Introduction
The study program Information Systems and Cyber Security aim at the preparation of professionals in information systems and cybersecurity who will have the fundamental and applied knowledge in informatics engineering and develop skills required for secure analysis, design, structuring, and maintenance of information systems.
This program is the first and only cybersecurity study program in Lithuania. There is a considerable demand for cybersecurity specialists with higher education both in the European Union and international labor markets. In the future, the demand will undoubtedly grow due to:
tightening of the legal environment of growing data and information security in the European Union and other countries;
the growing number of forensics and expansion of their scale;
the growing demand of the international enterprises and states to be better protected against economic espionage;
the threat of e-war between the states.
The specialists familiar with the technologies of information systems security will be able to successfully compete both locally, within the EU labor market, and globally, in the world labor market. Today, the concept of ‘distant workplace’ has been embedded in the European Union which ensures the possibility to work remotely in international enterprises. Such work requires specific education. Therefore international enterprises greatly value the specialists who have the skills of adequate specialization that may confirm their competencies. Hence the given study program would allow the students to acquire knowledge and develop skills that are necessary to receive the Information Technology Infrastructure Library (or similar) type certificates.
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Admission Requirements and Selection Criteria
Matura (high school leaving) certificate;
English language proficiency - the level not lower than B2 (following the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR)*.
*Applicants from Belarus who do not have a test taken may apply without it because their language proficiency will be checked during an online interview.
Key Learning Outcomes
The graduate of this study program will develop skills in the analysis and formalization of information flows in a business enterprise; forecast and technologically justify the directions of the implementation of information technologies and work out adequate instrumentation; design, implement, structure, maintain and professionally assess the secure information systems and offer assistance and teaching to the consumers of information technologies; be able to understand and analyze the subject matter of information systems, the processes of their structuring, design, redesign (reengineering and reverse engineering) and realization; be able to apply adequate methods and means and effectively exploit technical equipment and software.
The graduate will be able to identify the gaps of incorrect programming, access the files of cyberattacks DoS and DDoS, know the Burp Suite, understand the security of WEB components – forms, session management, cookies, the configuration of authentication; will know the security context of a particular operating system (OS), recognize the cases of phishing and understand the subtleties of session management and replay attacks.
S/he will be able to analyze the gaps in PHP, Java applications and ensure security in internal hard servers; to perform manual and half-automatic systems and software testing by identifying security gaps and security vulnerabilities; to employ the innovative methods and instrumentation for the proactive gap identification, including reverse engineering; to analyze the IT problems, offer and apply secure practical solutions with respect to the IT cyber aspect.
The graduate will develop individual and teamwork skills in organizing the IT processes and act as their manager; be able to design and implement secure computing webs; will know the legal regulations of cybersecurity and be able to apply the methods of ethical hacking in practice.
S/he will learn how to organize work with the feeling of strong responsibility, individually and in a team; be able to maintain and develop the professional competence in the fields of Information Systems and Cyber Security through lifelong learning; be ready to efficiently carry out professional activities in an international context; be able to follow the social, legal and ethical standards when employing the fundamental theoretical knowledge in Informatics Engineering and in practical solutions, to understand computer architecture; be able to employ programming languages, technologies of providing information on the Internet, to design the information systems architecture and databases, create information systems both with the use of traditional and modern mobile technologies.
International Mobility
Students can participate in the ERASMUS+ mobility program or Bilateral cooperation which gives an opportunity to study at VU’s Partner Universities or do an internship abroad.
Career Opportunities
Graduates of this study program will be able to work as experts, consultants, and information systems security professionals in government organizations and business enterprises of various size; information systems analysts or architects, programmers, testers, database administrators, project managers in the field of Information Systems; information security analysts; security management professionals or managers and IT security auditors in organizations. Graduates will be able to develop their own business initiatives, provide consulting services, or carry out a qualitative analysis of information systems’ design and management.
