Master of Science in
Cyber Intelligence and Security
In the wake of increasing computer breaches and trillions of dollars in damage across the United States, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics has projected the need for cyber security professionals to increase 28 percent by 2026. Companies in finance and technology are being joined by retail, manufacturing, utilities and other critical infrastructure sectors in their search for skilled cyber intelligence and security master’s graduates.
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University brings the Master of Science in Cyber Intelligence and Security degree to the nation’s first College of Security and Intelligence. This 30-credit program is designed to provide a solid academic foundation appropriate to the fields of Cyber Threat Hunting, Cyber Intelligence Analysis, Machine Learning applied to Intrusions, and the Internet of Things, as well as more classical Network Security and Information Assurance arenas.
The U.S. government and the Department of Defense continue to invest heavily in growing the nation’s cybersecurity workforce. Because of this, our curriculum has been tailored to the recommendations of the National Security Agency and the Department of Homeland Security to make graduates of this program into capable leaders to navigate tomorrow’s threats to cyber intelligence and security. As a member of Cyberwatch West, our program will ensure that the quality of the curriculum and teaching materials remain current and are following best practices for rigor and assessment.
Upon completing the degree program, students will have acquired advanced skills placing them at the forefront of cyber intelligence and security. These skills include:
- Assessment of enterprise security risks for hardware, software, and policy level systems
- Ability to deploy solutions to mitigate, manage, and monitor threats to identified hardware and software systems
- Proficiency in at least four major technical areas from the curriculum
- Application of knowledge and critical thinking across multiple domains as outlined in the eight industry standard knowledge areas: Risk management and Governance, Access Control, Security Architecture and Design, Network Security, Business Continuity Planning, Legal and Compliance, Software Development Security, Security Operation
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, the College of Business, Security and Intelligence, and the Department of Cyber Intelligence and Security all pursue the utmost standard of security, integrity, and trust so that we can provide our students with the highest quality education and training available anywhere in the world.
DETAILS
About Cyber Intelligence and Security at the Prescott, AZ Campus
Students graduating with a Bachelor of Science in Cyber Intelligence and Security students have been employed in leading companies or government agencies within months of graduation. We are convinced that graduates of the master’s program will experience the same level of success.
The Master of Science in Cyber Intelligence and Security degree is housed in the Department of Cyber Intelligence and Security in the College of Business, Security & Intelligence.
The faculty and curriculum are balanced between academic and professional training. Many of our faculty members are scholars with doctoral degrees and active research agendas, while others bring decades of experience as intelligence and security professionals in the government and/or private sector.
Embry-Riddle is a founding member of the Arizona Cyber Threat Response Alliance (ACTRA), a threat intelligence and information sharing and analysis organization that has become a model across the nation.
The Cyber Intelligence and Security advisory board includes industry, government, and academic members. The members will assure that academic and training programs are created and improved in response to real needs in the ever-changing corporate and public environment.
The Department of Cyber Intelligence and Security has formed important industry relations with Arizona organizations and companies that will guide and support our program. These partners include Arizona Cyber Threat Response Alliance, Arizona Counter Terrorism Intel Center, CyberAwareAZ, and the Prescott Technology Accelerator.
Our position as a member of the Arizona Cyber Pipeline Taskforce has opened the doors to hundreds of opportunities for graduates with regional and national companies. This will allow the students to work closely with potential sponsoring institutions while gaining valuable experience and training.
Take a closer look at both Masters Degrees offered in the College of Business, Security and Intelligence by viewing Embry-Riddle's Launch Magazine for its Graduate Programs.
The Master of Science degree in Cyber Intelligence and Security requires completion of 30 credits and is designed to produce graduates who are qualified for a variety of career paths in private and public sector organizations. For many professionals currently working in these communities, the Master’s degree will be seen as a qualification for promotion in the middle and even upper levels of the organization as subject matter experts or managers of teams encompassing technical and policy decision making in cyber security. The objective of the program is to prepare individuals who:
1. Have an advanced understanding of the cyber security issues facing networks, systems, infrastructure and emerging connected domains of large and small organizations;
2. Have a strong working knowledge of those issues that impact U.S. national security, corporate security and data security;
3. Are able to take an interdisciplinary and technical approach to solve emerging cyber security challenges; and
4. Contribute to the broader Cyber Intelligence and Security community.
Degree Requirements
The MS in CIS curriculum is divided into three components: Core Courses (9 credits), Thesis or special project (6 credits), and electives (5 courses or 15 credits). Insofar as the electives are concerned, the student will choose from 11 courses, covering both advanced cyber security and cyber intelligence topics, each with science, technology and laboratory components. Students will be strongly encouraged to work with partner organizations in the private and public sector on relevant topics during their training. Theses and special projects drawn from current academic and industrial subjects will enrich the program. Assuming a typical graduate course load of 9 credits per semester, students will typically complete the 30 credits of required course work, special project or MS thesis in 18 to 24 months.
Program Requirements
Cyber Intelligence and Security Core (9 Credits)
| CI 505 | Cyber Intelligence and Information Systems Security | 3 |
| CI 510 | Advanced Analytical and Research Methodologies | 3 |
| CI 515 | System Security and Architecture | 3 |
Thesis or Special Project (6 Credits)
| CI 690 | Cyber Security Graduate Project | 6 |
| or CI 698 | Comprehensive Exam | |
| or CI 700 | Masters Thesis | |
Cyber Intelligence and Security Electives (15 Credits)
Choose a total of 5 courses from the list of courses below:
| CI 525 | Advanced Network Technology and Security | 3 |
| CI 535 | Intrusion Detection and Prevention | 3 |
| CI 545 | Cyber Policy, Legal, Ethics and Compliance | 3 |
| CI 550 | Security Program Management | 3 |
| CI 555 | Software Reverse Engineering and Malware Analysis | 3 |
| CI 599 | Additional Special Topics | 3 |
| CI 625 | Advanced Network Forensics | 3 |
| CI 630 | Threat Intelligence | 3 |
| CI 665 | Mobile Device Security | 3 |
| CI 670 | Systems Programming and Security | 3 |
| CI 680 | Virtualization Technologies and Security | 3 |
| CI 699 | Additional Special Topics | 3 |
| Total Credits | 30 | |
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Summary
30 Credits
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