Master of Science in Applied Computer Science
“Drive and serve the world through digital transformations”
About the Programme
The Master of Science in Applied Computer Science programme seeks to develop competent professionals and scientists who can embrace research in security, digital transformations and systems integration.
What You May Become?
- a cyber security analyst
- a leader in digital transformations
- an IT systems innovator
- a driver in business intelligence and analytics
- a network and systems administrator
- a chief information officer (CIO)
Specializations
- Cybersecurity
- Network and Systems Administration
- E-Services
Duration of the Programme
- Full Time – Two years
- Part-Time – Three years
Admission Requirements
- Have a bachelor’s degree with a minimum CGPA of 3.00 on a 4-point scale or its equivalent grade of 60%. Applicants with a CGPA of 2.5 to 2.99 or 55% to 59% may be accepted on probation.
- Have two Recommendations: One from a religious leader and one from your previous university or from the employing organization if employed. Submit the name, email address and designation of your referees, and AUA admissions will email the link for completing the online recommendation form. The applicant should seek the consent of the referee before submitting their details.
- Demonstrate proficiency in English.
Curriculum
Core Courses
Christian Ethics and Values
Course Code: ACSP 601
No. of Credits: 3
This course examines ethical issues and dilemmas facing contemporary leaders, employees, and institutions in today’s society. Topics include the role of ethics in organizations, theories and principles of ethics, corporate social responsibility and stakeholder management; ethical leadership, ethical issues in business and non-profit organizations, and other emerging ethical issues. Using biblical principles, an ethical decision-making framework is explored.
Business Intelligence and E-Business
Course Code: ACSP 604
No. of Credits: 3
This course is about establishing, operating, controlling, and integrating computer-based information systems to support management decision-making. Topics discussed include structuring of information systems, Building and Managing Systems, and Creating competitive advantages through the use of Information Systems, E-Business, and Business Intelligence.
Business Management
Course Code: ACSP 621
No. of Credits: 3
This course is designed to introduce students to the role of business in society and the internal operations of an organization. It includes an overview of what business organization is all about, how they function, and how they interact with the environment. Developing this foundation will be helpful to gain a solid framework of business knowledge and vocabulary. The course will focus on the financing, managing, organizing, and marketing functions of an organization, forms of business organizations, entrepreneurship, small business and franchise systems, etc. The course demonstrates how the core business areas are interrelated with one another.
Seminars in Trends in Computing and Technology
Course Code: ACSP 608
No. of Credits: 3
This course seeks to expose the students to the current trends in computing and technology, considering the practices in the industry as well as the research aspect. The main goal of the course is to first help the student to choose an area for their future profession and research work, and second to enable the students to keep abreast with the ongoing trends in research and technological advancement in Computer Science. The topics covered will vary depending on the current reliable survey on the trends. Then 10 top trends in computing and technology will be selected.
Advanced Database Systems and Database Security
Course Code: ACSP 609
No. of Credits: 3
The main objectives of this course are: to develop the student's knowledge and understanding of the underlying principles of Relational Database Management systems, build up his capacity to learn DBMS advanced features, develop his competence in enhancing database systems using distributed databases, build up his capacity to implement and maintain an efficient database system using emerging trends, develop his competence in database security and database systems administration. Topics covered include Advanced SQL and query optimization, Database Transactions Management, Distributed Databases, Database Security Management, Data warehouse, and data marts, and NoSQL Databases.
Research Courses
Research and Publication in Computer Science
Course Code: ACSP 610
No. of Credits: 3
The overall objective of the course is to prepare the student to conduct research work and publish and present his/her results. It provides students with the knowledge and skills needed to conduct research work and make publications in the arena of computer science and related domains. It enables students to have a clear grasp on what exactly is good research and how to achieve it. The course also explores the role of research methods in computer science and teaches some writing tools peculiar to computing publications.
Research in Cybersecurity
Course Code: ACSP 671
No. of Credits: 3
This course addresses the current issues of research in Cybersecurity including challenges, and research gaps. It also introduces the students to the ecosystem of research in cybersecurity. Finally, the course is designed to help the student select his/her thesis/project topic, plan and carry out the research and make a publication in a refereed cybersecurity journal before his/her proposal defense.
ACSP 672 Research in Computing Technologies and AI
Course Code:
No. of Credits: 3
This course addresses the current issues of research in computing technologies (e.g. Cloud, Blockchain, etc.) and Artificial Intelligence including challenges and research gaps. It also introduces the students to the ecosystem of research in those fields. Finally, the course is designed to help the student select his/her thesis/project topic, plan and carry out the research and make a publication in the refereed relevant journal before his/her proposal defense.
Research in Networking and Systems Administration
Course Code: ACSP 673
No. of Credits: 3
This course addresses the current issues of research in Networking and systems including challenges and research gaps. It also introduces the students to the ecosystem of research in those fields. Finally, the course is designed to help the student select his/her thesis/project topic, plan and carry out the research and make a publication in the refereed relevant journal before his/her proposal defense.
Thesis / Project
Course Code: ACSP 680
No. of Credits: 6 Cr
This course aims at introducing the student to a written elaboration of original research that makes creative contributions to the student's chosen area of specialization. It involves the preparation of a research proposal, including a review of the literature, under the guidance of a thesis adviser, and its subsequent implementation.
Specialization Courses: Cybersecurity
IT Security
Course Code: ACSP 631
No. of Credits: 3
This course aims at providing the student with the knowledge needed to understand, and have a broad overview of cyber security, and the principles of data and technology that frame and define cyber security. It first presents the importance, evolution, and current state of cyber security. Then it continues with management, policies, laws, and regulations on cyber security. Finally, it addresses the what and why of IT security, and the types of IT security. For each type, the common attacks are introduced as well as existing mitigation solutions.
Applied Cryptography
Course Code: ACSP 632
No. of Credits: 3
This course introduces the design principles of the most common cryptographic tools and algorithms. The understanding of the design principles helps also in identifying the strengths and weaknesses of those tools and algorithms and therefore informs on how to apply them to ensure computing systems' security. The course is not only limited to the use of the tools but also develops the capacity of the students in implementing these tools and algorithms.
ACSP 618 Security Risk Management and Policy
Course Code:
No. of Credits: 3
This course is about how to manage security risks and develop security policies. Its aim is to provide the student with the knowledge and skills needed to identify, evaluate, and manage security risks within an organization, as well as to develop a good information security policy for the organization. Topics in this course include Risk management, risk assessment analysis techniques, and information security policy.
Offensive Security
Course Code: ACSP 633
No. of Credits: 3
This course aims at providing the students with hacking skills and developing their competencies in penetrating testing. It enables the student to understand the mindset of hackers, their methods/techniques, and tools. The course is a lab-oriented course that focuses on skills for attacking networks; bypassing network access controls, and attacking software and computing platforms. The rationale is that in-depth hacking skills are extremely useful to develop robust and secure systems. The topics covered include penetration testing, wireless attacks, evasion techniques, and breaching defenses.
Malware Analysis
Course Code: ACSP 651
No. of Credits: 3
This course aims at providing a deep understanding of malware analysis and how it can be implemented. It covers the concepts, techniques, and tools so that on completion of the course, students will have the knowledge and skills required to analyze and detect malicious software, investigate, and defend against malware. Topics covered include Static analysis, dynamic analysis, debugging malicious code, code injection, and hooking, obfuscation techniques, and memory forensics.
Cyber Ops and Cyber Forensics
Course Code: ACSP 652
No. of Credits: 3
This course prepares the student to the job of a security analyst. It equips the student with the knowledge, skills, and competencies required for the job by the covering the current relevant methods, techniques, and tools used in defensive security. The topics include the role of security analyst, the threat landscape, evolution of cyber threats, common attacks methods, security analyst challenges and skills, security investigation process, security analyst tools.
Specialization Courses: Network and Systems Administration
Systems Administration
Course Code: ACSP 617
No. of Credits: 3
This course trains the students to set up and maintains reliable computer systems in a multi-user environment. Emphasis is put on servers, services, applications, devices, users, and disaster recovery. It also introduces cloud technology. Topics in this course include Windows Server Management (Active Directory, DNS, Group Policy, tools for windows administration), Linux Server Administration, automation, cloud technology, database security and administration, and virtualization.
Network Administration
Course Code: ACSP 619
No. of Credits: 3
This course trains the students to setup and maintain reliable computer networks in a multi- user environment. The course covers all the knowledge and skills required to design, plan, and implement a secured and efficient computer network. It first gives a review of the OSI model and network protocols. Then continues with switching and routing. Finally, it ends with network security and performance. Topics in this course include OSI model, network services and protocols, switching and routing, firewalls, VPNs, network access control and traffic and performance monitoring, Network Operation Center (NOC), Software Defined Network (SDN).
Cloud Computing
Course Code: ACSP 640
No. of Credits: 3
This course aims at providing the student with knowledge and skills needed to design, implement, and deploy cloud services within a given computing environment. The course will also enable the student to understand and evaluate scientific/research paper on cloud computing. It investigates cloud computing models, techniques, and architectures. Students will be exposed to the current practices in cloud computing.
IT Security
Course Code: ACSP 631
No. of Credits: 3
This course aims at providing the student with knowledge needed to understand, and have a broad overview of cyber security, the principles of data and technology that frame and define cyber security. It first presents the importance, evolution, and the current state of cyber security. Then it continues with management, policies, laws and regulations on cyber security. Finally, it addresses the what and why of IT security, the types of IT security. For each type, the common attacks are introduced as well as existing mitigation solutions.
Security Risk and Management Policy
Course Code: ACSP 618
No. of Credits: 3
This course is about how to manage security risk and develop security policies. Its aim is to provide to student the knowledge and skills needed to identify, evaluate, and manage security risks within an organization, as well as to develop good information security policy for the organization. Topics in this course include Risk management, risk assessment analysis techniques, information security policy.
Emerging Computing and Network Technologies
Course Code: ACSP 668
No. of Credits: 3
The goal of this course is to provide a bridge to research. It focuses on studies of recent publications in the areas of computer technologies as well as network technologies. This objective is two-fold:
- The course introduces to students the current state of technologies.
- The course introduces students to research in areas of computer and network technologies.
Specialization Courses: E-Services
Artificial Intelligence
Course Code: ACSP 628
No. of Credits: 3
This course first provides an overview of artificial intelligence and its applications. Then it goes on to general AI algorithms, methods, and techniques, Machine Learning (ML), Natural Language Processing (NLP), and Computer Vision. The course gives a basic introduction to the theory (the concepts, methods, and mathematics) and focuses more on the application of AI to solve business and organizational problems. The topics covered include the definition and history of artificial intelligence, branches of artificial intelligence, applications of artificial intelligence, combinatory problem-solving techniques, constraint satisfaction, optimization problems, artificial intelligence for games, machine learning, natural language processing, and computer vision.
Cloud Computing
Course Code: ACSP 640
No. of Credits: 3
This course aims at providing the student with the knowledge and skills needed to design, implement, and deploy cloud services within a given computing environment. The course will also enable the student to understand and evaluate scientific/research papers on cloud computing. It investigates cloud computing models, techniques, and architectures. Students will be exposed to the current practices in cloud computing.
Mobile Computing
Course Code: ACSP 636
No. of Credits: 3
The goal of this course is to equip the student with the knowledge and skills needed to design and implement innovative mobile applications used to solve real-life problems. Students will learn: the fundamentals and acquire hands-on experience with mobile computing as well as sensor-based systems, design and develop mobility-aware systems, build and program sensor-based systems, and finally, they will learn how to develop applications that use existing web services.
Web-Based Applications and Services
Course Code: ACSP 648
No. of Credits: 3
This course aims at providing the student's knowledge and skills needed to design, implement, and deploy Web-based applications and Web services. It focuses on advanced design, infrastructures/architecture, and security issues. The topics discussed include Web application design, web application technologies, tools, languages, and standards, service-oriented architecture, Web service description language, SOAP, REST architecture, And Restful web services.
Managing Big Data
Course Code: ACSP 662
No. of Credits: 3
The course explores key data analysis and management techniques, which applied to massive datasets and enable real-time decision making, business intelligence, and scientific discovery at large scale. It examines the map-reduce parallel computing paradigm and the associated technologies such as distributed file systems, No-SQL databases, and stream computing engines. Additionally, machine learning methods are covered to enable efficient analysis of large volumes of data in real time. The overall aim of this course is triple:
- Make the student familiar with the fundamental concepts of Big Data Management and analytics.
- Make the student competent in recognizing challenges faced by applications dealing with exceptionally large volumes of data as well as in proposing scalable solutions for them.
- Enable the student to understand how Big Data impacts business intelligence, scientific discovery, and our day-to-day life.
Internet of Things
Course Code ACSP 663
No. of Credits: 3
The goal of this course is to equip the student with knowledge and skills needed to design and implement innovative IoT solutions used to solve real life problems. Students will learn: the fundamentals and acquire hands-on experience with IoT development platforms. A focus is put on sensor-based systems, and the processing and communication of data to monitor and control systems and processes.
Programme Coordinator
Lossan Bonde, PhD
Senior Lecturer; Head of Department; Dean (SPS)
Education
- PhD in Computer Science, University of Sciences and Technologies of Lille (2006)
- Master of Computer Science, University of Sciences and Technologies of Lille (2003)
Areas of Expertise
- Artificial Intelligence
- Internet of Things
- Embedded Systems
Biography
Dr Bonde is a Senior Lecturer and Programme Coordinator of Applied Computer Science, the IT Director, and the HoD Applied Sciences, Adventist University of Africa. Prior to this, he was a Lecturer and Dean of the School of Business and Computer Science, Universite Adventiste Cosendai.
Dr Lossan Bonde, PhD
ASSISTANT PROFESSOR, PROGRAM COORDINATOR, HEAD OF DEPARTMENT
Education
- Ph.D. in Computer Science, University of Sciences and Technologies of Lille (2006)
- Master of Computer Science, University of Sciences and Technologies of Lille (2003)
Areas of Expertise
- Artificial Intelligence
- Internet of Things
- Cybersecurity.
Biography
Dr Bonde is a Senior Lecturer and Programme Coordinator of Applied Computer Science, the IT Director, and the HoD Applied Sciences, Adventist University of Africa. Prior to which he was a Lecturer and Dean of School of Business and Computer Science, Universite Adventiste Cosendai.
Featured Alumni
Sammy Idowu, Nigeria
2021/ Master of Science Applied Computer Science
As a Security Systems Technical advisor, I feel that I gained a strong background in my field through the Masters in Applied Computer Science (Cyber Security Option) program at the Adventist University of Africa. Our professors from different parts of the world (some currently in the industry) brought with them a wealth of practical knowledge from which they always found ways to draw Christian principles. I also appreciate the flexibility of the program which enabled those of us with day jobs to study at night.
For anyone contemplating joining the MSc. Applied Computer Science program, I highly recommend.
Sammy Idowu, Nigeria
2021/ Master of Science Applied Computer Science
As a Security Systems Technical advisor, I feel that I gained a strong background in my field through the Masters in Applied Computer Science (Cyber Security Option) program at the Adventist University of Africa. Our professors from different parts of the world (some currently in the industry) brought with them a wealth of practical knowledge from which they always found ways to draw Christian principles. I also appreciate the flexibility of the program which enabled those of us with day jobs to study at night.
For anyone contemplating joining the MSc. Applied Computer Science program, I highly recommend.