MS in Cybersecurity
Graduate Overview
Develop expertise in cybersecurity issues
Drawing on faculty from both the information technology and the computer science programs at UW-Whitewater, the Master of Science in Cybersecurity is an interdisciplinary degree that will allow students to develop deep expertise in current cybersecurity issues. All courses in the program are focused on cybersecurity, and the curriculum has been designed to align with the National Centers of Academic Excellence program, which is jointly sponsored by the Department of Homeland Security and the National Security Agency. The goal of the CAE program is to reduce vulnerability in our national information infrastructure by promoting higher education and expertise in cyber defense.
Beyond theoretical knowledge, UW-Whitewater’s new online cybersecurity program will provide extensive hands-on learning. Collaboration with the Cyber Security Center for Small Business at UW-Whitewater will offer opportunities for students to work with businesses and learn from real-world case studies.
Leadership in cybersecurity education
UW-Whitewater's highly qualified faculty are fully committed to cybersecurity and have industry contacts throughout the Midwest. This commitment, together with the close association with the Cyber Security Center for Small Business, the strength of the university's other computer science and information technology programs, and the specialized Master of Science in Cybersecurity, positions UW-Whitewater to lead cybersecurity education activities in Wisconsin.
To be admitted to the Master of Science in Cybersecurity program at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater, candidates must meet the general Graduate Academic Admission Requirements.
Students enrolling in the program are also expected to have existing knowledge in information technology or computer science. Students who do not meet basic requirements can take prerequisite courses before starting the graduate coursework.
Contact us with questions about the program or admission requirements.
Core Courses (15 credits)
The five courses below will provide the critical operational knowledge required in cybersecurity careers.
- Fundamentals of Ethical Hacking (3 credits)
- Management of Information Assurance and Security (3 credits)
- Cybersecurity and Privacy Law (3 credits)
- Computer Forensics (3 credits)
- Intrusion Prevention and Detection (3 credits)
To earn the Master of Science in Cybersecurity, you must also complete either the Cyber Resilience Emphasis or the Security Engineering Emphasis.
Cyber Resilience Emphasis Required Courses (9 credits)
- Data-driven Security (3 credits)
- Industrial and Critical Infrastructure Security (3 credits)
- Cyber Incident Response, Business Continuity, and Risk Management (3 credits)
Cyber Resilience Emphasis Elective Courses (6 credits from the following)
- Information Technology Service Management (3 credits)
- Data Analytics and Business Intelligence (3 credits)
- Business Process Innovation and Management (3 credits)
- Topics in Information Technology Management (3 credits)
- Leadership Development (3 credits)
Security Engineering Emphasis Required Courses (6 credits)
- System and Software Security (3 credits)
- Cryptography and Security Protocols (3 credits)
Security Engineering Emphasis Elective Courses (9 credits from the following)
- Embedded System Security (3 credits)
- Malware Reverse Engineering (3 credits)
- Cloud Security (3 credits)
- Topics in Cybersecurity (3 credits)
- Cybersecurity Capstone Project (3 credits)
- Thesis (3 credits)
- Advanced Database (3 credits)
- Big Data and Data Mining (3 credits)
- Operating Systems in Practice (3 credits)
Program Prerequisites (varies)
Students who do not meet basic admissions requirements may take prerequisite courses before starting the graduate coursework.
- System Fundamentals of Cybersecurity (3 credits)
- Introductory Programming (3 credits)
- Intermediate Programming (3 credits; applies to Security Engineering emphasis only)
From the theft of personal data to threats against critical infrastructure systems, cybersecurity is a national concern impacting businesses as well as government agencies. Because of these rapidly growing threats, there is a shortage of qualified cybersecurity professionals.
Recent data from CyberSeek—a project supported by the National Institute of Standards and Technology, U.S. Department of Commerce, and National Initiative for Cybersecurity Education—showed that there were nearly 1,000,000 persons employed in cybersecurity and that there were over 500,000 additional job openings, while in Wisconsin there were over 10,000 persons employed in cybersecurity and nearly 5,000 additional job openings.1
In addition, CyberSeek's national data showed the average salary for a Cybersecurity Engineer was $106,000 and the average salary for a Cybersecurity Manager/Administrator was $105,000.2
Cybersecurity Jobs
https://cybersecjobs.com
NSA Opportunities for Students
https://www.nsa.gov/resources/students-educators/#students
National Initiative for Cybersecurity Education (NICE)
https://www.cyberseek.org
https://www.nist.gov/itl/applied-cybersecurity/nice
Cybersecurity Certifications
Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP)
CompTIASecurity+
SANS GIAC Security Essentials (GSEC)
Certified Cloud Security Professional (CCSP)