Graduate Programs

Degree Programs

Secure Computing

Master of Science in Secure Computing
M.S. Requirements

The Masters of Science Degree in Secure Computing is structured as follows. A student must complete 36 credit hours of courses with the requirement that the following number of credit hours be achieved in each of the four areas as described below:

Areas:

  • Computing Foundations (9 cr.)
  • Security Informatics Core (12 cr.)
  • Applied Security and Professional Practice (6 cr.)
  • Electives (9 cr.)

Computing Foundations

These courses ensure that students have a firm grasp of computing systems. Students need to take 9 credit hours from the following list of courses. 

Secure Programming Track (9 cr.)

Required (unless exempted):

  • CSCI-P 536 Advanced Operating Systems
  • CSCI-P 538 Computer Networks

Must complete at least one course from the following (total of 9 credit hours including required courses):

  • CSCI-B 534 Distributed Systems
  • CSCI-B 541 Hardware System Design I
  • CSCI-B 543 Computer Architecture
  • CSCI-B 561 Advanced Database Concepts
  • CSCI-P 535 Pervasive Computing
  • CSCI-P 542 Hardware System Design II
  • CSCI-P 545 Embedded and Real-Time Systems

Secure Computing Core

These courses ensure that students have a firm grasp of the fundamental ideas, skills, models and tools of cybersecurity.  Students need to take 12 credit hours from the following list of courses.

Required (unless exempted):

  • CSCI-B 544 Security for Networked Systems OR INFO-I 520 Security for Networked Systems
  • CSCI-B 547 Systems and Protocol Security and Information Assurance

Must complete at least 2 courses (total of 12 credit hours including required courses):

  • CSCI-B 504 Introduction to Cryptography OR INFO-I 538 Introduction to Cryptography
  • CSCI-B 546 Malware Epidemic: Threat and Defense OR INFO-I 521 Malware Epidemic: Threat and Defense
  • INFO-I 525 Organizational Informatics and Economics of Security
  • INFO-I 536 Foundational Mathematics of Cybersecurity
  • INFO-I 537 Legal and Social Informatics of Security
  • INFO-I 539 Cryptographic Protocols


Applied Security and Professional Practice

Internship credit must be obtaind from ogranizations where students are exposed to some practival aspecy of cybersecurity. Each 10-hour per week intership over a semester/summer provides 1 credit hour. A student may take a maximum of two internships, for a maximum of 6 credit hours.  Further, a student may work no more than 40 hours per week for credit.

Students may also satisfy their Applied Security and Professional credit requirements throug specific courses:

  • CSCI-Y 790 Independent Study
  • CSCI-Y 798 Graduate Internship

Electives

The remaining 9 credit hours are electives. All elective credits must be 500 level or higher, unless you have permission from the Secure Computing program director.

Academic Bulletins