Program Description
The Master of Science in Cybersecurity program provides students with the knowledge, skills, and professional practices needed for careers in the cybersecurity fields. The program also prepares students who desire to pursue further graduate work that leads to a Ph.D. degree. The curriculum covers several advanced topics in cybersecurity, such as; advanced cryptography, cybersecurity policy, cyber risk and vulnerability, cyber operation, wireless network security, web/mobile security, software security, security in Internet of Things (IoT), etc. These courses will be taught using the very latest, state-of-the-art security tools and technologies.
Marshall University is a designated National Centers of Academic Excellence in Cybersecurity (NCAE-CD). To learn more about NCAE designation, please visit: https://caecommunity.org
Why Master Degree in Cybersecurity?
Cyber security is a national priority and there is a severe talent shortage in cybersecurity area with a negative unemployment rate and analysts are estimating that there will be 1.5 million cyber security job openings by 2019. If you have been considering entering the field or advancing your career within the computing industry, this is the field of choice. While the opportunities and job openings in the cyber security field are high, you need to be highly educated to maximize the benefits of this opportunity and to land highly paid jobs. Recent report shows that 84% of cybersecurity postings require at least a bachelor’s degree and 23% require at least a master’s. Although obtaining an advanced degree requires a significant investment of both time and money, M.S. in Cybersecurity is the degree that may well be worth since many employers seek a combination of both experience and education. Here are several reasons you should consider a master’s degree in cybersecurity:
- High Salary
Cyber security professionals are among the most highly paid, posting a 9% salary premium over other IT jobs in general. A security software engineer receives an average annual salary of $233,333, while a chief security officer brings in an annual salary of $225,000.
- Job Security
Cyber security has moved to the forefront as organizations and governmental agencies with high demand and this job will not disappear as long as we are using computers.
- Incentive for Higher Education
The drastic skill gap between cybersecurity job requirement and the level of skills of fresh B.S. graduates has led the government and private sector to offer financial incentives for those looking to pursue a degree in cybersecurity such as the National Science Foundation Scholarship for Service (SFS), the Information Assurance Scholarship Program (IASP), etc.
Why Choose the Cybersecurity Graduate Degree at Marshall University?
The M.S. in Cybersecurity program at Marshall University is designed to prepare professionals in technical sector with or without cybersecurity background to fill the fast growing jobs in cybersecurity as well as serving the need of the important continual study in a field where life-long learning is paramount.
The curriculum covers the advanced topics in cybersecurity such as advanced cryptography, cybersecurity policy, cyber risk and vulnerability, cyber risk and operation, wireless network security, web/mobile security, software security, security in Internet of Things (IoT), and more by using the state-of-the-art security tools and technologies.
The program also prepares students who desire to pursue further graduate work leading to a Ph.D. degree.
What Careers in the Cybersecurity?
Professionals in Computer and Information Security have a wide range of responsibilities with different roles in government organizations and industries including banks, retailers, etc. On the job, you are expected to safeguard an organization’s data, computers, networks, create security plans and monitor activities. If a breach occurs, you’ll be responsible for identifying the problem and finding a solution quickly.
– Security Specialist, Cryptographer, Security Administrator/Manager, Incident Res-ponder, Penetration Tester, Security Architect, Security Consultant, etc.
Admission Requirements and Transfer Criteria
Applicants should follow the admissions process stated in the graduate catalog or the graduate admissions web site. Minimum requirements for admission is a four-year bachelor’s degree with a GPA of 2.75 or higher out of 4.0 in Cybersecurity or computer science related programs.
Whether a student meets the above requirements will be determined by the chair or designee of the Department of Computer Sciences and Electrical Engineering, based on the information provided in the admission application and transcripts. Applicants with a four-year bachelor’s degree in a major other than a cybersecurity or computer science related program may be admitted to the program with a condition of successful completion of the following three bridge courses with a grade of B or above in the first two semesters of the program:
- Data Structures and Algorithms (CS 210 Data Structures and Algorithms)
- lnternetworking (CS 320 Internetworking)
- Statistics (STA 225 Introductory Statistics (CT) or STA 345 Applied Prob and Stat)
Foreign nationals must provide proof of English proficiency with a minimum score of 6.5 in IELTS or 80 on the TOEFL IBT (or 550 paper-based) and must have met all other admission criteria prior to registering for the first semester of courses.
M.S. Degree Requirements
The M.S. degree requires 30 credit hours of graduate work. At least 15 credit hours should be taken from 600-level courses.
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Core Required (9 CR)
| CFS 630 | Cyber Threat Intelligence | 3 CR |
| CFS 665 | Cybersecurity of IOT and Industrial Control Systems | 3 CR |
| CYBR 510 | Introduction to Cyber Security | 3 CR |
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Concentration (12 CR)
Cyber Defense
Pick 4 out of the following:
| CFS 520 | Incident Response | 3 CR |
| CFS 650 | Advanced Cyber Defense | 3 CR |
| CYBR 500 | Computer Security Design | 3 CR |
| CYBR 535 | Cyber Risk | 3 CR |
| CYBR 542 | Cyber Operations | 3 CR |
| CYBR 615 | Cybersecurity Vulnerability Assessment | 3 CR |
| CYBR 620 | Cyberwarfare | 3 CR |
| CYBR 680 | Research in Cybersecurity* | 3 CR |
*(may only be counted if the thesis option is chosen)
Cyber Forensics
Pick 4 out of the following:
| CFS 500 | Intro to Digital Forensics | 3 CR |
| CFS 520 | Incident Response | 3 CR |
| CFS 567 | Mobile Device Forensics | 3 CR |
| CFS 640 | Advanced Cyber Forensics | 3 CR |
| CFS 662 | Network Forensics | 3 CR |
| CYBR 615 | Cybersecurity Vulnerability Assessment | 3 CR |
| CYBR 620 | Cyberwarfare | 3 CR |
| CYBR 680 | Research in Cybersecurity* | 3 CR |
*(may only be counted if the thesis option is chosen)
Cyber Management
Pick 4 out of the following:
| CYBR 530 | Cybersecurity Policies and Management | 3 CR |
| CYBR 535 | Cyber Risk | 3 CR |
| CYBR 542 | Cyber Operations | 3 CR |
| EM 660 | Project Management | 3 CR |
| EM675 | Engineering Economics | 3 CR |
| CYBR 680 | Research in Cybersecurity* | 3 CR |
*(may only be counted if the thesis option is chosen)
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Electives (9 CR)
9 hours of the following courses that are not in the core or concentration
Any 500 or 600 level CFS courses
Any 500 or 600-level CYBR courses
Any 500 or 600 level CS course
| CYBR 681 | Thesis* |
| MIS 600 | Management Information Systems |
| MIS 647 | IT Disaster Planning and Recovery |
| EM 660 | Project Management |
| EM 675 | Engineering Economics |
Other graduate courses as approved by the advisor
*(may only be counted if the thesis option is chosen and CYBR 680 is also taken)
Plan of Study
This is a link to a typical two-year study plan for a full-time (9 credit hours a semester) student: