[Asis-l] Univ. of South Florida Launches Master's in Strategy and Information Analytics

[Andrews, James]

University of South Florida, School of Information Announces New Master's Degree, Receives Recognition as NSA Center of Academic Excellence (USF-wide) for Information Assurance/Cybersecurity.

​The School of Information at the University of South Florida (USF) has officially launched a new  Master of Science degree in Information Studies with a focus on Strategy & Information Analytics. This unique program is designed to train a “next generation” of intelligence analysts and information professionals for the private and public sectors. The MS program is built around an innovative STEM-based model for professional analytic education with a curriculum that will focus primarily on developing analytic competencies and subsequently allow students to focus on specialized subject-matter areas. The principal aim is to train problem-solvers who understand strategic concepts and analytic methodologies and can apply that knowledge to advance an organization’s interests and objectives. Graduates will be capable of developing and evaluating new knowledge; generating and analyzing courses of action; expressing clearly reasoned opinions; and communicating effectively in writing, oral presentation, and visual display. That is, they will know how to use information and apply knowledge to make organizations better.

Blending Strategy (a calculation of ends, ways, and means within acceptable bounds of risk to create favora​​ble outcomes) and Informatics (the science of human and automated processing of information), the Strategy & Information Analytics curriculum bridges the gap​ between business analysts and data analysts. The interdisciplinary program builds a set of analytic skills that allows graduates to work effectively with policy makers, military leaders, business executives, and data scientists to support better organizational decision-making.
  Students may select from two optional concentrations:

o Strategic Intelligence (The specific form of analysis which is required for the formulation of policy and plans at agency, corporate, national or international levels)

o Cyber Intelligence (The acquisition and analysis of information to identify, track, and predict cyber capabilities, intentions, and activities that offer courses of action to enhance decision making) This concentration is also offered as part of a separate MS degree in Cybersecurity, that was also launched this fall and came out of the Florida Center for Cybersecurity (FC2) (http://www.usf.edu/cybersecurity/ ). Based in part on this master's program, including the Cyber Intel concentration, USF was recently recognized by DHS/NSA as a National Center of Academic Excellence in Information Assurance/Cybersecurity for academic years 2014-2019.


​ FACULTY to build a world class program...

The School of Information at USF has been able to bring in unique expertise to help build this new master's and enhance our overall mission.

As previously announced, this new area within the School of Information has been spearheaded by Dr. Randy Borum. Dr. Borum is Professor and Coordinator for Strategy and Intelligence Studies in the School of Information at the University of South Florida. He has served on the Director of National Intelligence's Intelligence Science Board, the Defense Science Board Task Force on Understanding Human Dynamics, and as a behavioral scientist and Board-Certified Forensic Psychologist researching national and global security issues, he regularly teaches and consults with law enforcement agencies, the Intelligence Community, and DoD, and has authored/ co-authored more than 120 professional publications.

Our newest faculty member started this fall. “Scuba” Steve Gary joined the School of Information as an Assistant Professor of Practice .  Prior to joining the USF faculty, Steve developed, and served as Chief of, the Cyber Intelligence Support Element at U.S. Special Operations Command; as Deputy Division Chief (Cyber) at the National Security Agency/Central Security Service/93rd Intelligence Squadron; as Cryptologic Support Team Officer in Charge (Cyber) for the Combined Joint Special Operations Task Force in Iraq; and as an Adjunct Instructor at Joint Special Operations University.  He was a highly-decorated career intelligence officer and Russian Linguist in the U.S. Air Force, and a Reserve Police Officer for the Biloxi (MS) Police Department.  Steve earned a B.S. degree from Regents College and an M.S. in Cyber Operations from the Air Force Institute of Technology. He currently holds a Security+ certification (CompTIA).​
Scuba will bring his exceptional expertise to the new master's degree program. He will also lead SI efforts related to the future creation of an open source intelligence research and development lab.

In addition, SI has an agreement with the Foundation for Analytic Excellence, the training arm of Pherson and Associates.  Their chief methodologist, Dr. Mary Boardman, will teach Advanced Intelligence Analytic Methods.

​


James E. Andrews, Ph.D.
Director, School of Information
Associate Professor of Information Science
University of South Florida
4202 E. Fowler Ave, CIS 1040
Tampa, FL 33624
jimandrews at usf.edu
813.974.2108



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