Master’s Degree in Cybersecurity

Applications are currently open for Spring II, Summer, and Fall I start dates. For specific deadlines and start dates, please refer to the academic calendar below.

Master’s Degree in Cybersecurity

The Master’s Degree in Cybersecurity is designed for professionals seeking to advance their expertise in protecting digital systems, data, and critical infrastructure while continuing their careers. Offered in a flexible online format, the program delivers rigorous, graduate-level instruction in core cybersecurity principles with specialized pathways in Cybersecurity Policy & Compliance and Cybersecurity Analytics. Guided by expert faculty, graduates are prepared to address complex cybersecurity challenges and pursue advanced roles across government, healthcare, finance, technology, or further academic study.
 

Download the Program Flyer (PDF)

Program Overview

Through graduate-level coursework, students engage in an in-depth cybersecurity curriculum that emphasizes analytical thinking, data-driven decision-making, and applied problem-solving. The program integrates theoretical foundations with practical application, enabling students to evaluate risk, interpret security data, and respond to evolving cyber threats within organizational and regulatory contexts.

Taught by expert faculty, the program prepares graduates to advance into specialized professional roles and contribute to cybersecurity initiatives across industry, government, healthcare, finance, and technology sectors. The degree also provides a strong academic foundation for students interested in doctoral study or advanced research in cybersecurity or related fields.

How Much Does This Degree Cost?

Tuition for the online Master’s Degree in Cybersecurity is $1,200 per credit hour for the 2025-2026 academic year. With 30 total credit hours, the estimated total tuition cost is $36,000, billed per semester based on enrolled courses.

A $495 non-refundable tuition deposit is required upon admission and is applied toward first-semester tuition. The program includes no additional fees, and required eBooks and software are provided at no extra cost. Student veterans, military personnel, and eligible dependents are encouraged to inquire about available military education benefits.

How Long Does the Program Take, and How Is It Delivered?

The online Master’s in Cybersecurity can be completed in as little as one year for full-time students, with part-time options available. Courses are delivered fully remote and combine live, scheduled instruction with asynchronous coursework.

Quick facts (bulleted list):

• Format: 100% online
• Class schedule: One evening per week (Monday-Thursday), 6:30-9:50 p.m. ET
• Session length: Nine-week sessions
• Enrollment structure: Students enroll in four nine-week sessions, with an optional fifth summer session
• Start options: Up to five start terms per year

Curriculum Highlights

The curriculum consists of 10 courses (30 total credit hours) designed to build advanced cybersecurity expertise across essential areas of the field. Courses combine synchronous and asynchronous learning, providing live instruction alongside flexible coursework.

Cybersecurity specialization pathways

The Master’s Degree in Cybersecurity offers two distinct specialization options, allowing students to tailor their coursework to align with their professional interests and career goals. While both pathways share a strong foundation in core cybersecurity principles, each emphasizes different skill sets and areas of practice.

Cybersecurity Policy & Compliance
This specialization focuses on the governance, legal, and regulatory dimensions of cybersecurity. Students examine cybersecurity policy development, risk management frameworks, compliance standards, and organizational security strategy. Graduates are prepared to lead compliance initiatives, manage cybersecurity risk, and support security decision-making in regulated and policy-driven environments.

Cybersecurity Analytics
This specialization emphasizes technical and data-driven approaches to cybersecurity. Coursework focuses on threat analysis, security data analytics, anomaly detection, and incident response. Graduates are prepared for hands-on roles involving security operations, threat intelligence, and advanced analytical techniques used to detect, assess, and mitigate cyber threats.

