Information Systems Security (MASc)
Master of Applied Science (MASc)
Offered by:Concordia Institute for Information Systems Engineering, Gina Cody School of Engineering and Computer Science
Why pursue a Master's in Information Systems Security?
The academic aim of this Master of Applied Science (M.A.Sc.) program is to prepare students with the skills, knowledge, cutting-edge technologies, expertise and best practices to be security architects capable of designing, implementing, analyzing and managing the security of real-life information systems.
Second, the program will put the emphasis on helping each individual acquire the skills and knowledge necessary to maximize his or her potential as a researcher in information systems security. Students will engage in applied research and academic course of study examining existing theory and ways in which these influence the security of information systems. Financial support may be provided by a thesis advisor in certain cases.
This program has a Co-op option. For details each student should contact his/her academic advisor.
Program details
Applicants to the Master of/Magisteriate in Applied Science in Information Systems Security must hold a bachelor’s degree or equivalent in:
- Computer Engineering
- Electrical Engineering
- Software Engineering
- Computer Science
Admission to the program is competitive and only applicants with high academic standing will be considered. Qualified applicants requiring prerequisite courses may be asked to take such courses in addition to their regular graduate program. The GCS Graduate Studies Committee, in consultation with the Institute, is responsible for the recommendation of all applications for admission.
Residence requirements. The minimum residence requirement for the Master’s degree is three terms (one year) of full-time study, or the equivalent in part-time study.
Transfer from the Master of Engineering in Information Systems Security. Students, in good standing, who have completed a minimum of 12 credits in the Master of Engineering in Information Systems Security, may apply for a transfer to the Master of Applied Science in Information Systems Security.
In order to graduate, students must have a CGPA of at least 2.70.
- Program of Study. The student will follow the proposed course sequence. In addition, students have to consult with their supervisor for selecting a research topic. Students can enter this program as Co-op students. See item 6. Thesis
- Credits. A fully qualified candidate is required to successfully complete a minimum of 45 credits. Additional credits may be required in some cases.
- Transfer Credits. Students may be granted transfer academic credits for, in general, not more than eight credits taken in approved graduate studies prior to their entry into this program. A course submitted for transfer credit must be appropriate to the student’s program of study at Concordia University. An application for such credit will be considered only at the time of admission.
- Time Limit. Please refer to the Academic Regulation page for further details regarding the Time Limit requirements.
Courses. Students must complete a minimum of 20 credits, including 16 credits of core courses (INSE 6110, INSE 6120, INSE 6130, and INSE 6140) and one 4-credit course as shown below:
- a course chosen from the topic area E69 Information Systems Security, approved by the student’s supervisor, or
- an INSE course, approved by the student’s supervisor and either the Graduate Program Director or the Director of the Institute.
- Thesis. Students must complete a 25-credit thesis as part of their degree requirements. The thesis must represent the results of the student’s independent work after admission to the program. The proposed topic for the thesis, together with a brief statement outlining the proposed method of treatment, and the arrangement made for faculty supervision, must be approved by the GCS Graduate Studies Committee. For purposes of registration, this work will be designated as INSE 8901. The thesis will be evaluated by the student’s supervisor(s), and at least two examiners appointed by GCS Graduate Studies Committee, one of whom shall be external to the student’s department.
Students have the option to do the thesis work within the industrial milieu through the Institute for Co-operative Education. The suggested schedule of the program is as follows: fall and winter terms will be dedicated to course work, followed by two or three terms for research and development in industry, culminating in one or two terms in the Institute for the writing and defence of the thesis. Each student in this case will have a supervisor from the Institute and a mentor from industry. The intellectual property will be managed according to the University policy.
Please apply online. Read the how-to guide for application procedures.
1. Submit your application and pay a $100CAD application fee. A student ID number will be issued
2. Log on to MyConcordia.ca portal to upload documents
3. A completed file that is ready to be assessed will include:
- Application form and Fee
- Curriculum Vitae (CV)
- Three Letters of Reference and assessment form
- Statement of purpose
- Transcripts (with mark sheets if applicable) for all post-secondary institutions attended
- Proof of Canadian citizenship (if applicable)
- Applicants whose primary language is not English, are required to submit official language test scores, unless exempted.
4. An admission offer will not be issued until a supervisor match has been made. Students are encouraged to review the list of faculty members' field of interests and directly contact those with whom you would like to work.
For initial assessment purposes, scanned and uploaded copies of documents are accepted. To finalize a file, once admitted, Concordia University will require official documents.
| DEGREE |
FALL (September) |
WINTER (January) |
SUMMER (May/June) |
| Information Systems Security | ||||
| Canadian/Permanent Resident | MASc | June 1 | Oct. 1 | Feb. 1 |
| International | MASc | Feb. 15 | June 15 | Oct. 15 |
Priority will be given to those who apply within the official deadlines listed above. Some programs may continue to accept applications after these deadlines. For more information, please contact the department.
For topic area course lists, please visit the Graduate Calendar.
For course descriptions, please visit the Graduate Calendar.
CIISE produces a high level of multidisciplinary research activity. Faculty members are involved in a wide range of research projects sponsored by both industry and government agencies in various areas of research, classified as follows: systems engineering, software engineering, middleware, systems security, cryptography and data security, cyber forensics, incident handling, security evaluation, biometrics, communication networks, communication protocols, image processing, 3D graphics, computer vision, pattern recognition, design science, requirements engineering for product design, tele-geo-informatics, augmented reality, infrastructure and facilities management, project management, geographic information systems, statistics, supply chain management, quality management, e-business systems, decision support systems, RFID, operations research, optimization, and artificial intelligence.
Concordia’s Gina Cody School of Engineering and Computer Science offers modern, well equipped research laboratories and facilities for graduate students, postdoctoral fellows and other research personnel.
The Concordia Institute for Information Systems Engineering is an international centre of teaching and learning excellence established as a department within the Faculty. It promotes interdisciplinary research and development of information technologies in software and systems engineering. CIISE has three affiliated research laboratories:
