Development of a Master of Software Assurance Reference Curriculum

Modern society is deeply and irreversibly dependent on software systems of remarkable scope and complexity in areas that are essential for preserving this way of life. The security and correct functioning of these systems are vital. Recognizing these realities, the U. S. Department of Homeland Security DHS National Cyber Security Division NCSD enlisted the resources of the Software Engineering Institute at Carnegie Mellon University to develop a curriculum for a Master of Software Assurance degree program and define transition strategies for implementation. In this article, the authors present an overview of the Master of Software Assurance curriculum project, including its history, student prerequisites and outcomes, a core body of knowledge, and curriculum architecture from which to create such a degree program. The authors also provide suggestions for implementing a Master of Software Assurance program.

[1]  George Yee.  Towards Designing E-Services that Protect Privacy , 2010, Int. J. Secur. Softw. Eng..

[2]  Benjamin S. Bloom,et al.  Taxonomy of Educational Objectives: The Classification of Educational Goals. , 1957 .

[3]  Susan Hansche,et al.  Committee on National Security Systems , 2005 .

[4]  Mark Guzdial,et al.  Computer Science Curriculum 2008: An Interim Revision of CS 2001 , 2008 .

[5]  История.  National Information Assurance Glossary , 2010 .

[6]  James Miller,et al.  ART-Improving Execution Time for Flash Applications , 2011, Int. J. Syst. Serv. Oriented Eng..

[7]  Mary Shaw,et al.  Software Engineering Body of Knowledge (SWEBOK) , 2001, ICSE.

[8]  Raphael C.-W. Phan.  Review of Security Engineering: A Guide to Building Dependable Distributed Systems, 2nd Edition by Ross J. Anderson , 2009, Cryptologia.

[9]  Nancy R. Mead,et al.  Software Assurance Curriculum Project Volume II: Undergraduate Course Outlines , 2010 .

[10]  Ross J. Anderson.  Security engineering - a guide to building dependable distributed systems (2. ed.) , 2001 .

[11]  M. E. Kabay,et al.  Computer Security Handbook , 2002 .

[12]  Margo McCall,et al.  IEEE Computer Society , 2019, Encyclopedia of Software Engineering.

[13]  Anne Persson.  The Practice of Participatory Enterprise Modelling: A Competency Perspective , 2008 .

[14]  Nancy R. Mead,et al.  Software Assurance Curriculum Project Volume I: Master of Software Assurance Reference Curriculum , 2010 .

[15]  Eva Söderström,et al.  Information Systems Engineering: From Data Analysis to Process Networks , 2008 .

[16]  Ben L. Erdreich,et al.  Civil Service Evaluation. The Evolving Role of the U.S. Office of Personnel Management. A Report concerning Significant Actions of the U.S. Office of Personnel Management. , 1998 .

[17]  Mark A. Ardis,et al.  SEI Report on Graduate Software Engineering Education , 1989, CSEE.

[18]  Mary Shaw.  Frequently Asked Questions on Implementing GSwE2009 , 2009 .

[19]  H. Raghav Rao,et al.  Federal Cyber Service: Scholarship for Service (SFS) Program at NSF , 2010 .

[20]  Donna Burton,et al.  Department of Homeland Security Website. Administered by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Washington, DC 20528. Retrieved August 2009, from http: //www.dhs.gov/ , 2010, Gov. Inf. Q..

[21]  Nancy R. Mead,et al.  Software Security Engineering: A Guide for Project Managers , 2004 .

[22]  Art Pyster,et al.  Software Engineering 2009(GSwE2009): Curriculum Guidelines for Graduate Degree Programs in Software Engineering , 2009 .