From Enrollment to Employment: A DACUM Approach to Information Systems and Information Security and Assurance Curriculum Design

Issues associated with information security are numerous and diverse. Since the majority of organizational actions rely greatly on information and communication technologies, Information Systems (IS) security is now a main concern for firms, governments, institutes, and society as a whole. As a result, a plethora of graduate programs have been created, covering nearly every aspect of IS security. The authors review the current state of the IS industry presented in the literature, and identify a panel of IS experts in which to explore current job skill needs using a “Developing a Curriculum,” DACUM, process to support curriculum design for two graduate degrees in IS and Information Security and Assurance (ISA) through the eyes of a university that has a unique relationship with Microsoft and an active Industry Advisory Board (IAB).