General information
The Master of Information Technology Security (MITS) program is a professional graduate degree that prepares students to work in the high-demand IT security industry. The program is designed to enable students to learn how to learn in the rapidly evolving IT security field. The program adopts a project method that provides students with the experience to apply core course materials to a substantial project in the workplace during the latter part of the program.
The MITS program is one of the first of its kind in Canada and one of few specialized IT security graduate degree programs available in the world. Through theory and applied learning, the program enables students to develop an extensive understanding of business and information technology security, polish communication skills and examine business and IT ethics in a team environment.
To achieve the objectives of the program and to enhance students’ learning experience, it is important for the program to provide students with the necessary hands-on skills and knowledge. The Faculty of Business and Information Technology provides a Hacker Research Lab to enhance the curriculum of the MITS program. This lab facility hosts an array of network settings and consists of a variety of network equipment and wireless devices in a secure setting. It offers students a secluded environment within which to work on various IT security projects and experiments.
The MITS curriculum contains the domains found in the Certified Information Systems Security Profession (CISSP) exam. The curriculum, which includes an IT security capstone project, also provides students with the opportunity to apply core course concepts to a substantial project in the workplace. This plan of study introduces students to the fundamental knowledge of the ever-changing IT security field. MITS graduates will not only be able to understand and apply the best of current practice but will also be able to act as managers of transformation to improve that practice as the field evolves. MITS graduates are prepared to work in different levels as IT security professionals.
MITS students have the option to study the field of Artificial Intelligence in Security (AIS) within the program. This professional stream is the first of its kind in Canada and combines a deep knowledge of IT Security with hands-on knowledge of artificial intelligence systems and machine learning, and provides students with a comprehensive understanding of the applications of this technology. Graduates of this program can seek employment in the growing artificial intelligence industry as well as IT security firms.
A current list of graduate faculty is available on the Faculty of Business and Information Technology’s website.
Admission requirements
In addition to the general admission requirements for graduate studies , MITS applicants must meet the following program-specific requirements:
- While applicants may hold any four-year undergraduate degree from an accredited institution, preference is given to applicants whose undergraduate degree is in the field of IT, engineering, science or related fields.
- Work experience in IT-related jobs is preferred.
- Submission of a portfolio indicating relevant work experience and skills in IT.
- Successful completion of at least one course in advanced programming (e.g., Java/C/C++/C#) and advanced mathematics (e.g., linear algebra, calculus, number theory, etc.), and at least one course or proven work experience in operating systems (Windows and/or Unix or Linux). The applicant may be asked to provide course descriptions to assist with the assessment of the application.
Those who have completed the Graduate Certificate program in Information System Security – Computers and Networks (GC-ISCN) program at Durham College may be admitted to the MITS program if they satisfy specific requirements. Contact gradstudies@ontariotechu.ca for more information.
Part-time studies
Students can complete this program on a part-time basis, but because the IT security field changes rapidly, any students who wish to pursue security certification are encouraged to enrol full-time. It is essential that part-time students seek approval from their faculty advisor or the graduate program director regarding their study plan.
Degree requirements
Students are required to complete eight core courses, a non-credit seminar course, and either a capstone research project I/II, an internship, or two elective courses for a total of 30 credits. Students must also successfully complete the non-credit MITS 5900G - MITS Seminar course. The standard time for program completion is 24 months, based on full-time status. Students may be able to complete program requirements in 12 to 24 months, depending on course availability.
Note:
*Students must choose exactly one of the following options:
- Take both Capstone Research Project I and II courses or
- Take two elective courses or
- Take MITS Internship
Students cannot take one capstone course and one elective course. Students may take relevant 5000- or 6000-level courses in Information Technology, Computer Science, Electrical and Computer Engineering or Health Informatics as electives. The choice of elective courses must be approved by the graduate program director for the MITS program prior to course registration.
** The MITS internship course (MITS 7000G ) must be at least 12 weeks full time or 420 hours in length and replaces MITS 6300G /MITS 6600G , subject to internship position availability. In order to qualify for an Internship placement, students must have completed four courses (12.0 credit hours) in the MITS/MITS-AIS program, been enrolled in the MITS/MITS-AIS program for at least two semesters (eight months), and have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0. Internships are arranged through the Faculty of Business and Information Technology Internship and Capstone Coordinator and must be approved by the Graduate Program Director.
Artificial Intelligence in Security field
Students pursuing the AIS field must complete six mandatory courses, two electives, a seminar, and a capstone project or internship as follows:
Note:
***Students must choose exactly one of the following options:
****The MITS internship course (MITS 7000G ) must be at least 12 weeks full time or 420 hours in length and replaces MITS 6300G /MITS 6600G , subject to internship position availability. In order to qualify for an Internship placement, students must have completed four courses (12.0 credit hours) in the MITS/MITS-AIS program, been enrolled in the MITS/MITS-AIS program for at least two semesters (eight months), and have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0. Internships are arranged through the Faculty of Business and Information Technology Internship and Capstone Coordinator and must be approved by the Graduate Program Director.
*****Students cannot take one capstone course and one elective course. The choice of elective courses is subject to the graduate program director’s approval. Students must take at least one elective course from the following list. The other elective course can be any MITS course:
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