Software Assurance Curriculum
Complex software systems affect nearly every aspect of our lives, in areas such as defense, government, energy, communication, transportation, manufacturing, and finance. Protecting these systems against vulnerabilities and attacks is critical, so there is a growing demand for skilled professionals who can build security and correct functionality into
software and systems under development.
Yet there are few graduate software assurance programs or tracks that focus on developing assured software and,
consequently, not enough professionals to meet the growing demand.
Recognizing the importance of software assurance education to meet this demand, CERT researchers are collaborating on the software assurance curriculum with a team of educators from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Monmouth University, and Stevens Institute of Technology.
The focus of the software assurance curriculum project is to
- identify a core body of knowledge that educational institutions can use to develop Master of Software Assurance (MSwA) degree programs
- mentor universities in developing standalone MSwA degree programs and tracks within existing software engineering and computer science master’s degree programs
- promote an undergraduate curriculum specialization for software assurance
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address community college needs
Curriculum
The Master of Software Assurance Reference Curriculum is the first curriculum developed that focuses on assuring the functionality, dependability, and security of software and systems. This curriculum provides guidelines for a well-rounded education on key security and assurance topics.
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SWA Course
Outlines
Undergraduate software assurance (SwA) course outlines are also available. These courses are intended to provide students with fundamental skills for either entering the field directly or continuing with graduate-level education. In addition, syllabi were created to support the development of a set of courses to be used in a master of software assurance curriculum.
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Course
Syllabi
Course syllabi were created to support the development of a set of courses to be used in a master of software assurance curriculum. This report provides sample syllabi for the nine core courses in the Master
of Software Assurance Reference Curriculum. In addition to application
in a standard university program, these syllabi may also be useful for educators developing
courses for industry practitioners. |
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Community
College Education
This report focuses on community college courses for software assurance. The courses are intended to provide students with fundamental skills for continuing with graduate-level education or to provide supplementary education for students with prior undergraduate technical degrees who wish to become more specialized in software assurance. |
Share The Software Assurance (SwA) Curriculum Project team is looking for materials to share with educators interested in adopting elements of the software assurance curricula.
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Implement
Interested in starting an MSwA program or track? The MSwA team will discuss course offerings, review plans, and mentor colleges, universities, and governmental educational institutions at no charge.
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Connect
Connect to a highly engaged group of software assurance education professionals through the Software Assurance Education group on LinkedIn.
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