members:

WGU Information Security Degrees Earn NSA Certification



Western Governors University¿s M.S. degree in Information Security and Assurance Meets the 4011 and 4012 Training Standards of the National Security Agency¿s Committee on National Security Systems (CNSS)

Salt Lake City, Utah (March 4, 2010) Western Governors University¿s graduate program in Information Security and Assurance has been certified by the NSA¿s Information Assurance Courseware Evaluation (IACE) Program. The certification verifies that WGU¿s course ware meets the Committee on National Security Systems National Training Standards No. 4011 (Information Systems Security Professionals) and 4012 (Senior Systems Managers).

WGU will receive recognition and an official certificate during the June 2010 CNSS Ceremony, which will be held at the 14th Colloquium for Information Systems Security Education (CISSE). This certificate, signed by the CNSS Chair, will be valid through June 2015.

The IACE Program provides consistency in training and education for the information assurance skills that are critical to our nation.

veritas_libertas

I asked WGU how their NSA-CAE approval was going and received some positive feedback today:

Excellent question. We applied for the Center of Excellence last year and missed acceptance by one category. The category we didn't make it on had to do with academic outreach to others. This year, we plan to address that by hosting a series of teacher education cyber security and awareness workshops throughout the month of October. We are also helping the Teachers College to create some activities to guide future teachers and our past graduates in curriculum development and lessons pertaining to cyber security and awareness.

If you haven't already been there, visit WGU's Information Security and Assurance Center: WGU Alumni Community - Security Central

Current MSISA students are presenting their capstones through that community-in fact, there is a presentation later today The October teacher education presentations should be listed in the ISA center.

We ARE planning to resubmit our application for the NSA CAE this year. The application is due in January. We won't find out if we've been accepted until June. We are also hoping to map an additional standard, the 4013 to the undergraduate BSIT in Information Security program as well. We'll keep you apprised of our progress!

Thanks for asking!

Gwen


--
Gwendolyn S. Britton, M.S., Ed.S.
Western Governors University

jch0411

Quick question: Has anyone heard about the WGU effort to be an NSA Center of Academic Excellence? I would like to start at WGU but was waiting until they achieved the CAE.

Thanks!

veritas_libertas

jch0411 wrote: »

Quick question: Has anyone heard about the WGU effort to be an NSA Center of Academic Excellence? I would like to start at WGU but was waiting until they achieved the CAE.

Thanks!

I haven't heard anything new. I'm not sure whether they are going to continue pursuing the title or not. From what I understand there are a few universities such as Purdue that believe it's not worth it. Purdue doesn't plan on pursuing the title once it expires. I'm curious to see what the future holds.

Here is an interesting "somewhat" related article from back in 2009:

http://chronicle.com/blogs/wiredcampus/cornell-prof-to-congress-dont-legislate-cybersecurity-education/7208

vidkun

I'd love to know if there was any more information regarding whether they chose to pursue it or not. It may not have much benefit to the school, but it opens up some rather nice scholarships for us students!

Mike-Mike

I too would like to know this, anyone have any updates?

veritas_libertas

I haven't heard anything lately.

julowe

I emailed Gwendolyn Britton about WGU and its CAE status and got the answer that they aren't pursuing it. Full answer copied below.

I'm already accepted and enrolling in May. I don't think this really changes my opinion much. Does it change other people's?

Unfortunately, no, we aren't pursuing the CAE at this time. The reason? At present, WGU's model doesn't really match to some of the requirements for a CAE. The CAE requirements are really geared toward traditional educational models. Given we don't follow a traditional education model, it is hard for us to meet some of the criteria.

We will continue our relationship with the NSA CAE folks. When the requirements are a bit more flexible, we'll likely apply again.


Let me know if that helps,


Gwen

petedude

julowe wrote: »

I emailed Gwendolyn Britton about WGU and its CAE status and got the answer that they aren't pursuing it. Full answer copied below.

I'm already accepted and enrolling in May. I don't think this really changes my opinion much. Does it change other people's?

I don't think it affects the value of the program as it currently stands. I do think it would help their marketing if they get that CAE approval, though.

dt3k

How'd Capella get CAE but WGU can't?