DePaul University’s School of Computer Science, Telecommunications and Information Systems (CTI) is a recognized national leader in computer network security and information assurance education, according to a designation bestowed by the National Security Agency (NSA) and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS). DePaul was named as a National Center of Academic Excellence in Information Assurance by the two agencies recently.

The awards are designed to promote advanced education in information assurance and produce additional technology professionals with expertise in security issues. The ultimate goal is to reduce vulnerabilities in the national information infrastructure.

"DePaul CTI is pleased with this honor," said Linda Knight, associate dean. "Having the governmental agencies charged with protecting our nation recognize us for academic excellence is a tribute to our faculty."

DePaul was one of eight universities nationwide newly designated with the honor this year, alongside major research institutions including Virginia Tech, the United States Air Force Academy and Oklahoma State University. Since the program’s inception in 1998, 67 schools across the country have been named as a National Center of Excellence by the NSA and DHS.

DePaul is one of only two Illinois universities (the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign being the other) and one of only seven Midwestern universities so honored. The designation is good for three academic years, after which the university must successfully reapply in order to retain the designation.

Although NSA and DHS don’t comment on individual selections, it is likely that DePaul’s security-related technology curriculum and degree programs, along with the resources for students studying in information assurance fields, played a major role in the agencies’ decision. DePaul offers a bachelor’s degree in information assurance and security engineering, as well as a master’s degree program in computer, information and network security. In addition, DePaul opened a state-of-the-art security lab for its students earlier this academic year on its Loop Campus.

Furthermore, CTI’s Computer, Information and Network Security Center – founded in June 2003 and chartered to advance the science, teaching and practice of computer security, information assurance, network security and related disciplines – is another major cornerstone of the university’s initiatives in this field. Faculty within the center conduct fundamental and applied research to develop foundational knowledge, tools and expertise in the security of a networked computer environment. The Center also works in cooperation with Chicago-area corporations to assist them in integrating information assurance practices into their businesses operations.

DePaul CTI is one of the most innovative and wide-ranging computer science programs in the country. The undergraduate program enrolls 1,200 students and offers 11 different degrees. More than 2,130 students are enrolled in its 17 graduate programs. CTI also features a doctoral degree program in computer science. For more information, visit www.cti.depaul.edu.

With a total enrollment of 23,570 students on two city and five suburban campuses, DePaul is the eighth-largest private university in the United States and the largest Catholic university in the nation.