Get a Head Start: In-depth Analysis of MS in Cybersecurity Curriculum
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Get a Head Start: In-depth Analysis of MS in Cybersecurity Curriculum
- Anand Patinge
- May 9, 2023
- 8:57 pm
- No Comments
Planning to pursue postgrads in cybersecurity in the US and wondering about the MS in cybersecurity curriculum?
Though the exact curriculum can vary slightly from one university to another, having a basic idea of what to expect in the syllabus can help you make an informed decision.
If you are still in the stages of deciding which university or program to choose, there are some useful online tools available to help you.
Since it’s nearly impossible to cover the curriculum of each university in detail here, we are going to use NJIT’s cybersecurity program as an example to give you an idea of what your course structure might look like.
Now, why have we chosen NJIT instead of others?
The reason is that NJIT ranks 4th in the entire country for its MS in a cybersecurity program. It also has more affordable tuition fees than other top universities. And this combination makes NJIT the ideal choice for students pursuing MS in cybersecurity in the US.
NJIT MS in Cybersecurity Curriculum – Detailed Course Description
At NJIT, MS in cybersecurity is a 1.5 to 2-year course, designed to help students gain technical and analytical skills. The program teaches you how to, prevent, and respond to cyberattacks and data breaches.
Here’s an outline of the Core Course and Sample Electives:
Core (Required Courses) | Sample Electives |
CS 608 | Cryptography and Privacy | CS 610 | Data Structures and Algorithms |
CS 645 | Security and Privacy in Computer Systems | CS 630 | Operating Systems Design |
CS 646 | Network Protocols Security | CS 631 | Data Management System Design |
CS 647 | Counter Hacking Techniques | CS 634 | Data Mining |
CS 656 | Internet and Higher Layer Protocols | CS 643 | Cloud Computing |
| CS 673 | Software Design and Production Methodology |
| CS 680 | Linux Kernel Programming |
| CS 696 | Network Management & Security |
| IS 680 | Information Systems Auditing |
| IS 681 | Computer Security Auditing |
| IS 682 | Forensic Auditing for Computer Security |
| IT 620 | Wireless Networks Security and Administration |
| IT 640 | Network Services Administration |
It is a part-time degree program that involves 10 courses with 3 credits for each (total of 30 credits).
The course is taught over 5 semesters, and each semester occurs over 15 weeks (including summer). Classes consist of formal lectures along with hands-on projects on:
- Programming
- Counter-hacking
- Network Administration
The NJIT cybersecurity curriculum covers technologies and tools such as:
- Wireshark
- OpenSSL
- Blockchains
- Rainbow tables
- Certificate Transparency
Students are given projects and homework assignments that cover both theory and applications with guidance from professors.
MS in Cybersecurity Curriculum – Prerequisites and Admissions:
To be eligible, students must have a Bachelor of Science degree with a minimum of 2.8 GPA on a 4.0 scale. They must also have the following background:
- Calculus: integrals, derivatives, applications
- Linear Algebra: linear systems, matrices, dot products, vector spaces
- Probability and Statistics: basic statistics, probability distributions, random variables
- Programming: basic programming constructs, iteration, recursion, writing and debugging programs, arrays, lists
- Data Structures and Algorithms: basic data structures, algorithm analysis, search, and sort
A GRE score is NOT required.
Applicants who do not have this background can enroll in the Certificate in Foundations of Cybersecurity first and then enroll in the MS program.
NJIT’s MS in cybersecurity program has a 63% acceptance rate. With a tuition fee of $1,387 per credit, it is one of the more affordable options for Indian students who want to study in the US.
Wrapping Up
Before concluding, we would like to leave you with these statistics:
- Experts have predicted the market revenue in cybersecurity to reach US$162.00 billion in 2023.
- The market revenue is expected to have an annual growth rate of 9.63%, which will result in a market volume of US$256.50 billion by 2028.
As you can see, getting your MS in cybersecurity in the US is absolutely worth it! So, start your preparations today