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Cybersecurity Master's
Master of Science (M.S.)
Program type:
Major
Format:
On Campus
Est. time to complete:
2 years
Credit Hours:
30-33
Help make our digital world a safer place for everyone.
The M.S. in Cybersecurity provides a high quality, academically challenging and career-enriching
educational program that is responsive to industry trends, changing standards and
employer needs. The degree develops students who are highly skilled in the field,
technically savvy and think critically about cybersecurity challenges.
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Request More InfoWhy Earn a Cybersecurity Master's?
As new technologies enter every part of daily life, due to lack of expertise, we expect the demand for people with higher degrees will exponentially increase.
As a graduate student in the UNT Cybersecurity program, you will have the opportunity to work alongside outstanding faculty who are world-renowned in the field, as well as gain access to the Center for Information and Cyber Security (CICS). As a center for excellence, you’ll learn from experts in the field and gain knowledge and skills that have practical industry application. Working with faculty members, you may research:
- AI for security
- Blockchain applications
- Cloud computing and security
- Computer forensics
- Cyber intelligence
- Cryptography
- Network and IoT security
Marketable Skills
- Communication skills in documenting vulnerabilities, standards
- Working in unscripted/unknown platforms
- Interpret abnormalities from visualizations
- Configure/test systems for vulnerabilities
- Risk analysis of systems/threats
Cybersecurity Master's Highlights
The UNT Center for Information and Cyber Security (CICS) has been designated by the
National Security Agency and Department of Homeland Security as a National Center
of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense Education and Research.
In addition to the six required cybersecurity courses, students also will complete
five courses from an approved list of prescribed electives.
Teaching and research assistantships are available to help you pursue your graduate
degree by providing you with a monthly stipend and may qualify you for in-state tuition
rates or tuition and fee support.
On average, information security professionals earn $106,000 per year, according to
the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2019), almost three times the national median
income for full-time workers in the United States.
Based on our students' employment, an M.S. degree is considered equivalent to two
years of experience in the industry, with many graduates hired into leadership roles
in the industry after graduation.
You can choose between the 30-hour Thesis Option that includes 24 hours of coursework
and six hours of thesis, or the Course Option that includes 33 hours of coursework.
What Can You do With a Cybersecurity Master's?
Currently, there are an estimated 500,000 cybersecurity jobs unfilled in our country, including:
- Administrators
- Architects
- Management
- Scientists
- Technical personnel
Cybersecurity Master's Courses You Could Take
Introduction to Computer Security (3 hrs)
Theory and practice of computer security, stressing security models and assurance.
Security goals, threats and vulnerabilities. Cryptography, program security and operating
system security issues. Basic network security. Planning, policies and risk analysis.
Computer Forensics (3 hrs)
Fundamentals of computer forensics and cyber-crime scene analysis including laws,
regulations, international standards and formal methodology for conducting computer
forensic investigations. Topics include advanced computer forensic science capabilities
such as target hardening and software, tools for data duplication, recovery and analysis,
and development of pre-search or on-scene computer investigative techniques.
Secure Electronic Commerce (3 hrs)
Electronic commerce technology, models and issues, with emphasis on security issues.
Supporting technology such as cryptography, digital signatures, certificates and public
key infrastructure (PKI). Security-conscious programming for web-based applications.
Exposure to interaction between technical issues and business, legal and ethical issues.
Includes a research project.
Secure Software Systems (3 hrs)
Design and implementation of secure software systems. Software assurance techniques,
approaches, mechanisms, and tools. Principles and practice of trustworthy computing.
Common software security threats. Secure programming techniques. Software analysis
techniques such as static analysis, dynamic analysis, testing, and model checking.
Architectural approaches to building secure software.
Network Security (3 hrs)
Fundamentals of network defense. Topics include firewalls, intrusion prevention and
detection systems, network forensics, building a secured routing network, and network
penetration testing and vulnerability analysis.
Applications of Cryptography (3 hrs)
Introduces students to concepts of cryptography and its applications. Cryptography
is the fundamental building block of any computer security solution. The knowledge
gained from this course will enable students to apply these cryptographic algorithms
in a better way to design security solutions.
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