Program start date | Application deadline |
2024-08-01 | - |
2024-12-01 | - |
2025-03-01 | - |
2025-06-01 | - |
2025-09-01 | - |
Program Overview
The MS Network Engineering and Security program at DePaul University equips students with hands-on expertise in designing and maintaining complex network infrastructures. Through a focus on Cisco equipment and industry-experienced faculty, students develop practical skills in router, switch, and firewall configuration, as well as network security and performance management. The program prepares graduates for high-demand roles in network engineering and security, with a median salary of $82,000 within six months of completion.
Program Outline
Degree Overview:
The MS Network Engineering and Security (NES) program at DePaul University aims to provide students with both the theoretical and practical knowledge necessary to design and maintain diverse network infrastructures. The program emphasizes hands-on learning with Cisco equipment and other manufacturers. Students will gain practical experience in configuring routers, switches, and firewalls, as well as securing networks, evaluating and managing their performance, and ensuring they meet business requirements. The program addresses the evolving challenges of network security, scalability, and service quality in the modern internet landscape.
Teaching:
The program emphasizes hands-on learning, with a dedicated Network and Security Lab equipped with Cisco routers, switches, firewalls, servers, and specialized network appliances. Faculty members have a unique blend of industry expertise and academic excellence, with experience in major companies like Bell Laboratories, Tellabs, Alcatel-Lucent, and Motorola. Faculty research focuses on areas such as security for wireless communication, protocol development and testing (NETCONF), network configuration and reliability, and performance management.
Careers:
The program prepares graduates for various roles in network engineering and security, including network administrator, security analyst, network engineer, and cybersecurity specialist. 92% of reporting program graduates were employed, continuing education, or not seeking employment within six months of graduation, with a median salary of $82,000 six months after degree completion.
Other:
- The program includes a capstone course (NET 594) where students apply their knowledge to a realistic corporate case study, designing and planning network solutions.
- The program leverages DePaul's CyberCenter, which offers labs and resources for cybersecurity education and research, including the Secure Design Lab, Adversarial Cybersecurity Automation Lab (ACAL), and the Network and Security Lab.
- Students have access to CDM's extensive alumni network, which includes professionals in Fortune 500 companies in Chicago like PwC, KPMG, Apple, and Motorola Solutions.
- The program acknowledges the dominance of video content in web traffic and the increasing number of networked devices, highlighting the importance of rigorous standards in network design and performance evaluation.
- The program addresses the need for adaptive solutions in areas such as securing interactions, scaling with users and devices, and meeting evolving Quality of Experience (QoE) and Service Availability expectations.
- The program explores research areas such as optimizing operations in machine-to-machine (M2M) and Internet-of-Things (IoT) networks and developing new network infrastructures for ad hoc situations and regions with limited infrastructure.