Virginia Commonwealth University · Department of Information Systems, School of Business

MS in Information Systems — Information risk, security and assurance Concentration

Master'sMSConcentrationOn campusOnlineHybrid

Overview

A 30-credit Master of Science in Information Systems from the School of Business; the information risk, security and assurance concentration requires courses in security ethics and law, cloud security, security policy and IoT security. Classes meet on weekday evenings, with core courses and most electives offered online or in a hybrid flexible format at least once a year.

Official program name: Information Systems, Master of Science (M.S.) with a concentration in information risk, security and assurance
Awarded degree: Master of Science · major: Information Systems
Source: business.vcu.edu · verified October 11, 2026
Degree level: Master's
Cybersecurity focus: Cybersecurity concentration — Information risk, security and assuranceA formal cybersecurity concentration, track or specialization inside a broader degree such as computer science or information technology. The awarded degree is the broader one.
Source: bulletin.vcu.edu · verified October 11, 2026
School: Virginia Commonwealth University — Department of Information Systems, School of Business
Source: business.vcu.edu · verified October 11, 2026
Location: Richmond, VAFor the online option this is where the school is located — not a residency requirement, and not a guarantee that you may enroll from your state.
Specializations: Information Assurance — formal concentration / track (“Information risk, security and assurance”)
Tracks / concentrations: Information risk, security and assurance
Source: business.vcu.edu · verified October 11, 2026
Required credits: 30 graduate credit hours
Source: bulletin.vcu.edu · verified October 11, 2026
Duration: typically 1 year/3 semesters full-time; 2 years/6 semesters part-time (full-time)A minimum under the stated conditions, not a typical length.
Source: business.vcu.edu · verified October 11, 2026
Start terms: Fall, Spring, Summer
Source: bulletin.vcu.edu · verified October 11, 2026

Why this program is listed

Formal security concentration with four required security courses within the MS in Information Systems.

Concentration courses in ethical, social and legal issues in information systems security, securing cloud infrastructure, security policy formulation and implementation, and securing the Internet of Things; the core adds Principles of Computer and Information Systems Security.

Source: business.vcu.edu · verified October 11, 2026

We list cybersecurity bachelor's, master's and research doctorates at institutionally accredited US schools — dedicated degrees and formal concentrations, never certificates or electives-only degrees. Eligibility rules

Format and attendance

Formats, online delivery, campus visits, internships and class schedule are shown separately, each only as the school states it.

Formats offered: On campus · Online · Hybrid
Source: business.vcu.edu · verified October 11, 2026
Online delivery: Online delivery type not verified
Campus visits (online option): Campus visits: not verified
Class schedule (online option): Synchronous (live sessions)
Source: business.vcu.edu · verified October 11, 2026
Internship: Internship requirement: not verified
Study intensity: Full-time, Part-time
Source: business.vcu.edu · verified October 11, 2026

Attendance requirements as published

Live online sessions Required
Virtual weeknight class meetings on Eastern time
weekly · Time zone: Eastern
Source: business.vcu.edu · verified October 11, 2026

Curriculum

Accelerated options

Accelerated bachelor's/master's opportunity for qualified VCU undergraduates.
Source: bulletin.vcu.edu · verified October 11, 2026

Admissions

Required, optional, waived and not-required items are shown exactly as the school states them. Anything not listed is not verified — not “not required”.

Technical preparation

Prerequisite courses: RequiredCompetence in application programming, systems analysis and design, database, telecommunications and hardware/software
Source: bulletin.vcu.edu · verified October 11, 2026

Résumé / CV: RequiredUp-to-date resume
Source: bulletin.vcu.edu · verified October 11, 2026

Tests

GRE General Test: OptionalGMAT or GRE score may be submitted for consideration.
Source: bulletin.vcu.edu · verified October 11, 2026
GMAT: OptionalGMAT or GRE score may be submitted for consideration.
Source: bulletin.vcu.edu · verified October 11, 2026

We do not publish acceptance rates or estimate admission chances.

Start dates and deadlines

Dates are shown with the term the school printed. A past date is marked passed and is never carried into a new cycle.

Application deadline
Jul 1 · for Fall
The school does not print a year with this date.
Source: bulletin.vcu.edu · verified October 11, 2026
Year not printed
Application deadline
Nov 1 · for Spring
The school does not print a year with this date.
Source: bulletin.vcu.edu · verified October 11, 2026
Year not printed
Application deadline
Mar 1 · for Summer
The school does not print a year with this date.
Source: bulletin.vcu.edu · verified October 11, 2026
Year not printed

Tuition and fees

Each amount keeps its student category, academic year and basis. Per-credit, per-term and whole-program figures are not comparable with each other, and tuition is not the full cost of attendance.

Tuition for this program: not verified. We publish this only when the institution states it on an official page.

Scholarships and funding

Awards published by the school for this program or for its level. Loans must be repaid and are not scholarships; service scholarships require government service after graduation. Scholarships & funding guide

Program-specific scholarships: not verified. We publish this only when the institution states it on an official page.

Accreditation, ABET and CAE

Three different things: the school's institutional accreditation, ABET accreditation of this exact program, and the school's NSA CAE designation.

Institutional accreditation

Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) — accreditedSource: ope.ed.gov · verified October 10, 2026

ABET program accreditation

This program does not appear in ABET's accredited-program database. ABET accreditation is program-specific and optional; the school's other programs or its institutional accreditation do not imply it.

NSA CAE designation (school)

CAE in Cyber Defense (CAE-CD) · 2019 - 2029Validated program(s) of study: B.S. in Computer Science with a Concentration in Cybersecurity (POS-CD)Source: maps.caecommunity.org · verified October 11, 2026
CAE in Cyber Research (CAE-R) · 2020 - 2030Validated program(s) of study: B.S. in Computer Science with a Concentration in Cybersecurity (POS-CD)Source: maps.caecommunity.org · verified October 11, 2026

A CAE designation belongs to the institution and its validated program of study; it is not accreditation and does not certify every degree. Accreditation & CAE explained

State authorization (online students)

Not verified — check the school's state authorization page before applying from outside Virginia.

International applicants

Not verified for the online option.

Sources and verification

Every fact on this page comes from the official pages and directories below. Last verified October 11, 2026.

bulletin.vcu.edu/graduate/school-business/information-systems/information-systems-ms-concentration-i — Official catalog / bulletin, verified October 11, 2026
business.vcu.edu/academics/information-systems/ms-in-information-systems/ — Official program page, verified October 11, 2026
NCAE-C institution directory (National Centers of Academic Excellence in Cybersecurity) — Source, verified October 11, 2026
DAPIP — SACSCOC institutional accreditation record (data files downloaded 2026-10-10) — U.S. Department of Education dataset (IPEDS / DAPIP), verified October 10, 2026

Something out of date? Request a correction · Represent this school? Claim the profile

Similar programs at other schools

Same degree level and focus. Listed for discovery, not ranked.

American Public University System

MS in Information Technology — Information Assurance and Security Concentration

Master'sMSConcentrationMaster of Science

Online

Charles Town, WVSchool location, not a residency requirement

Online attendance requirements not verified

Duration not verified · 36 credits

$470 per credit · All students — Master's-level standard rate

No upcoming verified deadline

School designated CAE-CDNSA CAE designation of the institution, not accreditation

Information Assurance

View program

University of Arizona

MS in Management Information Systems — Security and Information Assurance (SIA) Concentration

Master'sMSConcentrationMaster of Science in Management Information Systems

Campus

Tucson, AZ

Campus-based study

In as little as 16 months (Condition not stated on the page) · 30 credits

Tuition not verified

No upcoming verified deadline

School designated CAE-CD, CAE-CO, CAE-RNSA CAE designation of the institution, not accreditation

Information Assurance

View program

Wilmington University

MS in Information Systems Technologies — Information Assurance Concentration

Master'sMSConcentrationMaster of Science

Campus · Online · Hybrid

New Castle, DESchool location, not a residency requirement

Internship required

Duration not verified · 36 credits

$1,692 per course · All students — Cost of a typical 3-credit graduate course

No upcoming verified deadline

School designated CAE-CDNSA CAE designation of the institution, not accreditation

Information Assurance

View program

Cybersecurity Degrees is independent and not affiliated with Virginia Commonwealth University. Information is collected from official pages and directories and can change; confirm requirements, costs and deadlines with the school.