Earn your Cybersecurity Degree from University of Fairfax
Doctorate of Information Assurance
The University of Fairfax Doctorate of Information Assurance (DIA) is distinguished among cybersecurity leaders. Our doctoral students have diverse professional objectives – such as becoming a cybersecurity leader, policymaker, applied researcher or academic. Your admissions advisor will guide you to pursue the doctoral program that best fits your career goals and interests.
As a doctoral student, all of your courses here will explore relevant cybersecurity policy issues in enterprise management, you’ll complete a cybersecurity project in each, enabling you to make immediate and lasting workplace contributions. You’ll learn from leading, practitioner cybersecurity faculty whose cybersecurity colleagues can become an integral part of your professional network throughout your career.
Program Outcomes:
Upon completion of this degree program, graduates will be able to:
- Analyze, assess and critique the applicability of best practices in addressing information assurance issues
- Demonstrate secondary research competencies in the investigation and identification of problems experienced by information assurance practitioners
- Develop evidence-based recommendations for solutions which address problems relevant to the cybersecurity community
- Empirically assess the feasibility of a proposed solution for a problem affecting the cybersecurity community
- Articulate a thorough understanding of a specialized field of study relevant to the cybersecurity community
We have incorporated the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Cybersecurity Framework into our degree programs. The NIST framework provides a structured approach for managing and reducing cybersecurity risks, and our courses align with the framework’s five core functions: Identify, Protect, Detect, Respond, and Recover. By incorporating the NIST framework into our curriculum, we are preparing our students for successful careers in a variety of industries and government agencies that require compliance with the framework.
You can access your project-driven courses online from any location, when it’s convenient for you, and easily communicate with your instructors and classmates. You’ll progress through your coursework in a group, which provides opportunities for collaborative learning and support, as well as more personalized instruction.
Close communication with your advisor and the University’s unique Dissertation Project Plan enable you to complete manageable milestones that ensure you’re making steady progress toward completing your dissertation and reaching your goal.
This program is offered in both a full distance education and a hybrid delivery format which allows students to take a portion of their coursework in a residential setting.

University of Fairfax incorporates
into the Doctorate of Information Assurance curriculum.
Visit our eLearning page for more details on AWS Academy and our innovative course delivery methods.
Doctorate of Information Assurance Required Courses
Core Courses
CEX 8220: Security Program Strategies and Implementation
IA7020: Information Security Systems and Organizational Awareness
IA7040: Information Security and Organizational Change
IA8010: Business and Security Risk Analysis
IA8021: Cloud Cybersecurity
IA8110: Certification and Accreditation
IA9150: Strategic and Technical Trends Information Security
IA9200: Research Topics in Information Security
RM8500: Research Foundations
RM9100: Qualitative and Quantitative Analysis
Program Electives (Select 3)
BR9200: Designing Solutions to Business Problems
CEX8230: Legal and Ethical Management Issues in Information Security
DC7450: Advanced Research Methods in Communications Networks
DS7000: Database Management and Implementations
DS7100: Advanced Operating Systems
DS7600: Big Data and Analytical Research Methods for Software Developers
DS9200: Designing Solutions to Software Development Problems
IA7000: Security in the Digital Age (CISSP)
IA7030: Legal and Ethical Practices in Information Security
IA7401: Ethical Hacking (CEH)
IS7402: Information Security Management (CISM)
IA8020: Security Policies, Standards, and Procedures
IA8030: Design, Development, and Evaluation of Security Controls
IA8031: Cybersecurity Insurance
IA8060: Intrusion Detection, Attacks, and Countermeasures
IA8070: Design and Development of Security Architectures
IA8190: Forensic Evaluation and Incident Response Management
PM8100: Information Security Project Management
RM9150: Feasibility Problem-Driven Research
RM9200: Designing Solutions to Information Security Problems
Free Electives (Select 3)
7000-Level Elective
8000-Level Elective
9000-Level Elective
Comprehensive Examination
DST9500: Comprehensive & Qualifying Examination
Dissertation Courses
RES8110: Dissertation Initiation
RES8120: Dissertation Literature Review I
RES8121: Dissertation Literature Review II
RES8130: Dissertation Research, IRB, and Analysis
DST8110: Dissertation Results and Findings
DST8130X: Dissertation Manuscript Certification
Minimum credits required for Doctorate of Information Assurance: 621
1Credit hours may exceed the minimum stated if dissertation deliverables are not completed within the expected timeframes.
Potential Careers for Doctorate in Information Assurance graduates:
When you graduate with a DIA at Fairfax, you will be prepared for many exciting careers in this growing industry. Our graduates have gone on to work in high-level positions in the United States Navy, the Department of Veterans Affairs, Lockheed Martin, Cisco Systems, Wells Fargo, and more!
Whether you want to work as a Chief Technology Officer at a major enterprise or teach at a university level, we will help you develop the skills to succeed in your chosen career.
Cybersecurity Education Path
Distinguish yourself and advance your cybersecurity career by following the University of Fairfax Online Cybersecurity Education Path. No matter which graduate program you pursue, all of your courses will explore relevant cybersecurity policy and management issues, and you will complete a cybersecurity project in each course. You can apply what you learn and make significant contributions in your workplace right away.
