Status: Closed — this petition is no longer accepting signatures.
Final supporters
Curriculum Change- Switch IA 606 and IA 612 into electives
Hello Dr Chen,
This petition is regarding the issue, most of the MSIA students are facing regarding IA 606 and IA 612 classes.
IA 606 applied cryptography demands very thorough knowledge in the fields of Linux, Algorithm, Coding etc. and IA 612 demands a thorough knowledge on networking and other concepts. As MSIA majors we believe that IA606 and IA 612 courses weighs an unnecessary burden on the MSIA program students, especially the ones who plan to pursue the management concentrations. As a matter of fact these classes offered for computer science majors requires 3-4 prerequisite classes before enrolling into these courses and offering these classes without any prerequisites for MSIA students is unfair.
These courses were made elective in spring 2016 and the students were informed that these classes are no longer core classes, however in November 2016, in the middle of the semester the MSIA department sent an email again stating that these classes are required core classes putting students in a dilemma, especially international students who cannot afford to deviate their plans due to crucial immigration deadlines ahead of them ( OPT, CPT and etc.) Furthermore, as per the feedback received in the department meeting, and from the students who had taken this course previously, it is pretty clear that a strong criticism have been made regarding the structure of these courses and the emphasize of prerequisites, but still the department has not yet come up with a solid conclusion.
We MSIA students do not intend to condemn these courses, we believe that these courses are very important and have a lot to offer, the argument we are trying to convey is that since these courses are very heavy computer science courses which require several prerequisites, adjust the curriculum in such a way so that these courses go into the elective category. Students who have a strong computer background or students who genuinely wants to aspire going in to the technical/networking career path can follow these courses, and students who choose a less technical and management oriented career path can then have the chance to replace the IA 606 and 612 with more logical curriculum choices in line with their career objectives.
Since the decision had been already taken to make these courses electives by the MSIA department in March 2016, we would appreciate and be grateful if MSIA department take their stand and implement this action which is in the interest of its students at the earliest convenient, given the impact of this matter on our curriculum plan.
Thank you
More like this
Bring Back CPSC 527
Petition of Class of 2015 MSE Master Students
33 Comments
These courses put unnecessary pressure on students coming from a non-IT background. If these courses are enforced upon those students, program should specify the need for pre-requisites when coming into the program, allowing students to take an informed decision about the program at admission. Changing these courses from core to non-core, to core again within the last year has not helped students in planning for the completion of the program.
We are the people who are supposed to carry out the security of big and small companies. An Information Security graduate who doesn't understand what hash, certificate, DES vulnerabilities, are might be catastrophic in the near future. It only takes one graduate hired by a reputable company, such as Target, and failing to manage a security team through a project of a new certificate implementation or a new firewall, could result in labeling all St. Cloud State University's IA graduates as incompetent.
I came across a course with the code, CNA438 which is Applied Cryptography. There are three pre-requisites to complete in order to do this course. It's unfair that for a 600 level class we do not have even these prerequisites. Specially students like us who are from the management concentration are struggling due to these issues.
For the students who want to go for the management concentration the IA 606 and IA 612 should be considered as electives but for the students who want to pursue the security concentration it should be considered under core courses.
Planned the course map according to requirements and took extra courses as 606 and 612 were electives now changing them to mandatory after completing 90% of courses required for graduation will be additional burden and time consuming as 606 is prerequisite for 612
Hello Donkey Face, Thank you for the comment. If you take a moment and read whats elaborated on the petition you will have a better understanding as to why this petition was created. There is no argument regarding these classes, they have a lot to offer and indeed valuable course if you plan to purser a Security career and thus we urge the dept to have them as electives as stated on the petition so student planning to pursue a security career can take those classes. Pursuing a MSIA major does not mean you are entitled to purse a security career; there are plethora of other careers like BSA , and other IT business related careers. Student who are from business background, who intend to go into those careers do not need heavy cryptography and intrusion detections classes however if these classes are made core then the dept should implement the proper prerequisite for the students. If you are not aware , this program provide the options -Business concentration /Network Concentration options for students , therefore this restructuring is fair to all students. I suggest you to visit the MSIA department website and educate yourself as to what the program is all about .
I suggest that 606 and 612 can be added into electives. Students who really need the course can take them.
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Status: Closed — this petition is no longer accepting signatures.
Final supporters
Curriculum Change- Switch IA 606 and IA 612 into electives
Hello Dr Chen,
This petition is regarding the issue, most of the MSIA students are facing regarding IA 606 and IA 612 classes.
