Master of Science in Cybersecurity
Buffalo, USA
DURATION
1 up to 2 Years
LANGUAGES
English
PACE
Full time, Part time
APPLICATION DEADLINE
Request application deadline
EARLIEST START DATE
Request earliest startdate
TUITION FEES
USD 900 / per credit *
STUDY FORMAT
On-Campus
* per 30-39 credit hours/Scholarship available
Introduction
Today there are close to 3 million cybersecurity jobs around the globe just waiting to be filled. As computers and network devices continue to play a role in day-to-day operations for businesses, banks, hospitals, universities, and government agencies, this number will only rise. There’s never been a better time to train as a cybersecurity professional and pursue a career in one of the world’s fastest-growing sectors.
As Western New York’s only technology-based master’s-level cybersecurity program, our Master of Science in Cybersecurity degree program teaches the skills, knowledge, and best practices to ensure the security and integrity of every type of computing and information system. Not only will you gain a complete understanding of 21st-century cybersecurity tools—you’ll learn how to build them.
The computers in our state-of-the-art Cybersecurity Lab will give you hands-on practice to extend your knowledge of computer forensics, cyber intelligence, risk assessment, infiltration techniques, malware analysis, electronic crime, cyber operations, and more. Working with our computer science faculty, you’ll also contribute to cutting-edge research to benefit a highly skilled profession that is perpetually evolving.
U.S. CYBERCOM Partnership
The Canisius Cybersecurity program is a proud member of U.S. CYBERCOM’s Academic Engagement Network, which gives students access to exclusive resources not found in other programs. This partnership connects students with cutting-edge problems in the Cyber domain.
Benefits include:
- Invitations to exclusive webinars about U.S. CYBERCOM’s most pressing technical and non-technical problems and how to benefit from key DoD programs that impact cyberspace
- Access to guest lecturers from U.S. CYBERCOM on cyberspace strategy, policy, law, innovation, and workforce issues
Cybersecurity Program Highlights
- Open to students of any undergraduate background. Programming bridge courses offered for students from a non-computer science background to meet STEM requirements
- Flexible schedule – enroll full- or part-time
- State-of-the-art Cybersecurity Lab on campus
- Personal mentorship and support are provided directly by experienced faculty who are industry experts in fields such as network security
- Strong local business connections and premier internship opportunities in industries including healthcare and banking
- A solid grounding in technology ethics and cyber justice guided by our Jesuit tradition
- The curriculum follows national recommendations set by ACM & NSA
- The program prepares students for general cybersecurity certifications
- Reduced certification costs through a partnership with CompTIA
- GMAT/GRE not required
- STEM major eligible for 24-month OPT extension
Featured Courses in the Cybersecurity Master’s Degree
- Cybersecurity Principles – Examine the landscape and broad areas of cybersecurity including database security, malware, software security, and many other topics while completing hands-on labs and exercises to reinforce your knowledge of computer, network, and information security. This course prepares students for CompTIA's Security+ Certification.
- Ethical Hacking & Penetration Testing – Gain an in-depth understanding of how to effectively protect computer networks by learning the tools and penetration testing methodologies used by ethical hackers. This course prepares students for EC-Council's Certified Ethical Hacker Certification.
- Secure Software Engineering – Learn secure programming practices that are necessary to develop applications that withstand cyberattacks and common software exploits.
STEM Designation- International Students
Certain F-1 Students who receive science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) degrees can apply for a 24-month post-completion OPT extension. This program qualifies as a STEM-designated program. Speak with your admissions counselor to learn more.
Program Outcome
On completing the MS program, students will be able to:
1. Assess Risks and Threats
- Perform information security risk assessment, identify potential threats, and develop threat mitigation strategies.
- Identify malicious activities and attacks, and recommend appropriate response capabilities.
2. Implement Policies and Respond to Incidents
- Describe security design principles and identify security mechanisms to implement desired security principles.
- Implement security defense technologies.
- Carry out incident response activities and support a cyber-crime investigation.
- Perform audit procedures, evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of the security mechanisms, and develop contingency plans.
3. Communicate and Educate on Cybersecurity Issues
- Describe individual privacy rights, related laws and regulations, and the use of information assurance technologies to support the enforcement of these rights.
- Describe the responsibilities of all levels of users related to the threats against information systems.
- Communicate information security concepts to individuals with diverse levels of computing skills.
Career Opportunities
Cybersecurity is one of the fastest-growing fields in the nation and around the world. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), employment of information security analysts is projected to grow 35 percent over the next decade — more than four times the average growth rate for all occupations. There are an estimated 3 million cybersecurity jobs needing to be filled globally, and more than 700,000 in the United States.
Graduates with a cybersecurity master’s degree can find a wealth of opportunities as computer and information systems managers, cybersecurity consultants, network security engineers or even chief information officers. Corporate giants like Microsoft and Google, along with the U.S. Federal government, are always searching for employees with top-notch cybersecurity training.
Since the demand for cybersecurity experts is high, salaries are rewarding. The median pay for information security analysts, based on recent data from the BLS, is $102,600.
Gallery
Curriculum
The Cybersecurity MS is designed as a full-time (with a part-time option), face-to-face program. Students without a computer science background may take a set of courses as preparatory that would otherwise be waived for those with the applicable undergraduate courses. The program is in line with curricular recommendations from the ACM Cybersecurity Curricula and the NSA’s Center of Academic Excellence (CAE) in Cyber Defense.
Program courses are taught by Industry professionals who are at the forefront of cybersecurity. Instructors guide students in hands-on lab exercises from ethical hacking, to securing development practices, to the analysis of malware samples. Students gain exposure to the most current tools and practices used in cybersecurity - including new courses for evolving topics.
Bridge Courses
- CSC 511 & 511L Introduction to Programming and Introduction to Programming Lab 3
- CSC 512 & 512L Data Structures and Algorithms and Data Structures and Algorithms Lab 3
Required Courses
- CSC 530 Operating System Design 3
- CSC 610 & 610L Database Management and Database Management Lab 3
- CYB 500 & 500L Cybersecurity Principles and Cybersecurity Principles Lab 3
- CYB 510 Cybersecurity Policies, Ethics, and Law 3
- CYB 520 & 520L Ethical Hacking and Penetration Testing and Ethical Hacking and Penetration Testing Lab 3
- CYB 540 & 540L Network and Internet Security and Network and Internet Security Lab 3
- CYB 600 & 600L Secure Software Engineering and Secure Software Engineering Lab 3
- CYB 610 Cybersecurity Project 3
Choose from the following (minimum 6 cr.):
- CYB 550 & 550L Techniques to Analyze and Evaluate Malware and Techniques to Analyze and Evaluate Malware Lab
- CYB 580 Cybersecurity Seminar
- CYB 599 & 599L Cybersecurity Special Topics and Cybersecurity Special Topics Lab
- CYB 611 Cybersecurity Thesis
- CYB 620 & 620L Applied Cryptography and Applied Cryptography Lab
- CYB 680 Cybersecurity Research
- CYB 697 Cybersecurity Internship
- CYB 699 Advanced Cybersecurity Topics
- DAT 511 Data Stewardship: Preparation, Exploration, and Handling of Big Data
- DAT 514 & MAT 500 Data Mining and Machine Learning and Topics in Applied Mathematics (The combination of these two courses fulfills the elective credits)
Admissions
English Language Requirements
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