Graduate Programs
Degree Programs
Secure Computing
Accelerated Master's Program in Secure Computing
The Accelerated Master's in Secure Computing is designed to allow Computer Science undergraduates, who specialize in Security, to complete the M.S. in Secure Computing with one additional year of study. The program is a specialized offering of the Accelerated M.S. in Computer Science degree program, and it meets all of the requirements of the Accelerated M.S. in Computer Science.
To satisfy the degree requirements for the M.S. in Secure Computing, students are required to complete 36 hours as specified below.
- Computing and Networking Foundations (9 hours)
Students must satisfy a networking and operating system requirement, either by taking one of (CSCI-P 436/P536) for operating systems and one of (CSCI-P 438/P 538) for networking. - Security Core (12 hours)
Students must take I 520/B 544 and I 533/B547 for 6 of these core credits. As specified by previously defined requirements, students will receive credit for either B 430 or B 544, but not both and B 433 or B 547, but not both. - Applied Security and Professional Practice (6 hours)
The goal of these credits is to ensure that students have the opportunity to practice skills in an applied or professional setting. Students are required to obtain 6 credits through internship credits. - Electives (9 hours)
Unless students have the program director's permission for a specific course beforehand, all elective credits must be at the 500 level or higher. Students may use these credits to enhance their mathematical or computing skills, or to concentrate on areas that complement their cybersecurity skills. If the student is missing certain courses in programming, data structures, and algorithms, these courses must be taken as electives. - Graduate credit
A total of 24 credits of graduate courses need to be completed in addition to requirements for the undergraduate degree, of which at least 15 credits must be taken with graduate enrollment status. This may not include CSCI-Y 890.
Admission and Status
- For admission to the Accelerated M.S. in Secure Computing program, students must have earned a major and program GPA of at least 3.0 at the time of admission to the program.
- Students must complete the program contract with their advisor prior to submitting the application to the University Graduate School. This contract and major change cannot be completed until 12 CSCI credits have been earned.
- Students in the program will be classified as undergraduates through the last semester in which they are enrolled in undergraduate requirements. Students in good standing, defined as a major and program GPA of at least 3.0, must submit the standard application to the University Graduate School by January 1 prior to the academic year they want to transition to graduate status.
- Those not in good standing at any time are dropped from the program and reclassified as undergraduate B.S. students. If the transition to graduate status is delayed for any reason, Accelerated Master's status will revert to undergraduate B.S. status and the student will be encouraged to apply to the M.S. in Secure Computing program.
- Students in the Accelerated M.S. in Secure Computing program must complete at least 15 hours of coursework while registered in graduate status. Normally, this would encompass no fewer than two semesters.
- Students are advised to check on the effect that transition to graduate status may have on existing undergraduate funding; the possibility of graduate funding is conditional upon transition to graduate status.
- To avoid an overload of credits in their fifth year, students are advised to take at least two graduate level courses in their senior year, while in undergraduate status, to ensure program completion within five years (i.e., taking the remainder of six graduate courses in their fifth year). Students should consult with the undergraduate advisor regarding appropriate graduate level courses. Permission to enroll in graduate level courses must be obtained from the course instructor or advisor.
- The B.S. and M.S. degrees must be pursued consecutively. The student must apply for graduation through the undergraduate recorder and graduate with the B.S. in Computer Science before transitioning to graduate status. The student must apply to graduate with the M.S. in Secure Computing through the graduate recorder and the degree will be awarded upon completion of the graduate requirements.
- Once admitted to the program, if a student switches out of the Accelerated M.S. in Secure Computing program status, they may not switch back into the program after April 15th. These students will be encouraged to apply for the M.S. in Secure Computing program.
- Student must complete the program within five years (unless an extension is approved by the School). Students who exceed five years will be encouraged to apply for the M.S. Secure Computing program.
Academic Requirements
- A minimum of 144 credit hours
- Major GPA of at least 3.0; Cumulative GPA for graduate courses of at least 3.0
- All Computer Science B.S. degree requirements
- A total of 24 credits of graduate courses need to be completed in addition to requirements for the undergraduate degree, of which at least 15 credits must be taken with graduate enrollment status. At most 6 combined credit hours may CSCI-Y 790, Y 791, Y 792, Y 793, or Y 798. This may not include CSCI-Y 890.
Per the requirements for the Accelerated M.S. in Secure Computing, students must take at least 24 Computer Science credit hours beyond the requirements for the B.S. degree at 500 level or above. Students may meet this additional 24 hour requirement and the requirements for the M.S. in Secure Computing as outlined in the table below.
Students will be required to complete at least 15 credit hours in their 5th year. Please note that students may elect to take CSCI-P 536, P 538, INFO-I 520/CSCI-B 544, or INFO-I 533/CSCI-B 547 instead of their undergraduate versions. While taking these graduate level courses will reduce the credit hours that a student takes, these courses will not count towards the 24 hours of graduate credit because they are required by the undergraduate specialization in security.
