Brandeis University

Master of Science in Information Assurance
Master of Science in Information Technology Management
Master of Science in Software Engineering
Master of Science in Virtual Team Management and Communication
Master of Science in Health and Medical Informatics
Master of Science in Management of Projects and Programs

Now, more than ever, governments and all types of industries require methodologies, techniques and disaster-recovery plans to protect cyberspace and global information.

Information assurance emphasizes strategic risk management over tools and tactics. It covers a broad range of topics, including reliability, and governance issues such as privacy, compliance, audits, business continuity and disaster recovery.

The Information Assurance program in the Division of Graduate Professional Studies addresses the growing need for information security professionals that possess a balance of analytical skills and business acumen.

The program is unique in its emphasis on the policy, management and technology aspects of information security and risk management.

Graduates with a Master of Science in Information Assurance are prepared to:

• Assess risks to the security of proprietary information in an organization.
• Understand the technical, organizational and human factors associated with these risks.
• Evaluate information technology tools designed to protect against threats facing organizations.
• Assess the impact of security policies on existing complex systems and organizational objectives while simultaneously considering regulatory requirements and compliance.
• Oversee the information assurance life cycle of an organization, including planning, acquisition, development and evolution of secure infrastructures.

Information technology is now so closely integrated with business, that business solutions must include the use of technology.

The challenge facing business leaders today is to not simply manage information technology, but to use technology to deliver business value.

The Information Technology Management program in the Division of Graduate Professional Studies combines technological and managerial components to develop graduates who can deal effectively with the complexity and variety of issues involved in applying information technology successfully within organizations.

Graduates with a Master of Science in Information Technology Management are prepared to:

• Develop and lead teams of technical people toward the achievement of established goals, and manage the development of their product.
• Identify ways in which technology can be applied to solve both existing and new or anticipated problems.
• Leverage technology to realize strategic management goals and opportunities.
• Assure the quality of information as well as its value to those who will ultimately use it for decision making.
• Think, write and speak cogently and persuasively about ongoing or anticipated work with colleagues, end-users and corporate leadership, and listen carefully to feedback.

Software engineering focuses on the systematic production and maintenance of software products, and involves not only the technical aspects of building software systems, but also the collaboration required of programming teams and the alignment of software solutions with organizational strategies.

The Software Engineering program in the Division of Graduate Professional Studies combines the disciplines of design, quality, programming and management so that students can ensure the delivery of reliable software to increasingly large, complex and international end markets.

Graduates with a Master of Software Engineering are prepared to:

• Apply a systematic, disciplined, quantifiable approach to the cost-effective development, operation and maintenance of software systems to the satisfaction of their beneficiaries.
• Build solutions using different technologies, architectures and life-cycle approaches in the context of different organizational structures, with demonstrated programming expertise in at least one language among C, C++, Java and VB.Net.
• Foster the development, adoption and sustained use of standards of excellence for software engineering practices.
• Speak and write effectively and think critically about a wide range of issues arising in the context of working constructively on software projects.

Today, almost every professional position in any field requires the sharing in and direction of the work of others via the Internet — whether one's colleagues are in the same building or on the other side of the world. Virtual team management and communication involves:

• Understanding and managing the development and direction of teams at a distance.
• The dynamic of communication within an organization.
• The impacts of distance and diversity on business practices and activity.
• The expectations of diverse legal and ethical environments.
• Culturally diverse business habits and practices in a worldwide environment.

The Virtual Team Management and Communication program in the Division of Graduate Professional Studies provides a framework for understanding and managing many sociocultural, regulatory and geographic issues in a worldwide environment.

The program is targeted for team members, team leaders and managers working in virtual and globally distributed teams.

Graduates with a Master of Science in Virtual Team Management and Communication are prepared to:

• Apply knowledge of virtual team-leadership techniques and worldwide environments to foster better virtual team-building and direction.
• Apply communication theory and methods to create effective communication, team-building and mutual confidence for virtual teams.
• Apply knowledge of the virtual-communication tools and technology to establish successful ongoing team interaction, communication and exchange of information.
• Formulate and implement strategies for managing distributed employees and teams to maximize their productivity.
• Negotiate and manage contracts in various environments and identify and resolve conflicts in a virtual environment.

Health and medical informatics is the application of principles of computer and information science to the effective organization, analysis, management, and use of information in health care.

With evolving health care reform, the development, implementation, evaluation, and management of information technology solutions are critical, and core technologies and standards must be addressed.

The Health and Medical Informatics program in the Division of Graduate Professional Studies addresses the growing need for professionals who need to possess both analytical skills and business acumen with the goal of improving health care delivery systems through information technology.

Graduates with a Master of Science in Health and Medical Informatics are prepared to:

• Facilitate the development and advancement of emerging information technologies to improve health care delivery and cost efficiencies.
• Gain an in-depth understanding of new and existing health information management systems within the context of the U.S. health care system.
• Become proficient in the "language" of health care, navigate the rules around using medical data, and obtain relevant information to assess changes to the health care system.
• Participate in the development, implementation, evaluation and management of information technology solutions to improve patient care and the health care delivery process.
• Utilize health information technology for decision support, knowledge management, strategic planning, and outcomes assessment to optimize cost efficiencies in the health care system.
• Effectively interface between the data systems developers and the user community.

Brandeis University's MS in Management of Projects and Programs is an online program designed for working professionals interested in project management. The program curriculum is consistent with PMI's PMBOK®. It integrates understandings of business functions and concerns at various levels of corporate operation, and involves the interdisciplinary study of management, leadership and technology. Brandeis University is a well-recognized world-class research institution known for its academic excellence and commitment to social justice. Brandeis is a member of the Association of American Universities and is accredited by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges.