Cybersecurity (MS)

Degree Requirements

The Master’s program requires 30 credit hours in either a thesis or non-thesis option. The non-thesis option requires all 30 credits to be completed through coursework, while the thesis-option requires 24 credit hours of coursework and six credits of master’s thesis (CPEG 869 ). The curriculum requirements for the thesis and non-thesis option are:

15 credits of Fundamentals of Cybersecurity courses
15 credits of elective courses in a chosen Concentration Area.
- Concentration Areas are: (I) Secure Software, (II) Secure Systems, (III) Security Analytics, and (IV) Security Management.
- Elective courses are to be taken primarily from a single chosen Concentration Area, with a maximum of six (6) credits taken from an alternative Concentration Area or as additional Fundamentals of Cybersecurity courses.
- In the thesis option, six (6) credits of master’s thesis are to be completed in lieu of six (6) Concentration Area elective credits.

Fundamentals of Cybersecurity and Concentration Area courses are listed below. Note that individual courses are typically three (3) credits, i.e., the 30 credit hours required for the master’s non-thesis degree typically equates to 10 courses (or eight (8) courses and a thesis for the thesis option).

Fundamentals of Cybersecurity

Students must complete 15 credits, or five (5) courses, of Fundamentals of Cybersecurity. Courses designated as Fundamentals of Cybersecurity are:

Concentration Areas

Students must complete 15 credits, or five (5) courses, of electives. Elective courses are to be taken primarily from a single chosen Concentration Area. Of these five (5) elective courses, a maximum of two (2) can be taken outside the single Concentration Area (from one of the other Concentration Areas or from the set of Fundamentals of Cybersecurity courses). The Concentration Areas and courses within each area are listed below.

Concentration in Secure Software

The Secure Software Concentration is designed for a professional responsible for developing secure software systems. Secure Software electives are:

Concentration in Secure Systems

The Secure Systems Concentration is designed for a professional responsible for secure systems that can include wireless and network communication systems, embedded systems, and related physical systems. Secure Systems electives are:

Concentration in Security Analytics

The Security Analytics Concentration is designed for a professional responsible for utilizing big data, analytics, and statistical learning methods to identify and characterize anomalous behavior and security risks. Security Analytics electives are:

Concentration in Security Management

The Security Management Concentration is designed for a professional responsible for instituting and managing security controls within an enterprise. Security Management electives are:

Progress Toward the Degree

Maintaining steady, reasonable progress towards the degree is the responsibility of the student. In accordance with the Graduate Student Probation Policy, a cumulative GPA of 3.00 must be maintained in coursework for each semester. Students enrolled in the on-campus program typically enroll in nine credits per semester and can complete the program within 4 semesters. Students enrolled in the online program can complete the program in as little as two years with a course load of six credits in the spring and fall semesters, and three in the summer sessions.