Learn more about the courses 

ECE 6132 Secure Cloud Computing: A comprehensive guide to security concerns and best practices for cloud computing and cloud services. Topics discussed include cloud computing architectures, risk issues and legal topics, data security, internal and external clouds, information security frameworks and operational guidelines. (3 credit hours)

EMSE 6540 Management of Information and Systems Security: Information security techniques and countermeasures in defense fundamentals; critical infrastructure protection; network defense–firewall systems and IDS, VPNs, cryptographic and internet security protocols and cyber security, information assurance.  (3 credit hours)

EMSE 6543 Managing the Protection of Information Assets and Systems: Advanced topics in protection of information assets and systems, including authentication, asset control, security models and kernels, physical security, personnel security, operational security, administrative security, security configuration management and resource control. Prerequisite: EMSE 6540. (3 credit hours)

EMSE 6544 Auditing, Monitoring and Intrusion Detection for Information Security Managers: Methods for detecting problems with unauthorized activity in information systems and management challenges associated with those activities. Prerequisite: EMSE 6540 (3 credit hours)

Degree-specific Courses for M.Eng. in Cybersecurity Policy & Compliance

CSCI 6012 Cybersecurity and Privacy: Overview of cybersecurity and privacy, including cryptography, authentication, malware, viruses, network security, anonymity, privacy and online privacy, risk management. Common cyberattacks and techniques for detection and defense. Policy and legal perspectives for managing cybersecurity missions supporting the private sector and government. Cyber technologies as applied to the stability of global information and communications infrastructure; government cybersecurity policies. (3 credit hours)

CSCI 6013 Security in Mobile Computing: Relationship between security strategic plan and business strategic plan. Mobile Device Solutions (MDS) to access enterprise corporate data. Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) paradigm. Mobile Device Management (MDM) best practices, policies, network controls to identify countermeasures and risk mitigation strategies against common threats. Overview of mobile security solutions for classified processing and communications. Prerequisite: CSCI 6012. (3 credit hours)

CSCI 6532 Information Policy: Roles, issues and impacts of computer-based information systems in national and international arenas, focusing on privacy, equity, freedom of speech, intellectual property and access to personal and governmental information. Professional responsibilities, ethics and common and best practices in information use. (3 credit hours)

CSCI 6534 Information Security in Government: Roles, issues, and governance of cyber security in the federal government. Overview of the technical aspects of cyber security including federally developed cybersecurity standards and frameworks and government and industry initiatives. (3 credit hours)

EMSE 6542 Cybersecurity Risk Management and Compliance: Cybersecurity threats and other risks to an organization’s core business; risk-based planning and risk management of cybersecurity at the enterprise level; risk assessment and modeling approaches to cybersecurity issues related to security structures, sustaining healthy cybersecurity posture, and satisfying compliance with risk frameworks. Prerequisite: EMSE 6540. (3 credit hours)

EMSE 6546 Cybercrime for Information Security Managers: Information security actions related to and in response to criminal activity, including industrial espionage, back-hacking, cracking, and cyberterrorism. Transnational issues, cybercrime treaties and conventions, and cyberwar issues. (3 credit hours)

Degree-specific Courses for M.Eng. Cybersecurity Analytics

CSCI 6016 Applied Network Defense: Computer security: protection aspects of the Internet. Cryptographic tools to provide security, such as shared key encryption (DES, 3DES, RC and more), public key encryption, key exchange, and digital signature. Internet protocols and applications.  (3 credit hours)

ECE 6210 Machine Intelligence: Machine learning theory; classification and linear models; perceptron model; artificial neural networks; training, inference, software, programming; vector matrix multiplications; design vectors of AI system and performance; AI applications. Prerequisites: Undergraduate-level knowledge in electrical and/or computer engineering or computer science. (3 credit hours)

EMSE 6560 Open-Source Intelligence Analysis: Data analytics tools and develop decision support frameworks to identify threats, evaluate capability of actors to exploit vulnerabilities, and evaluate the risk of damage. Overview of strategies for mining/aggregating data across multiple sources. (3 credit hours)

EMSE 6767 Applied Data Analytics: Applied and practical data analytics. High-level theory, with primary focus on practical application of a broad set of statistical techniques needed to support an empirical foundation for systems engineering and engineering management. A variety of practical visualization and statistical analysis techniques. Leveraging Minitab and Excel to examine raw data to arrive at insightful conclusions. (3 credit hours)

SEAS 6410 Security Data Visualization: Visualization aspect of security data, including study of data analytics and scaling up information security, security metrics and security monitoring techniques focusing on industry applications. Tools for security data visualization and analytics. Prerequisite: EMSE 6767. (3 credit hours)

SEAS 6414 Python Applications in Data Analytics: Introduction to programming with Python with applications in Cyber Analytics including automating data cleaning, machine learning, text mining, time series analysis, anomaly detection, DoS attack detection, and spam detection. (3 credit hours)

Academic Calendar

 

Session	Dates	Application Deadlines
Spring-2 2026	week of 3/16/26 – week of 5/11/26	3/2/2026
Summer 2026	week of 6/1/26 – week of 6/29/26	5/16/2026
Fall-1 2026	week of 8/31/26 – week of 10/19/26	8/15/2026
Fall-2 2026	week of 10/26/26 – week of 12/14/26	10/15/2026
Spring-1 2027	week of 1/11/27 – week of 3/16/27	12/7/2026

The course order is determined by academic advisors based on student progress. Course details are provided through Blackboard approximately one month before classes begin.

What Can You Do With a Master's in Cybersecurity?

Graduates of the online Master’s Degree in Cybersecurity are prepared for advanced professional roles focused on protecting digital systems, analyzing security threats, managing risk, and responding to complex cyber incidents. The degree supports career advancement for professionals seeking deeper specialization, increased responsibility, and opportunities to contribute to organizational resilience and security strategy across technology-driven environments.

Admissions Requirements

Who Should Apply 

The online Master’s in Cybersecurity is designed for applicants with a strong academic background in engineering or related technical disciplines who are prepared for advanced, graduate-level study.

Applicants should meet the following requirements:

• A bachelor’s degree in engineering, computer science, information technology, mathematics, physics, or a closely related field from an accredited institution
• A minimum GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale
• A grade of C or higher in at least one college-level calculus course and one college-level statistics course. (Applicants who do not fully meet the calculus or statistics requirement but are otherwise qualified may be conditionally admitted and required to complete an additional 3-credit course during their first semester.)
• Applicants outside the United States should review international admissions requirements for additional criteria

Application Materials

There is no application fee for GW’s online engineering programs.

A complete application includes:

• Resume or CV
• Statement of Purpose (250 words or fewer) outlining academic goals, research interests, and relevant experience
• Official transcripts from all institutions where a degree was earned
• Two letters of recommendation, including at least one professional reference
• GRE scores (optional), which may be submitted if available to strengthen the application

After You Apply

Applicants are expected to remain engaged throughout the admissions process. You will receive email updates as your application is reviewed, and timely responses to requests for materials are required to keep your application moving forward.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which specialization is right for me?

The Master’s Degree in Cybersecurity offers two specialization pathways designed for different professional goals. The Cybersecurity Policy & Compliance pathway is well suited for students interested in governance, regulatory compliance, risk management, and cybersecurity strategy within regulated or policy-driven environments. The Cybersecurity Analytics pathway is ideal for students seeking a more technical, data-driven focus, including threat analysis, security analytics, and incident response. All students complete a shared core cybersecurity curriculum before specializing, ensuring a strong foundation regardless of pathway choice.

Do I need an engineering degree to apply?

Applicants should hold a bachelor’s degree in engineering, computer science, or a closely related technical field. Candidates with other quantitative or technical backgrounds may be considered on a case-by-case basis, depending on academic preparation and professional experience.

Is the GRE required?

No. The GRE is not required for admission to the online Master’s in Cybersecurity.

Can I work full time while enrolled?

Yes. The program is designed for working professionals. Courses are delivered online with one scheduled evening class per week, allowing students to balance coursework with full-time employment.

Are international applicants eligible?

Yes. International applicants are welcome to apply. Additional documentation, including proof of English language proficiency, may be required depending on prior education and background.

Ready to Take the Next Step?