MASTER OF SCIENCE IN CYBER SECURITY ENGINEERING
Get Information
AT A GLANCE
Earn your master’s degree online or on campus in just 20 months to position yourself for success in cybersecurity engineering.
Summer, Fall and Spring Start Dates
Online
On-Campus PT
On-Campus FT
Program Length:
20-24 Months
Total Units:
30-36 Units
Cost Per Unit:
$1,290
Next Term Starts:
May 5
Priority App Deadline:
March 6
Program Length:
20-24 Months
Total Units:
30-36 Units
Cost Per Unit:
$1,290
Next Term Starts:
May 5
Priority App Deadline:
March 6
Program Length:
18 Months
Total Units:
36 Units
Cost Per Unit:
$2,000
Next Term Starts:
September 1
Priority App Deadline:
July 6
International Applicants:
May 1
take 1 course at a time
Students are admitted throughout the year for admission into one of three semesters (Spring, Summer and Fall). Each semester two courses are offered, with students focusing intensively on one course at a time – a total of seven weeks for each course.
ABOUT THE PROGRAM
USD’s Master of Science in Cyber Security Engineering (MS-CSE) delivers in-depth knowledge and skills needed by cyber security professionals. Focusing on the engineering aspects of software and hardware security, graduates will be prepared to tackle security challenges faced by businesses and communities. This program’s subjects focus on critical cyber security skills in applied cryptography, secure network engineering, security test engineering, and incident detection.
The MS-CSE program has been designated as a National Center of Academic Excellence in Cybersecurity by the U.S. federal government. Colleges and universities that receive this designation have met rigorous requirements and are recognized for a robust curriculum that is aligned with the NICE Cybersecurity Workforce Framework. Graduates of our CSE program will impress employers with their innovative cyber security ideas and with this degree from a U.S. university.
Customize Your Experience: Online or Campus, Part-time or Full-time.
Designed with working professionals in mind, this graduate program allows you to take classes 100% online or 100% on-campus. If you select the campus format you are able to choose between part-time or full-time. Both formats provide an experienced cross-disciplinary faculty, exceptional student support, and a robust curriculum.
$102,231
Average annual salary with a cybersecurity master’s degree, according to ZipRecruiter.
46%
Percentage of cybersecurity professionals contacted weekly by recruiters, regardless of whether they are actively looking for a job.
20
Number of months it takes to earn your cybersecurity master’s degree through the University of San Diego.
Courses you will take
Industry Insights
1 million
Cyber security professionals currently needed in India.
46%
of cybersecurity professionals contacted each week by recruiters, whether they are actively looking for work or not.
₹1.3 million+
The average annual salary of a cyber security professional in India
Sources: Cyberventures.com, Statistica.com, Talent.com
A closer look – cybersecurity at usd
Designed by Leading Innovators and Educators
University of San Diego faculty bring deep tech expertise to the programs, guided by elite advisory boards of Silicon Valley veterans, entrepreneurs, and industry leaders. The curriculum is refreshed annually to align with evolving industry demands.
Chell Roberts, PhD
Dean, Shiley-Marcos School of Engineering
Imane Khalil, PhD
Associate Dean of Graduate Programs and Professor, Mechanical Engineering
Nahid Farhady, PhD
Principal Software Engineer at Microsoft
Eric Colson
DS & ML Advisor, Activation Fund AI Program Advisory Board Member
Brad Lunn
Managing Director, Gerenal Atomics
Haydar Majeed, MS
Academic Director, Professor of Practice
What can I do with this degree?
Graduates from the Master of Science in Cyber Security Engineering program can work in high-demand, high-impact positions such as:
- Lead Cybersecurity Engineer
- Information Security Analyst
- Lead Cybersecurity Threat Hunter
- Lead Software Security Engineer
- Cybersecurity Architect
Our Master of Science in Cyber Security Engineering program is ideal for bachelor-prepared students who are currently working in a wide range of cybersecurity roles or aspiring to work as a security engineer. It is especially ideal for those with an engineering background who wish to effect positive change by developing and deploying engineering solutions to safeguard systems and networks, and mitigate cybersecurity threats. Anyone interested in gaining a deep understanding of cybersecurity engineering concepts, theories and threat mitigation strategies will benefit from this program, which is designed to be an invaluable asset for career advancement.
Program Outcomes
The program equips you with multi-dimensional skills in information security that will give you a competitive edge in today’s global cyber security landscape. After completing the program, you will be able to:
- Apply the core concepts and principles of cybersecurity and engineering to design and develop highly secure systems.
- Analyze a system to assess its overall security environment, including the security goals, policies, and threats, as well as deploy effective controls to minimize cyber security threats, while using resources and funds optimally.
- Assess the weaknesses, threats, and opportunities in digital systems, by leveraging skills including security testing, incident response and cyber forensics.
- Work within the guidance of legal principles and regulations as well as ethical thinking to make responsible cyber security related decisions in organizations.
WHERE USD GRADUATES WORK
Testimonials
This course is a prerequisite for the MS in Cyber Security Engineering program. Students without specific training in cyber engineering and/or an undergraduate degree in computer science, engineering or computer engineering may be required to take this course. Computational Roots of Cyber Security is an accelerated introduction to computer systems that provides essential education in the fundamentals. Three areas of computation are addressed in this course: Understanding how 1) programs work at a fundamental level (computer architecture), 2) how programs are managed and controlled (operating systems), and 3) how programs are constructed (programming) will be critical to the students’ ability to comprehend the material of subsequent courses.
An introduction to the fundamentals of cybersecurity, including the notion of policy as the definition of “security” for a system and the concepts of threats, vulnerabilities, and risk. We will survey common attacks and mitigations, and the shortcomings of common, contemporary cybersecurity models. Students will practice aspects of networking, operating systems, and security test tools through computer virtualization and hands-on labs and will assemble a penetration testing Cybersecurity Sandbox with multiple virtual machines that they will use in subsequent courses and will demonstrate the use of a set of security test tools.
Prerequisites: CYBR 505 (can be waived by MS-CSE Program Director based on student’s academic and professional background)
This course is an introduction to fundamental concepts of computer network security and defense, including planning, architecture, system design and deployment, risk assessments, and identifying network security threats from a cybersecurity perspective. Cybersecurity network testing will be conducted in the virtualized Cybersecurity Sandbox that students implemented in CYBR 501. Prerequisites: CYBR 501
This course continues to build on the fundamental concepts introduced in CYBR 501 by advancing the investigation of threats, vulnerabilities, and risk. Introducing and applying security risk frameworks to implement security controls and mediate risk. Testing will be conducted in the student’s Cybersecurity Sandbox.
Prerequisites: CYBR 501 and CYBR 502
This course is an introduction to core principles of modern cryptography and applied cryptographic methods and systems. It includes description of common cryptographic algorithms, pseudorandom generators and encryption. Students will explore the application and assessment of cryptographic techniques for enforcing security policies. Class labs and project will be conducted in the Cybersecurity SandBox.
Prerequisites: CYBR 501 and CYBR 502
In this course the student will be introduced to the secure system life cycle and to the different types of threats and vulnerabilities that pertain to each stage. Students will learn methods for building confidence in the ability of a computer system to correctly enforce the security policy at every stage of the life cycle. Class labs and project will be conducted in the Cybersecurity SandBox.
Prerequisites: CYBR 501 and CYBR 502
This course builds on CYBR 502 and continues exploring the design and maintenance of secure and sustainable networks. Topics include network hardening methods, advanced configurations of security tools such as IPS, and secure Cloud Computing. Verification testing of network configurations will be conducted using the Cybersecurity Sandbox.
Prerequisites: CYBR 501 and CYBR 502
This course presents various methodologies for performing security testing to ensure a system correctly enforces the security policy. Topics include creating and configuring test environments based on security requirements; differentiating between functional testing and security testing; and types of testing such as static, dynamic, vulnerability, and penetration testing; Labs and projects for the course will utilize the Cybersecurity Sandbox.
Prerequisites: CYBR 501 and CYBR 502
In this course techniques for assuring the continued operation of secure systems in contested environments will be explored. The course through lecture, labs and projects continue to students to use these techniques for the detection of, response to, and recovery from security incidents. Labs and projects for the course will utilize the Cybersecurity Sandbox.
Prerequisites: CYBR 501 and CYBR 502
In Research 1, students will be introduced to a multi domain international company that requires cybersecurity support to update and formalize the security of the enterprise. Student will be required to apply knowledge and skills learned throughout the Cybersecurity Engineering curriculum. The class will form a project team and break into work groups and in a virtual environment develop and implement an Information Systems Security Plan to secure a three-city international structure design private company (Design World Case Study). The groups will be provided a virtual environment with the enterprise systems design in place as per the Case study.
Prerequisites: CYBR 501, CYBR 502, CYBR 503, CYBR 504, CYBR 506, CYBR 508, CYBR 510, and CYBR 512
In Research II, students will continue the implementation of the capstone case study introduced in Research I a multi domain international company that requires cybersecurity support to update and formalize the security of the enterprise. Students will be required to apply knowledge and skills learned throughout the Cybersecurity Engineering curriculum. The class will be provided a virtual environment with the enterprise systems design in place as per the Case study.
Prerequisites: CYBR 501, CYBR 502, CYBR 503, CYBR 504, CYBR 506, CYBR 508, CYBR 510, CYBR 512, and CYBR 514