Online Master of Engineering in Cybersecurity Analytics

We are now accepting applications for our Spring-2, Summer, and Fall-1 semester start dates. For more details on the application deadlines and start dates, refer to the academic calendar.

Program Description

The online Master of Engineering in Cybersecurity Analytics is an advanced cybersecurity master’s degree program designed to equip students with advanced knowledge and skills in protecting digital infrastructure and big data from current and emerging computer security threats. This cybersecurity degree program blends technical cybersecurity principles with analytical techniques to produce both a quality education and extensive real-world experience for current and future cybersecurity specialists and security engineers. Areas of focus include malware and threat detection, penetration testing, data science and analytics, digital forensics, network management and security, and risk management. Students learn to analyze complex cybersecurity data, enabling them to identify patterns, predict potential threats, and devise defense strategies. 

The online learning program emphasizes the development of problem-solving and decision-making skills necessary for high-level cybersecurity roles. By combining hands-on technical training with critical thinking analytical approaches, this degree prepares graduates for the rapidly evolving cybersecurity landscape. Graduates complete the program well-suited for earning key professional certifications and gaining roles in threat analysis, security policy development, and cybersecurity in various sectors including government, finance, and technology.

GW is federally designated by the National Security Agency (NSA) as a National Center of Excellence for Cyber Defense Research. The GW Cyber Security and Privacy Research Institute (CSPRI) is the home for major higher education  information assurance and cybersecurity scholarship programs funded by the Department of Homeland Security and the National Science Foundation.

Curriculum

The program consists of 10 online courses (three credit hours each), totaling 30 required credit hours. This online structure offers synchronous and asynchronous learning options. Our degree plan gives students the flexibility to study at their convenience and from any location. 

Learn More About the Courses

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 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)

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) 

EMSE 6769 Applied Machine Learning for Engineers: Theory and practice of machine learning, leveraging open source frameworks to explore the ideas, algorithms, and techniques. (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

Our classes meet one night a week (Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, or Thursdays) for nine weeks from 6:30 to 9:50 PM Eastern time.  Students enroll in four 9-week sessions. There is also an optional fifth summer session (classes meet twice a week for four and half weeks). Students may begin their studies in any of the five sessions. Please see below for the dates of our upcoming sessions.

Session	Dates	Application Deadlines
Spring-1 2025	week of 1/6/25 – week of 3/3/25	12/1/2024
Spring-2 2025	week of 3/10/25 – week of 5/5/25	2/14/2025
Summer 2025	week of 5/27/25 – week of 6/23/25	5/1/2025
Fall-1 2025	week of 8/11/25 – week of 10/6/25	7/28/2025
Fall-2 2025	week of 10/13/25 – week of 12/8/25	9/29/2025

The course order is determined by advisors based on student progress toward completion of the curriculum. Course details will be provided to students via email approximately one month prior to the start of classes.

Tuition

Tuition is $1,200 per credit hour for the 2024-2025 academic year. Tuition is billed at the beginning of each semester for the courses registered during that semester. A non-refundable tuition deposit of $495 is required when the applicant accepts admission. This deposit is applied to tuition and due the first semester. Our online graduate degree programs in engineering require no additional fees. We provide eBooks and software at no additional cost.

Admissions Process

Review the Admissions Requirements 

Ideal candidates for the programs will meet the following requirements:

• Hold a bachelor's degree in engineering, computer science, information technology, mathematics, physics, or a closely related field from an accredited institution.
• Minimum grade point average of B (3.0 on a 4.0 scale) or higher.
  • Applicants with lower GPA may also apply and if otherwise qualified will be admitted to a 4 course graduate certificate in Cybersecurity.  Upon successful completion of the graduate certificate and reapplication, they will be admitted to the Master’s program.  All graduate certificate courses* will count towards the Master’s program.
• Grade of C or better in one course in college-level calculus and one course in college-level statistics. Applicants who do not meet this requirement in full but are otherwise qualified may be conditionally admitted and required to take an additional 3-credit hour course, EMSE 4197 — Special Topics: Quantitative Methods in Engineering, during the first year of graduate study.
• If you’re applying from outside the U.S., please see international student admissions information for additional requirements.
• Applicants to our online programs are expected to remain engaged. Failing to respond to inquiries or provide requested materials within the designated timeframe could result in the denial of the application.

*Graduate Certificate Courses in Cybersecurity:

• ECE 6132 – Secure Cloud Computing
• EMSE 6540 – Mgt of Information and Systems Security
• EMSE 6543 – Managing the Protection of Information Assets and Systems
• EMSE 6544 – Auditing, Monitoring, and Intrusion Detection

Apply for Admission and Submit Supporting Documents

Apply for Admission
 There is no application fee for any GW online engineering program.

Complete application packets include: 

• Resume or C.V.: Upload your up-to-date resume or C.V.
• Statement of Purpose: In an essay of 250 words or less, describe your academic objectives, research interests, and career plans. Also, discuss any other related qualifications not already mentioned, such as collegiate, professional, or community activities.
• Official Transcripts: Official transcripts are required from all institutions where a degree was earned. Transcripts should be sent to [email protected] (if sent electronically), or via mail to:
  Online Engineering Programs
  The George Washington University
  170 Newport Center Drive
  Suite 260
  Newport Beach, CA 92660
   
• Letters of Recommendation: Two (2) letters of recommendation are required, and one must be from a professional reference. Begin this process by filling out this letter of recommendation form. Within this form you will share the email address of the individual providing your recommendation. Once you complete your required section, Formstack will send that individual a link to the letter of recommendation form. A letter of recommendation is only considered official when sent directly from the individual providing the recommendation through Formstack. Submissions directly from applicants will not be accepted.
• GRE Scores: GRE scores are not required but if available, should be submitted to enhance your application.

Remain Engaged in the Admissions Process

You will receive emails from us updating you as your application goes through the admissions process.

View a previously recorded info-session