Information Technology Auditing and Cyber Security, M.S.

About the Program

The M.S. in Information Technology Auditing and Cyber Security (MS ITACS) program prepares students for Information Technology (IT) risk management, cyber security, and information systems auditing positions in business and critical infrastructure sectors of the economy identified by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. The MS ITACS is a science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) program aligned with the ISACA® model curriculum for Information Security Audit and Control, which enables our graduates to earn one year of work experience applicable toward the Certified Information Systems Auditor (CISA®) designation.

MS ITACS students take five common core courses focused on IT governance and risk management and specialized courses in one of two concentrations: Information Technology Auditing or Cyber Security. The IT Auditing concentration culminates in a capstone course leading to CISA® certification, while the capstone course for the Cyber Security concentration leads to Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP®) certification, depending on the student's work experience. Qualified students with necessary prerequisites are able to take courses from both concentrations.

Time Limit for Degree Completion: 6 years

Campus Location: Main and/or Online

Full-Time/Part-Time Status: The MS ITACS program can be completed on a full- or part-time basis.

Affiliation(s): Research interests of Fox faculty are supported by numerous centers and institutes throughout the Fox School and Temple University.

Accreditation: The MS ITACS program is accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB International).

Areas of Specialization: Two areas of concentration are offered:

Cyber Security
Information Technology Auditing

Job Prospects: The Fox Center for Student Professional Development (CSPD) provides students with career coaching and professional development resources that support the job search. The MS ITACS degree prepares graduates for employment in IT risk management, cyber security, and information systems auditing positions at accounting and consulting firms, banks and financial companies, businesses producing goods and providing services, computer software and hardware companies, information and data service providers, and governmental agencies and non-governmental organizations. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports 31% job growth through 2029.

Licensure/Certification: Certification varies by area of concentration, as detailed below:

Certified Information Systems Auditor (CISA®): The MS ITACS program's IT Auditing capstone course (MIS 5902) prepares students in the IT Auditing concentration to take the CISA® certification exam. The MS ITACS program does not require students to take the CISA® exam. This is optional. Experience required for CISA® certification is a minimum of five years of professional work experience in information systems auditing, control, or security. A master's degree in information security or information technology from an accredited university can be substituted for one year of experience. For more information, visit https://www.isaca.org/credentialing/cisa/get-cisa-certified.
Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP®): The MS ITACS program’s Cyber Security capstone course (MIS 5903) prepares students in the Cyber Security concentration to take the CISSP® certification exam. The MS ITACS program does not require students to take the CISSP® exam. This is optional. Experience required for CISSP® certification is a minimum of five years of cumulative paid work experience in two or more of the eight domains of the CISSP® Common Body of Knowledge (CBK). One year of required experience can be satisfied by earning a four-year college degree or regional equivalent, a master's degree in information security or information technology from an accredited university, or an additional credential from the (ISC)²® approved list. Education credit only satisfies one year of experience. For more information, visit https://www.isc2.org/Certifications/CISSP/experience-requirements.

Non-Matriculated Student Policy: This program requires the student to be matriculated in the degree program or graduate certificate program.

Financing Opportunities: Citizens and permanent residents of the United States are considered domestic students and are typically eligible for federal student loans and alternative loans through private lenders. The Fox School grants 5% tuition scholarships to alumni who are admitted to the program.

Admission Requirements and Deadlines

Application Deadline:

Fall:

December 15 – Early Admissions Deadline
March 1 – Scholarship Deadline and International Deadline
June 30 – Final Deadline

Spring:

August 1 – Scholarship Deadline and International Deadline
November 1 – Final Deadline

Applications are reviewed as they are received and can sometimes be considered after the deadline.

APPLY ONLINE to this Fox graduate program.

Letters of Reference:
Number Required: 2

From Whom: Professional references from an immediate supervisor, current or past, are preferred. Academic references are acceptable.

