UMUC

Graduate School of Management and Technology

Master of Science in Cybersecurity

Our physical world is increasingly supported by a cyberspace infrastructure. This infrastructure enables new business models, enhances communications, makes our personal lives more convenient, and contributes to our national defense. The flip side of this increased reliance, however, is that we are vulnerable to threats to our cyberspace infrastructure. Network outages, data compromised by hackers, propagating viruses, and other incidents affect our lives in ways that range from inconvenient to life-threatening. The Master of Science in Cybersecurity provides practitioners with the framework and knowledge to protect an organization’s cyber assets. The program focuses on prevention, detection, countering, and recovery from cyber incidents. Students learn about technical tools and organizational practices such as training, access control, evidence collection, and disaster recovery and business continuity planning.

The Master of Science in Cybersecurity is designed for midcareer professionals who wish to help meet the challenges posed by increasing cyber-threats. Using a multidisciplinary approach, the program is designed to provide students with a broad analytical framework for evaluating and solving cybersecurity problems.

Overall Degree Requirements

The Master of Science in Cybersecurity requires the successful completion of 36 credits of coursework, including a 6-credit end-of-program capstone course.

Required Core Courses

  • CSEC 610 Cyberspace and Cybersecurity (6)
  • CSEC 620 Human Aspects in Cybersecurity: Ethics, Legal Issues and Psychology (6)
  • CSEC 630 Prevention and Protection Strategies in Cybersecurity (6)
  • CSEC 640 Monitoring, Auditing, Intrusion Detection, Intrusion Prevention, and Penetration Testing (6)
  • CSEC 650 Cyber Crime Investigation and Digital Forensics (6)

Required Capstone Course

Total credits for the Master of Science in Cybersecurity (36)

Course Sequencing

All new students are required to take the noncredit course UCSP 611 Introduction to Graduate Library Research Skills within their first 6 credits of study. All courses must be taken in the order listed.

Recommendation

Students who wish to improve their graduate writing skills may take COMM 600 Academic Writing for Graduate Students. The Cybersecurity curriculum makes extensive use of online multimedia learning objects and interactive exercises. Thus, the minimum recommended Internet connection speed is 512kb/second.

Program Options

Students may pursue a dual degree option that combines the MS in Cybersecurity with the Master of Business Administration (MBA). Related programs include the MS in Cybersecurity Policy, which can be earned as part of a dual degree with the MBA, and the MS in Information Technology with a specialization in information assurance, which can also be earned as part of a dual degree program with the MBA. Students may also earn a certificate in Information Assurance.

Career Paths

  • Chief security officer
  • Cybersecurity manager or administrator
  • Cybersecurity architect
  • Cybersecurity operations analyst
  • Cybersecurity engineer
  • Secure software assurance engineer
  • Cyber operations planner

Partnership

Students who complete their undergraduate degree at UMUC with a major in cybersecurity may be able to reduce their total coursework for the MS in Cybersecurity by 6 credits (one course) under an articulation agreement between the School of Undergraduate Studies and the Graduate School of Management and Technology. More information is available in the undergraduate catalog.

Admission Requirements

UMUC does not require submission of GRE or GMAT scores for admission to graduate degree. For more information please visit Admissions and Registration to learn more about these processes.

Dual Degree

Enhance your credentials! Graduates of the MS in Cybersecurity can elect to pursue a dual degree in the following area:

  • Master of Business Administration

This dual degree is one-directional. Students must complete all requirements for the MS in Cybersecurity before starting the MBA program.

Required Courses

UCSP 611 Introduction to Graduate Library Research Skills (0), to be taken within the first 6 credits of study.

  • DMBA 610 Ethical Leadership in Organizations and Society (6)
  • DMBA 620 Effective Financial and Operational Decision Making (6)
  • DMBA 630 Marketing and Strategy Management in the Global Marketplace (6)