2025-2026 Catalog

Master of Science in Cybersecurity

Strayer University’s Master of Science in Cybersecurity is designed for individuals who want to deepen their expertise in defending digital systems and responding to cyber threats. If you are searching for a cybersecurity master’s degree, cybersecurity graduate program or information security master’s, this program blends advanced theory with real-world case analysis to help you investigate cybersecurity events, minimize security risks and protect IT systems. You will develop practical skills in threat identification, risk mitigation and cybersecurity strategy. 

Disclaimers

Students who have not had courses in certain areas may be required to take additional coursework as a prerequisite for completing some of the concentrations.

The Master of Science in Cybersecurity program will require computer literacy skills (such as word processing and use of spread sheets or databases) that are expected of information assurance professionals in the technology workplace. Students entering the program are expected to have a good knowledge of MS Office or equivalent.

This program is not available in all states. This program is available in an online only format in Alabama, Arkansas, Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, and Tennessee. Credits earned from Strayer University do not automatically qualify the holder to participate in professional licensing examinations to practice certain information systems professions. General information about information systems licensure options is available from vendor-specific websites such as Microsoft, Cisco, Project Management Institute, CompTIA or EC-Council.

The university recognizes that the IT industry uses IT certifications as a means of vetting potential IT professionals in the fields of computer networks, database management, network security, technical support and more. Therefore, a number of carefully chosen courses have embedded IT certification training along with academic rigor in order to prepare students for certification. Review the graduate-level CIS course descriptions in the course descriptions section of this catalog to determine which courses in this program have certification training availability and the requirements associated with each course. Certifications are the best means of validating a student's skills and knowledge.

The National Security Agency (NSA) and a committee of academic peers named Strayer University as a National Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense (CAE-CD) and validated the Master of Science in Cybersecurity program (formerly known as Master of Science in Information Security and Assurance). The program design was guided by standards set by the National Initiative for Cybersecurity Education (NICE), led by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) in the U.S. Department of Commerce.

Students are advised to review the Graduate Degree Conferral Requirements to ensure they satisfy all of the general requirements for a graduate degree, including the minimum grade that must be earned in certain courses.

Requirements

Required Courses

CIS 502Theories of Security Management

CIS 512Advanced Computer Architecture

CIS 527IT Risk Management

CIS 534Advanced Network Security Design

CIS 542Web Application Security

CIS 552Cybercrime Techniques and Response

CIS 560Security Access and Control Strategies

CIS 562Computer Forensics Planning

CIS 565Cryptography

CIS 598Graduate Information Assurance Capstone

Total Credit Hours:45.0
All courses are 4.5 quarter credit hours.