Bachelor's Degree in Discipline/Related Discipline: The equivalent of a four-year U.S. baccalaureate degree from an accredited university or college is required. For three-year degrees, mark sheets must be evaluated by WES or another NACES organization.

Statement of Goals: Essay prompts can be found in the online application portal.

Standardized Test Scores:
GRE/GMAT: Scores may be requested based on the applicant's academic and/or professional background. Candidates with an undergraduate GPA below 3.0 are required to submit valid GMAT or GRE test scores. Consult an admissions advisor with any questions.

Applicants who earned their baccalaureate degree from an institution where the language of instruction was other than English, with the exception of those who subsequently earned a master’s degree in a country where the language of instruction is English, must report scores for a standardized test of English that meet these minimums:

TOEFL iBT: 90
IELTS Academic: 7.0
Duolingo: 110
PTE Academic: 68

Resume: Current resume or CV is required.

Transfer Credit: Upper-level graduate credits from an AACSB-accredited graduate business program, but not previously applied to a conferred degree, may be transferred into the M.S. program. The credits must be part of the required degree program at Temple University. To be transferred, the grade must be a "B" or better. The Admissions Committee makes recommendations for transferring credits to the department chair. The maximum number of credits a student may transfer is 6.

Program Requirements

General Program Requirements:
Number of Credits Required Beyond the Baccalaureate: 30

Required Courses:

Information Technology Auditing Concentration

Course List
Code	Title	Credit Hours
Core Courses
MIS 5202	IT Governance	3
MIS 5206	Protection of Information Assets	3
MIS 5214	Security Architecture	3
MIS 5687	Business Skills for ITACS Professionals I	1.5
MIS 5688	Business Skills for ITACS Professionals II	1.5
IT Auditing Concentration Courses ¹
MIS 5201	IT Audit Process	3
MIS 5203	Systems and Infrastructure Lifecycle Management 1	3
MIS 5205	IT Service Delivery and Support	3
MIS 5208	Data Analytics for IT Auditors	3
IT Auditing Elective ²
Select one from the following:		3
MIS 5121	Enterprise Resource Planning Systems
MIS 5170	Special Topics
MIS 5182	Independent Study
IT Auditing Capstone Course
MIS 5902	IT Auditing Capstone	3
Total Credit Hours		30

MIS 5122 Enterprise Architecture for IT Auditors (3 s.h.) may also be required of students who are admitted to the program but lack sufficient technical background.

Students in the Information Technology Auditing concentration alternately may select up to two courses from the Cyber Security concentration and/or in Computer Science and/or Engineering Security as electives. This is done in consultation with the ITACS Program Director.

Cyber Security Concentration

Course List
Code	Title	Credit Hours
Core Courses
MIS 5202	IT Governance	3
MIS 5206	Protection of Information Assets	3
MIS 5214	Security Architecture	3
MIS 5687	Business Skills for ITACS Professionals I	1.5
MIS 5688	Business Skills for ITACS Professionals II	1.5
Cyber Security Concentration Courses
MIS 5211	Ethical Hacking	3
MIS 5213	Intrusion Detection & Response	3
MIS 5215	Operating System Security	3
MIS 5216	Organizational Forensics	3
MIS 5217	Network Security	3
Cyber Security Elective(s) ¹
Select one or more from the following, if desired: ²		0
MIS 5170	Special Topics
MIS 5182	Independent Study
MIS 5212	Penetration Testing
Cyber Security Capstone Course
MIS 5903	Cyber Security Capstone	3
Total Credit Hours		30

Students in the Cyber Security concentration alternately may select up to two courses from the Information Technology Auditing concentration and/or in Computer Science and/or Engineering Security as electives. This is done in consultation with the ITACS Program Director.

Students earn credit for any elective course(s) taken. The Cyber Security concentration does not, however, require completion of an elective to earn the degree.

Culminating Events:
The MS ITACS program culminates in a capstone that prepares students to take the appropriate professional certification examination: