Cybersecurity, Master of Science
The Master of Science in Cybersecurity (MSCY) program provides the skills, knowledge, and abilities of national and international concerns in cybersecurity defense and attack. The program follows the Body of Knowledge of the Association for Computing Machinery (ACM) Cybersecurity and NSA/DHS Center for Academic Excellence (CAE) in Cyber Operation (OP) and Cyber Defense (CD) with technical and non-technical cores. The program also offers the learner the opportunity to understand the role of government and industry in securing and protecting assets.
Courses provide focus on technology innovation in cybersecurity, business strategy in cybersecurity, and the role of people, process, and plans needed to deliver cybersecurity projects, as well as maintaining the professional skills required to advance in the Cybersecurity field. Students will emerge with the experience and leadership identity required to influence the way that cybersecurity is implemented and consumed in any corporation or government organization.
The Depth of Study (DOS) sequence prepares students to demonstrate expertise in a specific area. The elective courses allow students to expand their interests in other disciplines. The internship provides students with a vehicle to apply what they have learned in the degree to real work problems at a for-profit or a non-profit organization.
The capstone is the platform that exhibits the synthesis of student’s academic accomplishments and experiential learning. Under the guidance of an advisor, the capstone can be a project, research paper, thesis or poster, and a public presentation designed to demonstrate mastery.
Program Outcomes
The Master of Science in Cybersecurity will prepare students to:
1. Integrate a foundational knowledge of all areas of advanced cybersecurity (General Cybersecurity Knowledge).
2. Apply fundamental principles and practices of advanced cybersecurity (Cybersecurity Principles and Practices)
3. Apply critical and ethical thinking to solve problems in advanced cybersecurity (Critical and Ethical Thinking).
4. Evaluate data to inform decisions and solve problems in advanced cybersecurity (Quantitative Literacy).
5. Create the ability to develop and express ideas while applying a variety of delivery models, genres, and styles (Communication).
6. Collaborate effectively on diverse teams to accomplish a common goal (Collaboration).
Admission Requirements
In addition to City University of Seattle's graduate admission requirements, found under Admissions in the catalog menu, applicants to this program must also meet the following requirements:
- An earned bachelor's degree and evidence of completion of undergraduate courses or their equivalent in:
- Equivalency of 5-quarter hour credits at the intermediate level in at least one computer programming language; and
- Equivalency of 5-quarter hour credits in networking (TCP/IP from physical through applications layers); and
- Equivalency of 5-quarter hour credits of data management including basic database design and SOL/NoSQL Queries; and
- Equivalency of 5-quarter hour credits of operating systems including OS theory, process management, and memory management; OR
- An earned bachelor's degree and successful completion of CityU's Undergraduate Certificate in Foundations of Systems Development.
Total Required Credits (39-59 Credits)
Preparatory Courses (6 or 20 Credits)
These preparatory course may be required for students entering the MSCY degree program without sufficient related experience. Please see the program admissions criteria in the City University of Seattle catalog for specific information.
Breadth-First Preparatory Courses (6 Credits)
| CS 11A | Technology & Computing Components I | 3 |
| CS 11B | Technology & Computing Components II | 3 |
Depth-First Preparatory Courses (20 Credits)
| CS 132 | Computer Science I | 5 |
| | (or) | |
| IS 201 | Fundamentals of Computing | 5 |
| CS 330 | Network Communications * | 5 |
| CS 340 | Operating Systems * | 5 |
| IS 360 | Database Technologies * | 5 |
Pre-Entry Requirement (0 Credit)
Students must take this course in the first quarter of enrollment. Students may take another program requirement concurrently.
| CS 500 | STC MS Orientation to Master's Programs | 0 |
Core Requirements (24 Credits)
| CY 500 | Cybersecurity Overview | 3 |
| CY 505 | Systems Security | 3 |
| CY 510 | Human and Organizational Security | 3 |
| CY 520 | Ethical, Legal, and Societal Security | 3 |
| CY 525 | Network and Wireless Security | 3 |
| CY 545 | Data Privacy and Security | 3 |
| CY 609 | Software Security | 3 |
| CY 628 | Components Integration Security | 3 |
Depth of Study (6 Credits)
Cyber Defense
| CY 605 | Cybersecurity Auditing | 3 |
| CY 640 | Software Reverse Engineering | 3 |
Elective (6 Credits)
Students may select two elective courses from any other disciplines within the School of Technology & Computing or complete the internship after taking three CS 650 seminar courses for their internship preparation if necessary for their skill advancement.
Seminar
Students can take three CS 650 seminar courses after taking 6 credit hours and before taking either CY 685 Cybersecurity Internship or CY 665 Cybersecurity Capstone. Each enrollment must be pre-approved by the Program Manager.
| CS 650A | Master's Seminar I in Special Technology * | 1 |
| CS 650B | Master's Seminar II in Special Technology * | 1 |
| CS 650C | Master's Seminar III in Special Technology * | 1 |
Internship
This internship course is repeatable. Each enrollment must be pre-approved by the Program Manager.
| CY 685 | Cybersecurity Internship * | 3 |
Capstone (3 Credits)
| CY 665 | Cybersecurity Capstone * | 3 |