Program Overview

M.S. in Cyber Security and Privacy

The M.S. in Cyber Security and Privacy creates a strong foundation and detailed technical knowledge in security, privacy, and cryptography applied to computer systems, networks, and web applications. The program also has a Cyber Defense Option whose objective is to create leaders with strong communication and management skills in addition to the strong technical knowledge in security and privacy.

Prerequisites

Applicants should have a bachelor's degree from an accredited institution in a discipline related to computing (e.g., Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Information Sciences, or Information Technology). Applicants with a bachelor's degree in a STEM discipline or relevant professional experience can first take a graduate certificate and then apply to the M.S. program.

Degree Requirements

The program requires the completion of 30 credits. The requirement is most commonly satisfied by taking ten 3-credit graduate courses. These consist of:

• Five Core Courses required for all students (15 credits)
• Five Elective Courses from the combined lists of CS Electives, Foundational Courses, and Courses from Other Departments (15 credits).
• Students can take at most two courses from the list of approved Foundational Courses and at most two courses from the list of approved Courses from Other Departments.

Course List

The required Core Courses include:

• CS 608: Cryptography and Security
• CS 645: Security and Privacy in Computer Systems
• CS 646: Network Protocols Security
• CS 647: Counter Hacking Techniques
• CS 656: Internet and Higher-Layer Protocols

Elective Courses include:

• CS Electives:
  • CS 633: Distributed Systems
  • CS 634: Data Mining
  • CS 643: Cloud Computing
  • CS 648: Cyber Sec Investigations & Law
  • CS 673: Software Design and Production Methodology
  • CS 678: Topics in Smartphone Sec & Rel
  • CS 680: Linux Kernel Programming
  • CS 684: Software Testing and Quality Assurance
  • IT 696: Network Management and Security
  • ECE 638: Network Management and Security
  • CS 698: Special Emerging Topics
  • CS 708: Advanced Data Security and Privacy
  • CS 755: Security and Privacy in Wireless Networks
  • CS 785: Seminar in Computer Science I
• Courses from Other Departments:
  • At most 2 courses from this list:
    • IS 601: Python for Web API Development
    • IS 633: Human Factors in Security and Privacy
    • IS/DS 650: Data Visualization and Interpretation
    • IS 657: Spatiotemporal Urban Analytics
    • IS 665: Data Analytics for Info System
    • IS 680: Information Systems Auditing
    • IS 681: Computer Security Auditing
    • IS 682: Forensic Auditing for Computing Security
    • IT 620: Wireless Networks Security and Administration
    • IT 640: Network Services Administration
    • ECE 636: Computer Networking Laboratory
    • ECE 683: Cloud and IoT Networking and Security
    • MGMT 688: Internet Law and Policy Issues
    • MGMT 691: Legal and Ethical Issues in a Digital World
    • MATH 661: Applied Statistics
• Foundational Courses:
  • At most 2 courses from this list:
    • CS 506: Foundations of Computer Science
    • CS 610: Data Structures and Algorithms
    • CS 630: Operating System Design
    • CS 631: Data Management System Design

Project and Thesis Option

Students who want to pursue research have the option to earn up to 6 of the required 30 credits by taking as electives the CS 700B Master's Project, possibly followed by CS 701B Master's Thesis. These have special requirements described in the Section "Master's Project and Thesis Policies".

Master's Project or Thesis Policies

The contents of this section apply only to students who elect to do a Master's Project (CS 700B) or a Master's Thesis (CS 701B).

• Students must first identify a research advisor who must be a tenure-track faculty of the CS department, including faculty with a joint appointment.
• The students must be in close coordination with their research advisor who will determine the topic of the Project/Thesis and guide them to take specific elective courses that will prepare them for the research.
• The Project or Thesis must be related to Cybersecurity.
• Registration for Master's Project or Master's Thesis requires permission of their research advisor.
• A written thesis must be submitted, and an oral defense is required.

MS-CSP: Cyber Defense Option: Degree Requirements

The objective of the Cyber Defense Professional Science Master (PSM), an option of the MS CSP, is to create leaders with strong communication and management skills in addition to the strong technical knowledge in security and privacy of computer systems, networks, and web applications.

The PSM option requires the completion of 36 credits, satisfied with:

• Six required Cybersecurity Core courses (18 credits)
• Two courses from the list of PTC (Professional and Technical Communications) Electives (6 credits)
• Two courses from the list of Management Electives (6 credits)
• Two courses from the list of Computing Electives (6 credits)

Course List for Cyber Defense Option

The required Cybersecurity Core Courses include:

• CS 608: Cryptography and Security
• CS 645: Security and Privacy in Computer Systems
• CS 646: Network Protocols Security
• CS 647: Counter Hacking Techniques
• CS 656: Internet and Higher-Layer Protocols
• YWCC 691: Graduate Capstone Project

Elective Courses include:

• Professional and Technical Communication Electives:
  • ENGL 603: Speaking English in Professional Situations
  • ENGL 621: Technical Writing for Graduate Students
  • IS 661: User Experience Design
• Management Electives:
  • ACCT 615: Management Accounting
  • EM 636: Project Management
  • FIN 600: Corporate Finance I
  • MGMT 641: Global Project Management
  • MGMT 650: Knowledge Management
  • MGMT 682: Business Research Methods I
  • MGMT 688: Internet Law and Policy Issues
  • MGMT 691: Legal and Ethical Issues in a Digital World
• Computing Electives:
  • CS 610: Data Structures and Algorithms
  • CS 630: Operating System Design
  • CS 631: Data Management System Design
  • CS 632: Advanced Database System Design
  • CS 634: Data Mining
  • CS 643: Cloud Computing
  • CS 648: Cyber Sec Investigations & Law
  • CS 673: Software Design and Production Methodology
  • CS 678: Topics in Smartphone Sec & Rel
  • CS 684: Software Testing and Quality Assurance
  • CS 698: Special Emerging Topics
  • CS 700B: Master's Project
  • CS 708: Advanced Data Security and Privacy
  • CS 755: Security and Privacy in Wireless Networks
  • CS 785: Seminar in Computer Science I
  • IS 601: Python for Web API Development
  • IS 633: Human Factors in Security and Privacy
  • IS/DS 650: Data Visualization and Interpretation
  • IS 657: Spatiotemporal Urban Analytics
  • IS 665: Data Analytics for Info System
  • IS 680: Information Systems Auditing
  • IS 681: Computer Security Auditing
  • IS 682: Forensic Auditing for Computing Security
  • IT 620: Wireless Networks Security and Administration
  • IT 640: Network Services Administration
  • IT 696: Network Management and Security
  • ECE 636: Computer Networking Laboratory
  • ECE 683: Cloud and IoT Networking and Security
  • MATH 661: Applied Statistics