Total credits: 36 credit hours
Cost per credit hour: $690
Estimated cost, plus fees: $24,840
In looking at other programs … there seemed to be an absence of cohesive curriculum design. Not with our program. While others are more a collection of disparate courses, our cyber curriculum was very intentionally put together to take a comprehensive approach.” – Bob Andersen, Director of Instructional Technology, Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota
The 36-credit online Master of Science in Cybersecurity equips you to manage information security programs in small, medium and large organizations.
This curriculum was crafted by people who understand the hiring needs for cybersecurity positions, including real working professionals, hiring managers, information security executives and government officials.
Unlike most other colleges with cybersecurity courses, ours gives you the business leadership skills to manage security information functions and teams in business, finance, retail, nonprofit, healthcare, government, education and other sectors.
Through cybersecurity courses online, you’ll learn to apply risk management frameworks, methods and strategies; enhance the protection of enterprise-wide information assets; and detect and plan for cyber-attacks on networks and computer systems.
Prerequisite Course
Students who have not taken a foundational computer networking course and/or lack previous experience in the networking technology field may be required to take CYBR 590 Computer Networking (3 cr.) as part of their program.
Core Courses
CYBR600: Foundations of Cybersecurity (3 credits)
This course provides an overview and foundational understanding of concepts essential to the cybersecurity professional to evaluate best practices in implementing security systems within the enterprise. This course covers key bodies of knowledge in security, privacy, and compliance. Topics include security planning, risk management, security technologies, basic cryptography, digital forensics, application security, intrusion detection and prevention, physical security, and privacy issues.
Upon completion of the course, students are expected to be able to do the following:
Apply the principles of information technology security.
Analyze situations of computer and network usage from a security perspective to develop a security mindset.
Explain information security’s importance in our increasingly computer-driven world.
Identify appropriate strategies to ensure confidentiality, integrity, and availability of information.
Express management’s role in the development, maintenance, and enforcement of an information security program.
Describe the relationship among laws, regulations, and professional issues in information security.
Articulate how cryptography serves as the central language of information security.
Analyze how physical security fits within an information security program.
Define the roles of computer forensics in information security.
Apply basic software tools for assessing the security posture of a business.
Explain how issues of privacy relate to business information security.
CYBR605: Security Architecture (3 credits)
This course introduces the importance of security architecture design in enterprise security. Students are presented with a structured approach to the steps and processes involved in developing comprehensive and layered security architectures. Students evaluate the principles, attributes and processes used in designing and deploying architecture that supports the business objectives of an enterprise.
CYBR610: Network Security and Intrusion Detection (3 credits)
This course provides a comprehensive overview of network security and intrusion detection. Students focus on methods for securing networks, and utilize these methods in basic architectural design. Students will apply these methods to a cohesive network security strategy. Topics include investigation of areas such as network analysis, perimeter defense strategies, network monitoring, vulnerability and intrusion detection, and security in mobile and wireless environments.
CYBR615: Cybersecurity Change Management (3 credits)
This course describes the business context in which a cybersecurity professional must function within an organization. Students examine the interplay between business process and cybersecurity issues in mitigating security threats. An overview of audit, compliance, regulation and liability for business security are provided, along with instruction on how to construct effective continuity and disaster recovery plans.
CYBR620: Operational Security Policy (3 credits)
In this course, students examine the roles of security policies, standards and procedures in addressing business and technical security risks. Students explore the types of policies that are part of an overall security strategy. Policies that drive computer security are discussed, including discretionary access control, mandatory access control and role-based access control types of policies, as well as how these are used in organizations. Students develop policies and deployment plans as part of the comprehensive strategic plan for the enterprise.
CYBR625: Risk Management (3 credits)
This course includes a study of the existing risk management frameworks, models, processes and tools to provide students with the theory and practical knowledge needed to operationalize risk management in an organization or government agency. Additionally, fundamental concepts in information technology security audit and control processes for an organization are discussed. Students learn to create a control structure and audit an information technology infrastructure.
CYBR630: Communication for Cybersecurity Professionals (3 credits)
This course introduces students to the foundations of communication in a business setting as a critical component for success in the workplace. Students develop a foundation for designing effective messages, both written and oral, from concept to delivery. This course emphasizes elements of persuasive communication like how to design messages for diverse and possibly resistant audiences, and how to present that information in a credible and convincing way.
CYBR635: Data Privacy (3 credits)
This course introduces techniques for information distribution in such a way that data privacy is protected. It discusses models and frameworks for privacy protection that support privacy enhancements from economic, legal and policy perspectives. Fundamentals of cryptographic theory and practice along with its applications are introduced in topics such as classical and contemporary ciphers, encryption and decryption, breaking ciphers, cryptographic protocols, and analysis tools.
CYBR640: Leadership and Ethics (3 credits)
This course focuses on the development of leadership skills used in managing a successful security program. Students analyze the role of a leader in business focusing on decision-making, management of group dynamics, workplace stress and conflict, motivation of employees, and planning. Ethics and social responsibility will be emphasized throughout the course.
CYBR645: Incident Response and Investigation (3 credits)
This course introduces the principles and best practices for incident response, along with an overview of digital forensics. Students understand the goals of incident response and learn how to prepare and respond to information security incidents and understand how the incident occurred. Students understand the process of collecting and analyzing data, and the process of remediation. The course outlines the investigative and analysis process, tools, digital evidence and applicable law with a focus on computer, mobile, network and database forensics.
CYBR650: Ethical Hacking and Defense (3 credits)
This course includes a study of theoretical and practical aspects of network and web application penetration testing. Students are able to evaluate the security of a network or system's infrastructure and outline how hackers find and attempt to exploit any vulnerabilities. Included in the course are in-depth details on ethical hacking, including reconnaissance, vulnerability assessment, exploitation, maintaining access and covering tracks. Current tools and methodologies are stressed.
CYBR690: Security Operations and Leadership Capstone (3 credits)
Prerequisites: All required coursework completed or co-requisite.
This course provides an opportunity for students to integrate their learning across the program into a case study project. Students complete a risk analysis, vulnerability and threat analysis, security infrastructure requirements, logical design, physical design, management design, pricing, and implementation planning.
Find out more about how the Master of Science in Cybersecurity from Saint Mary’s can benefit your career: call 877-308-9954 to speak with an enrollment counselor or request more information.