Bachelor of Applied Technology (Informatics and Security)
2004 represented a fairly heavy-duty year for me in regards to work as a professor and as part of a development team to create a new degree. After waiting many months (this was a hurry-up and wait situation) it was finally submitted to the Ministry for approval. Part of this approval process requires public comments and viewing. For those interested in more details you can see it here: http://peqab.edu.gov.on.ca/pdf/Senec...ecurityWeb.pdf (note: you'll need Acrobat and the document is LONG as well as BIG -- at 18.1 MB!)
As a bit of background for those not aware of how post-secondary education works and for clarification:
In Ontario there are really two streams of education: university-level (degrees) and community colleges (diplomas of 2 or 3 years). Generally universities teach theory while the colleges deal with hands-on and coop programs. Additionally, the admission into college is a little more open and a bit more cheaper than universities. The idea was to ensure that post-secondary education wasn't limited to the rich few. The colleges also tend to deal with real world training and have one of the best ROIs of post-secondary education. Students are more likely to be hired in their field than not and will pay back loans.
Problem is that universities are getting the most attention in regards to the workplace (perception is that someone with a university degree knows more than someone with a diploma). And the colleges are not getting funding (colleges in Ontario are not allowed to go for private funding, thus it comes from the Government and that funding hasn't changed in about 15 years).
So in an attempt to alleviate this the Ministry decided to allow the colleges to offer "Applied Degrees". These degrees would combine the necessary theory with the pratical hands on teaching that is often found in the colleges. Plus, the colleges were required to teach what isn't be taught elsewhere in the province thus making them a desirable venue to go. And thus was born the idea of the degree above.
I had proposed it initially about 2 years prior. While I wasn't the first, I believe I was able to put things into a more concise view and a more realistic view. Previous attempts were for heavy programming (don't get me wrong -- it has it's place but with the vastness of computers sometimes it's necessary to take a little more of a narrower view). The view that security is solely made of programming is an incorrect view in my opinion and that was the premise of this degree.
Networking is an important part of what goes on in the Internet and in business. Further to that, is the need to have good procedures in place and an understanding of ethics and law. In my research about existing degrees I couldn't find anything that match it. In fact, what I did find -- rather depressingly -- was that many post-secondary institutions viewed security from two points of view: cryptography and auditing. This isn't bad but it's rather narrow, IMO.
Anyways, I post it here because I know there were a few interested in the degree. As an aside, when we developed the courses, I led with 10 of the 40 courses needed to be developed (those, of course, made up the security core courses and the direction/order they should be in).
And yes, I'm rather proud of the work that was put into this (I certainly wasn't alone in this team effort).
If you have questions, ask away. :D
Oh.. and I've affectionately called this the "Hallowe'en" degree (BAT'iS). ;)