IA 606 applied cryptography demands very thorough knowledge in the fields of Linux, Algorithm, Coding etc. and IA 612 demands a thorough knowledge on networking and other concepts. As MSIA majors we believe that IA606 and IA 612 courses weighs an unnecessary burden on the MSIA program students, especially the ones who plan to pursue the management concentrations. As a matter of fact these classes offered for computer science majors requires 3-4 prerequisite classes before enrolling into these courses and offering these classes without any prerequisites for MSIA students is unfair.
These courses were made elective in spring 2016 and the students were informed that these classes are no longer core classes, however in November 2016, in the middle of the semester the MSIA department sent an email again stating that these classes are required core classes putting students in a dilemma, especially international students who cannot afford to deviate their plans due to crucial immigration deadlines ahead of them ( OPT, CPT and etc.) Furthermore, as per the feedback received in the department meeting, and from the students who had taken this course previously, it is pretty clear that a strong criticism have been made regarding the structure of these courses and the emphasize of prerequisites, but still the department has not yet come up with a solid conclusion.
We MSIA students do not intend to condemn these courses, we believe that these courses are very important and have a lot to offer, the argument we are trying to convey is that since these courses are very heavy computer science courses which require several prerequisites, adjust the curriculum in such a way so that these courses go into the elective category. Students who have a strong computer background or students who genuinely wants to aspire going in to the technical/networking career path can follow these courses, and students who choose a less technical and management oriented career path can then have the chance to replace the IA 606 and 612 with more logical curriculum choices in line with their career objectives.
Since the decision had been already taken to make these courses electives by the MSIA department in March 2016, we would appreciate and be grateful if MSIA department take their stand and implement this action which is in the interest of its students at the earliest convenient, given the impact of this matter on our curriculum plan.
Thank you
33 Comments
I feel MSIA program was formed to accommodate students from different academic backgrounds. I think, in order to keep the initial mission and vision of the program, it would be ideal to make both IA 606 and IA 612 classes electives. This way the students could take the classes according to their concentrations.
These courses put unnecessary pressure on students coming from a non-IT background. If these courses are enforced upon those students, program should specify the need for pre-requisites when coming into the program, allowing students to take an informed decision about the program at admission. Changing these courses from core to non-core, to core again within the last year has not helped students in planning for the completion of the program.
We are the people who are supposed to carry out the security of big and small companies. An Information Security graduate who doesn't understand what hash, certificate, DES vulnerabilities, are might be catastrophic in the near future. It only takes one graduate hired by a reputable company, such as Target, and failing to manage a security team through a project of a new certificate implementation or a new firewall, could result in labeling all St. Cloud State University's IA graduates as incompetent.
I came across a course with the code, CNA438 which is Applied Cryptography. There are three pre-requisites to complete in order to do this course. It's unfair that for a 600 level class we do not have even these prerequisites. Specially students like us who are from the management concentration are struggling due to these issues.
For the students who want to go for the management concentration the IA 606 and IA 612 should be considered as electives but for the students who want to pursue the security concentration it should be considered under core courses.
Planned the course map according to requirements and took extra courses as 606 and 612 were electives now changing them to mandatory after completing 90% of courses required for graduation will be additional burden and time consuming as 606 is prerequisite for 612
Hello Donkey Face, Thank you for the comment. If you take a moment and read whats elaborated on the petition you will have a better understanding as to why this petition was created. There is no argument regarding these classes, they have a lot to offer and indeed valuable course if you plan to purser a Security career and thus we urge the dept to have them as electives as stated on the petition so student planning to pursue a security career can take those classes. Pursuing a MSIA major does not mean you are entitled to purse a security career; there are plethora of other careers like BSA , and other IT business related careers. Student who are from business background, who intend to go into those careers do not need heavy cryptography and intrusion detections classes however if these classes are made core then the dept should implement the proper prerequisite for the students. If you are not aware , this program provide the options -Business concentration /Network Concentration options for students , therefore this restructuring is fair to all students. I suggest you to visit the MSIA department website and educate yourself as to what the program is all about .
I suggest that 606 and 612 can be added into electives. Students who really need the course can take them.
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I feel MSIA program was formed to accommodate students from different academic backgrounds. I think, in order to keep the initial mission and vision of the program, it would be ideal to make both IA 606 and IA 612 classes electives. This way the students could take the classes according to their concentrations.