Introduction 

In an era of escalating cyber threats affecting major government agencies and corporations worldwide, cybersecurity has become critical to global security and economic stability. The MS in Cybersecurity and Information Assurance, recognized as a program under the National Centers of Academic Excellence in Cybersecurity, prepares students for high-demand roles in cybersecurity, information security, and IT risk management. Graduates are positioned to protect vital systems across diverse sectors including finance, government, healthcare, retail, law enforcement, transportation, and defense, addressing the urgent need for skilled security professionals in today's increasingly vulnerable digital landscape.

The MS CISA degree program is a 10-course (30-credit hour) master’s degree, whereby students take 7 required courses (21-credit hours) and an experiential learning course or internship (3-credit hours) to meet the standards of the validated National Centers of Academic Excellence in Cybersecurity degree program. The remaining 6-credit hours allow students to customize their degree by selecting two elective courses aligned with their specific interests and career goals. Students may choose electives in areas like Data Management, Artificial Intelligence, Strategic IT Leadership, and Risk Management.

The MS CISA includes a 4+1 program that allows our current undergraduate information systems or information and cybersecurity management students to pursue the Master of Science degree if they achieve a cumulative GPA of 3.00 or higher without taking the GMAT test. Students are also allowed to replace two undergraduate required information systems courses with two graduate information systems courses. Interested students should contact the Business School advising team for more information.