M.S. Cybersecurity
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Ensuring the security of the world’s and our own nation’s computers, systems, and networks is a key national security challenge. To address this challenge, establishing high-quality Cybersecurity educational programs is a top national priority as well as a regional imperative as trained Cybersecurity graduates are of critical importance to several large employer groups in this region.
The University of Delaware is an National Security Agency (NSA) accredited Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense Education The master’s degree in Cybersecurity is structured to enable professionals to gain advanced training in this field.
Unlike other programs that are solely focused on IT security, this program emphasizes design, development, and management of computers and networks and the software that those systems depend upon. Knowledge acquired through this program will prepare the graduating student to practice as a security professional in the security industry, or provide similar functions to enterprises that either need security professionals or in-depth security knowledge for the safe development of their products and services.
We train individuals that have a traditional background in engineering, computer science, information systems, or related fields to have strong security skills that enable them to develop new secure systems and/or software, to exploit analytics for security purposes, or to develop and manage secure business systems.
Graduates of this program are skilled in the latest theories and practices required to address the most challenging cybersecurity issues facing the world today. They will have knowledge and skills in cybersecurity fundamentals, best practices, secure design techniques for software and systems, defensive hardening, attack detection, incident response, and remediation. These skills can be applied in a broad range of settings, including team meetings, documenting policy, performing architectural design and reviews, and performing engineering audits, as well as writing software, securing systems, analyzing traces, and analyzing software.
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Program Requirements
The Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering’s Cybersecurity Master’s program requires 30 credit hours in either a thesis, non-thesis or online offering. The non-thesis option requires all 30 credits to be completed through coursework, while the thesis option requires 24 credit hours of coursework and six credits of master’s thesis (CPEG 869).
Students may also enroll in the NSA accredited Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense Education (CAE) Program of Study. This non-thesis program requires all 30 credits to be completed through coursework and are indicated below. Students completing the CAE Program of Study will receive a certificate.
Fundamentals of Cybersecurity
Students must complete 15 credits, or five (5) courses, of Fundamentals of Cybersecurity. CDE students must complete 18 credits, or six (6) courses, of Fundamentals of Cybersecurity.
- CPEG 665 Introduction to Cybersecurity (CYBER I) (CDE required)
- CPEG 697 Advanced Cybersecurity (CYBER II)
- CPEG 694 System Hardening & Protection (DEFENSE) (CDE required)
- CPEG 695 Digital Forensics (CDE required)
- CPEG 676 Secure Software Design (CDE required)
- CPEG 671 Pen Test and Reverse Engineering (CDE required)
- CPEG 672 Applied Cryptography (CDE required)
Electives/Concentrations
Students must complete 15 credits, or five (5) courses, of electives. These courses should be selected from the concentrations below. If three or more courses are in a single concentration area, then the student will have achieved a concentration in that area, which is reflected in the transcript.
Courses not listed below can be counted toward this requirement only if the exception has been granted by the MS in Cybersecurity administration.
CAE students must complete 12 credits, or four (4) courses, of electives.
The Concentration Areas and courses within each area are listed below.
Concentration Area: Secure Software
The Secure Software concentration is designed for a professional responsible for developing software systems. Secure Software electives include:
- CPEG 670 Web Applications Security
- CISC 621 Algorithm Design and Analysis
- CISC 663 Operating Systems
- CISC 672 Compiler Construction or CPEG 621 Compiler Design
- CISC 675 Software Engineering Principles and Practices
- CISC 611/CPEG 611 Software Process Management
- CISC 612/CPEG 612 Software Design
- CISC 613/CPEG 613 Software Requirements Engineering
- CISC 614/CPEG 614 Formal Methods in Software Engineering
- CISC 615/CPEG 615 Software Testing and Maintenance
- CPEG 676 Secure Software Design
Concentration Area: Secure Systems
The Secure Systems concentration is designed for a professional responsible for systems that can include wireless and network communication systems, embedded systems, and related physical systems. Secure Systems electives include:
- ELEG 635 Digital Communication
- ELEG 658 Advanced Mobile Services
- ELEG 617 The Smart Grid
- CPEG 696 Topics in Cybersecurity (Simulation-based Cybersecurity)
- ELEG 812 Wireless Digital Communication
- CPEG 675 Embedded Computer Systems
- CISC 650 / ELEG 651 Computer Networks
- CISC 853 Network Management
- CPEG 673 Virtualization and Cloud Security
- CISC 886 Multi-Agent Systems
- CPEG 674 SCADA Systems and Security
- CPEG 853 Computer System Reliability
Concentration Area: Security Analytics
The Security Analytics concentration is designed for a professional responsible for utilizing big data, analytics, and statistical learning methods to identify and characterize anomalous behavior and security risks. Security Analytics electives are:
- ELEG 815 Analytics I Statistical Learning
- ELEG 817/FASN 817 Large Scale Machine Learning
- CISC 683 Introduction to Data Mining
- CISC 637 Database Systems
- CPEG 657 Search and Data Mining
- CISC 681 Artificial Intelligence
- CISC 684 Introduction to Machine Learning
- CISC 689 TPCS: Artificial Intelligence: Machine Learning
- ELEG 630 Information Theory
Concentration Area: Security Management
The Security Management concentration is designed for a professional responsible for instituting and managing security controls within an enterprise. Security Management electives are:
- MISY 850 Security and Control
- FINC 855 Capital Markets & Financial Institutions
- BUAD 840 Ethical Issues in Domestic and Global Business Environments
- MISY 840 Project Management and Costing
- ACCT 806 Systems Analysis, Design and Implementation
- BUAD 870 Leadership and Organizational Behavior
- BUAD 877 Skills for Change Agents
- MISY 810 Telecommunications and Networking
Online M.S. in Cybersecurity
The Master of Science in Cybersecurity degree is also offered in a completely online format. The online program was designed for working adults and can be completed in as few as two years. Visit the Online M.S. in Cybersecurity page for more information.