Master of Science in Cybersecurity

Specialized degree to protect our digital world.

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 (CAE) 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 Online Cybersecurity Program will provide extensive hands-on learning. Collaboration with the Cybersecurity Center for 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 Cybersecurity Center for 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.

Curriculum

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.

Program Prerequisites (dependent on emphasis and work experience)

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)

Career Outcomes

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

To ensure a high-quality graduate student group, all MS in Cybersecurity students must have a bachelor’s degree from a recognized institution and meet graduate admission criteria.

If you do not meet the graduate admission criteria, please email us to determine if you could be admitted on a conditional basis.

International students must meet additional criteria and will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis. Contact us for information and assistance.

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.