The Master of Science in Cyber Security and Privacy program will provide high-quality cybersecurity graduate education, advance cyber security and privacy research, and address the issues of state, national and international cybersecurity. It provides students with an in-depth education geared toward meeting the needs of business and industry in Florida and throughout the United States.
Students successfully completing this program will have exhibited breadth as well as depth of capability involving both theoretical aspects and practical considerations and applications of cyber security issues in software, hardware, operating system, and various networked devices.
This Technical Track of the Cyber Security and Privacy MS program is designed for students aiming to become advanced cybersecurity and privacy professionals, who will master advanced knowledge on cybersecurity and privacy topics such as secure execution environment and malware analysis, and master knowledge on electives on networking, database, operating system, computer architecture, algorithms, machine learning and artificial intelligence (AI), and software engineering.
The Cybersecurity and Privacy MS program offers both a thesis and non-thesis option with each option requiring a minimum of 30 credit hours beyond the bachelor's degree. Both options require 9 credit hours of required core courses and 7 electives (21 credits). For this Technical Track, electives include minimum 1 course from cybersecurity/privacy topics, minimum 1 course from networking, and minimum 1 from data analytics. The three fields from which students have to choose one course are necessary and fundamental to master advanced knowledge on cybersecurity and privacy. Students can also choose electives from operating system, computer architecture, algorithms, machine learning and artificial intelligence (AI) and software engineering to expand their horizon. The thesis option includes completing a thesis that is equivalent to 6 credit course hours of electives.
Total Credit Hours Required: 30 Credit Hours Minimum beyond the Bachelor's Degree
Track Prerequisites
An undergraduate degree in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Information Technology, or equivalent is desirable but not required. Applicants without a strong undergraduate background in computer science must demonstrate an understanding of the subject matter covered in the following undergraduate courses:
- COP 3502C - Computer Science I
- CIS 3360 - Security in Computing
- CNT 3004 - Computer Network Concepts (or CNT 4704 - Analysis of Computer Communication Networks)
Degree Requirements
Required Courses
9 Total Credits
- Complete the following:
- CAP5150 - Foundations of Computer Security and Privacy (3)
- CDA5220 - Foundations of Secure Execution Environment (3)
- CIS6614 - Advanced Software Systems Security (3)
Elective Courses
15 Total Credits
- Complete all of the following
Cybersecurity/Privacy- Complete at least 1 of the following:
- CAP5151 - Internet of Things Security and Privacy (3)
- CIS5730 - Blockchains and Smart Distributed Contracts (3)
- CDA6221 - Advanced Topics in Secure Execution Environment (3)
- CNT5410L - Cyber Operations Lab (3)
- CAP6135 - Malware and Software Vulnerability Analysis (3)
- CIS6395 - Incident Response Technologies (3)
Networking- Complete at least 1 of the following:
- CNT5008 - Computer Communication Networks Architecture (3)
- CNT6707 - Advanced Computer Networks (3)
- CNT5805 - Network Science (3)
Data Analytics- Complete at least 1 of the following:
- COP5711 - Parallel and Distributed Database Systems (3)
- COP6731 - Advanced Database Systems (3)
- CAP5610 - Machine Learning (3)
- CAP5636 - Advanced Artificial Intelligence (3)
- CAP6640 - Computer Understanding of Natural Language (3)
Other Electives- Earn at least 6 credits from the following types of courses: Electives from the groups listed above, and/or the following electives: COP 5611 – Operating System Design Principles CDA 5106 – Advanced Computer Architecture COT 5405 – Design and Analysis of Algorithms COT 6410 – Computational Complexity CEN 5016 – Software Engineering
Thesis/Nonthesis Option
6 Total Credits
- Complete 1 of the following
Thesis Option- Earn at least 6 credits from the following types of courses: XXX 6971 Thesis (prefix determined by disciplinary area of your thesis adviser, e.g., CAP, CDA, CEN, COP or COT 6971) Six credits of thesis are required with the professor who directs the student's thesis. The thesis experience is expected to span two semesters. Thesis students who are full-time must continue to enroll in 3 credit hours of thesis course work until the thesis requirement is satisfied, even if it goes beyond the minimum of 6 credit hours of thesis. Students are required to prepare and defend a formal thesis in accordance with university requirements.
Nonthesis Option- Earn at least 6 credits from the following types of courses: The nonthesis option requires completing 6 credit hours of any electives in both Technical Track and Interdisciplinary Track beyond the 15 credit hours of electives described above.
Grand Total Credits: 30
Financial Information
Graduate students may receive financial assistance through fellowships, assistantships, tuition support, or loans. For more information, see the College of Graduate Studies Funding website, which describes the types of financial assistance available at UCF and provides general guidance in planning your graduate finances. The Financial Information section of the Graduate Catalog is another key resource.
Fellowship Information
Fellowships are awarded based on academic merit to highly qualified students. They are paid to students through the Office of Student Financial Assistance, based on instructions provided by the College of Graduate Studies. Fellowships are given to support a student's graduate study and do not have a work obligation. For more information, see UCF Graduate Fellowships, which includes descriptions of university fellowships and what you should do to be considered for a fellowship.
Independent Learning
The Independent Learning Requirement is met by successful completion of a master's thesis or an approved set of research-based classes for nonthesis students.
