Curriculum

Overview

Students in the master’s program take three core courses in Information Assurance and Cybersecurity, Network and Systems Security, and Secure Software Development. Core classes prepare future cybersecurity engineers with a solid computer science foundation to build secure network systems, conduct threat modeling, impact policy development and implementation, follow ethical best practices, and understand risk management.

A variety of electives (minimum 10 credits cybersecurity electives, maximum 10 credits of CSS electives) such as human factors in cybersecurity, machine learning, security in emerging wireless and mobile networks, ethical penetration testing, IoT, and malware and attack reverse engineering give students the opportunity to delve into cybersecurity and software engineering topics.

To prepare for the culminating thesis or project, the curriculum includes a 1-credit faculty research seminar for students to interact and learn about current faculty research. In order to fully engage their writing abilities, students take a writing assessment in their first quarter to determine their graduate-level competency in technical & scientific writing and if they need to be placed in writing courses (0-3 credits).

Master’s program candidates complete their degree requirements with a 10-credit culminating experience. Students can choose from four options to fulfill this requirement: project, thesis, coursework, or internship.

Curriculum Structure

Master’s Program – Total 46-49 Credits

The master’s degree is designed to accommodate the needs of working professionals. Enrollment is either part time or full time, with courses meeting in the evening two or three times a week. Most students complete the program in just over two years.