To satisfy the degree requirements for the M.S. in Secure Computing, students are required to complete 36 hours as specified below.
Core Area
Computing and Network Foundations (9 cr.)
- CSCI-P 436 Introduction to Operating Systems
- CSCI-P 438 Introduction to Computer Networks
- 1 Approved CSCI 500 level course
Security Core (12 cr.)
- CSCI-B 430 Security for Networked Systems
- CSCI-B 433 Systems & Protocol Security & Information Assurance
- 2 Approved CSCI 500 level courses related to security
Applied (6 cr.)
- CSCI-Y 790 Graduate Independent Study
- CSCI-Y 798 Professional Practicum/Internship
Elective (9 cr.)
- 3 - 3 credit hour 500 level or above CSCI courses
The following subsections describe exactly which courses can be used to attain credit for each of the areas mentioned. Courses may not be double-counted across categories; that is, a course that appears in multiple categories may only be used to fulfill credit requirements for one of those categories.
Computing and Network Foundations
Students must satisfy a networking and operating system requirement, either by taking one of (CSCI-P 436/P 536) for operating systems and one of (CSCI-P 438/P 538) for networking. Students who have previously taken such courses in prior studies can ask to be exempted from taking these specific courses, but must still take 9 credit hours in the area.
- CSCI-P 436 Introduction to Operating Systems
- CSCI-P 438 Introduction to Computer Networks
- CSCI-B 534 Distributed Systems
- CSCI-B 541 Hardware System Design I
- CSCI-B 543 Computer Architecture
- CSCI-B 561 Advanced Database Concepts
- CSCI-B 649 Topics in Systems
- Internet Services and Protocols
- CSCI-P 535 Pervasive Computing
- CSCI-P 536 Advanced Operating Systems
- CSCI-P 538 Computer Networks
- CSCI-P 542 Hardware System Design II
- CSCI-P 545 Embedded and Real-Time Systems
Secure Computing Core
Students need to take 12 credit hours from the following list of courses. Students must take INFO-I 520/CSCI-B 430/CSCI-B 544 and INFO-I 533/CSCI-B 433/CSCI-B 547 for 6 of these core credits. This ensures that student get a well-rounded background in Secure Computing.
- INFO-I 520/CSCI-B 430/CSCI-B 544 Security for Networked Systems (required)
- INFO-I 521/CSCI-B 546 Malware: Threat and Defense
- INFO-I 525 Organizational Informatics and Economics of Security
- INFO-I 533/CSCI-B 433/CSCI-B 547 Systems and Protocol Security for Information Assurance (required)
- INFO-I 536 Foundational Mathematics of Cybersecurity
- INFO-I 537 Legal and Social Informatics of Security
- INFO-I 538/CSCI-B 504 Introduction to Cryptography
- INFO-I 539 Cryptographic Protocols
- INFO-I 590/CSCI-B 649 Topics in Informatics/Topics in Systems
- Usable Privacy and Security
- Data-DrivenSecurity and Privacy
- INFO-I 590/CSCI-B 548 Topics in Informatics/Privacy in Pervasive Computing
- Privacy in Pervasive Computing
- ENGR-E 599 Topics in Intelligent Systems Engineering
- Reverse Engineering Embedded Systems
- Note: INFO-I 590/CSCI-B 649/ENGR-E 599 are "topics" courses which means many different courses are offered under this course listing. This course may be taken multiple times to satisfy credit hours in this area so long as the courses are taught by core security program faculty or approval of the Secure Computing program director. If you have any concerns, please check with the graduate office.
Applied Security and Professional Practice
The goal of these credits is to ensure that student have the opportunity to practice skills in an applied or professional setting. Students are required to obtain 6 credits through courses or internship credits.
Internship credit must be obtained from organizations where students are exposed to some practical aspect of cybersecurity. Each 10-hour per week internship 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. The school's Career Services group is an excellent resource that is useful in helping students find internships, and students are recommended to start this process early. Pease see the section on Career Services later in the document for contact and other useful information.
Students may also engage in internships with security faculty at academic institutions.
- CSCI-Y 798 Graduate Internship
The remaining 9 credit hours are electives. Unless you have the program director's permission for a specific course beforehand, all elective credits must be at the 500 level or higher. Students may use these credits to enhance their mathematical or computing skills, or to concentrate on areas that complement their cybersecurity skill.
If the student has not taken the following relevant equivalent courses in a prior program (e.g., at the undergraduate level), the following courses must be taken as graduate level electives"
- Programming - CSCI-A 591 Introduction to Computer Science
- Data Structures - CSCI-A 594 Data Structures
- Algorithms - CSCI-B 505 Applied Algorithms