M.S. in Cyber Security
OVERVIEW
Weiqing Sun, program director
Our master’s degree programs in cyber security provide an experiential learning-rich curriculum tailored to your interests and industry’s needs. The programs offer personalized capstone options and a large number of elective courses, prepares you for research and development jobs in cyber security areas, and provides a foundation for carrying out cyber security research and development. Flexible course scheduling within our programs enables you to start taking classes during either fall or spring semester. We offer a research-based Master of Science in Cyber Security and a coursework-based Master in Cyber Security. You can pick the degree that best fits with your professional goals and interests.
Master of Science in Cyber Security is our research-intensive degree program, and it offers two capstone options (thesis or project) for you to work on cyber security research projects under the guidance of a faculty research mentor. This program helps you develop skills to investigate cyber security issues, discover new cyber security knowledge and present your research to professionals in the industry or academia. After completing this program, you will be prepared to continue your research and development in cyber security areas or work in industry, practicing learned professional skills. You will be required to take 30 credit hours to graduate.
For more information, please check the program website (https://www.utoledo.edu/engineering/graduate-studies/cyber.html) and contact the Program Director (Dr. Weiqing Sun, weiqing.sun@utoledo.edu).
ADMISSIONS REQUIREMENTS
Prospective students must have a bachelor’s degree with a minimum 3.0/4.0 GPA or equivalent in a computer science or related field. For other STEM graduates, prerequisite undergraduate-level foundation courses in computer programming, computer networks, data structures, and operating systems are required. University of Toledo equivalent courses are shown below.
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Programming - one course or equivalent | ||
| Object Oriented Programming and Data Structures | ||
| Introduction To Object Oriented Programming | ||
| Computer Networks - one course or equivalent | ||
| Computer Networks And Data Communication | ||
| Data Communications | ||
| Data Structures and Algorithms - one course or equivalent | ||
| Introduction to Algorithms | ||
| Non-Linear Data Structures | ||
| Operating Systems - one course or equivalent | ||
| Operating Systems | ||
| Systems And Systems Programming | ||
The application requires transcripts from all universities attended (except UToledo); 3 letters of recommendation, with at least one from an employer or a professor; a personal statement written in response to a cyber security prompt; current GRE score; and TOEFL score for students with a BS degree from a non-US institution.
PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS
Thesis option:
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Core Courses | (10 cr hr) | |
| Fundamentals of Cyber Security | ||
| Network Security | ||
| Hardware Oriented Security and Trust | ||
| Engineering Elective Courses | (8 cr hr) | |
| Inside Cryptography | ||
| Computer Security | ||
| Computer Hacking and Forensic Analysis | ||
| Advanced Systems Programming | ||
| Wireless And Mobile Networks | ||
| Cyber Security Seminar | ||
| Independent Study in Cyber Security | ||
| Experiential Learning in Cyber Security | ||
| Graduate Engineering Internship | ||
| Select up to two of the following: | ||
| Programming for the World Wide Web | ||
| Artificial Intelligence | ||
| Machine Learning | ||
| Biologically Inspired Computing | ||
| Data Compression For Multimedia Communication | ||
| Modern Communications Engineering I | ||
| Modern Communications Engineering II | ||
| Non-Engineering Elective Courses | (3 cr hr) | |
| Management of Information Systems Security | ||
| Law And The Legal System | ||
| Special Topics (Privacy and Data Security (College of Law, spring)) | ||
| Capstone | (9 cr hr) | |
| Cyber Security Research and Thesis | ||
Project option:
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Core Courses | (10 cr hr) | |
| Fundamentals of Cyber Security | ||
| Network Security | ||
| Hardware Oriented Security and Trust | ||
| Engineering Elective Courses | (11 cr hr) | |
| Inside Cryptography | ||
| Computer Security | ||
| Computer Hacking and Forensic Analysis | ||
| Advanced Systems Programming | ||
| Wireless And Mobile Networks | ||
| Cyber Security Seminar | ||
| Independent Study in Cyber Security | ||
| Experiential Learning in Cyber Security | ||
| Graduate Engineering Internship | ||
| Select up to two of the following: | ||
| Programming for the World Wide Web | ||
| Artificial Intelligence | ||
| Machine Learning | ||
| Graduate Engineering Internship | ||
| Biologically Inspired Computing | ||
| Data Compression For Multimedia Communication | ||
| Modern Communications Engineering I | ||
| Modern Communications Engineering II | ||
| Non-Engineering Elective Courses | (3 cr hr) | |
| Management of Information Systems Security | ||
| Law And The Legal System | ||
| Special Topics (Privacy and Data Security (College of Law, spring)) | ||
| Capstone | (6 cr hr) | |
| Cyber Security Project | ||
| First Year | ||
|---|---|---|
| First Term | Hours | |
| EECS 5720 | Fundamentals of Cyber Security | 3 |
| EECS 5760 | Computer Security | 3 |
| EECS 6650 | Hardware Oriented Security and Trust | 3 |
| CYBR 5930 | Cyber Security Seminar | 0 |
| Hours | 9 | |
| Second Term | ||
| EECS 5640 | Inside Cryptography | 3 |
| EECS 5790 | Network Security | 4 |
| CYBR 6990 | Independent Study in Cyber Security | 2 |
| CYBR 5930 | Cyber Security Seminar | 0 |
| Hours | 9 | |
| Second Year | ||
| First Term | ||
| CYBR 6920 | Cyber Security Project | 3 |
| CYBR 6800 | Experiential Learning in Cyber Security | 3 |
| INFS 6710 | Management of Information Systems Security | 3 |
| CYBR 5930 | Cyber Security Seminar | 0 |
| Hours | 9 | |
| Second Term | ||
| CYBR 6920 | Cyber Security Project | 3 |
| CYBR 5930 | Cyber Security Seminar | 0 |
| Hours | 3 | |
| Total Hours | 30 | |
| First Year | ||
|---|---|---|
| First Term | Hours | |
| EECS 5720 | Fundamentals of Cyber Security | 3 |
| EECS 5760 | Computer Security | 3 |
| EECS 6650 | Hardware Oriented Security and Trust | 3 |
| CYBR 5930 | Cyber Security Seminar | 0 |
| Hours | 9 | |
| Second Term | ||
| EECS 5640 | Inside Cryptography | 3 |
| EECS 5790 | Network Security | 4 |
| CYBR 6990 | Independent Study in Cyber Security | 2 |
| CYBR 5930 | Cyber Security Seminar | 0 |
| Hours | 9 | |
| Third Term | ||
| CYBR 6960 | Cyber Security Research and Thesis | 1 |
| Hours | 1 | |
| Second Year | ||
| First Term | ||
| INFS 6710 | Management of Information Systems Security | 3 |
| CYBR 6960 | Cyber Security Research and Thesis | 6 |
| CYBR 5930 | Cyber Security Seminar | 0 |
| Hours | 9 | |
| Second Term | ||
| CYBR 6960 | Cyber Security Research and Thesis | 2 |
| CYBR 5930 | Cyber Security Seminar | 0 |
| Hours | 2 | |
| Total Hours | 30 | |
• Demonstrate the proficiency in various tools and utilities used in cyber security.
• Evaluate security mechanisms in terms of their effectiveness and appropriateness for computer and network systems.
• Understand the ethical issues related to securing information systems and critical infrastructure.
• Communicate effectively, both orally and in writing, with other security professionals.
• Apply appropriate security methods and mechanisms to protect enterprise network systems.
• Research cyber security issues, discovery new knowledge, and present the research results to professionals in industry or academia.