DU Cyber Security MS Curriculum
Program Overview
Given how quickly technology evolves, our program focuses on teaching you how to think strategically, ask the right questions and address cybersecurity challenges in any context. Courses in the MS in Cybersecurity provide you with comprehensive understanding and tools across the cybersecurity domain, including:
- Protecting security information systems and infrastructure
- Detecting, countering, recovering, and preventing cyber incidents
- Ensuring availability and integrity of data resources
- Assessing security risk across information systems
- Programming languages relevant to cybersecurity and problem solving
Your learning will be reinforced with practical, hands-on projects with industry partners (as available), giving you several opportunities to apply your skills in real-world settings. A previous background in computer science or cybersecurity is not required to apply. If you have previous coursework in computer science theory and systems, it will take you less time to complete your degree. Once admitted, you will take a placement exam to ensure you have mastery of the foundational concepts to ensure success in the program.
Foundational Courses - 3 courses - 12 Credits
If you do not have previous coursework in these subjects, you’ll take three foundational courses (COMP-3003, COMP-3004 and COMP-3005) that will serve as a foundation for your cybersecurity courses. Passing the foundational courses with a 3.0 GPA or higher is required to continue on in the program.
Main Cybersecurity Coursework Requirements - 12 Courses – 48 Credits
An overview of our cybersecurity program is given below. For most courses, details are available at the link(s) specified.
Courses are listed in the recommended order that students will take them in.
Introductory Foundational Courses (12 credits if required)
Our foundational courses are intended to give students with limited computer science background an introduction to computer organization, programming, and related math required for the cyber security degree program. It is infeasible to gain the equivalent of a 4 year bachelors degree in computer science in just two quarters (20 weeks), so our foundational courses give students the fundamentals that they will build on throughout the rest of the program.
| Course Title | Quarter Taken | Details |
|---|---|---|
| COMP 3005 Foundational Course 1: Python I | Fall year 1 | COMP-3005 |
| COMP 3003 Foundational Course 2: Computer Organization | Fall year 1 | COMP-3003 |
| COMP 3004 Foundational Course 3: Discrete Math/Algorithm | Winter year 1 | COMP-3004 |
Program-Specific Courses
| Course Title | Quarter Taken | Details |
|---|---|---|
| COMP 3006 Python Programming II | Winter year 1 | COMP-3006 |
| COMP 3356 C/C++ Programming | Spring year 1 | COMP-3356 |
| COMP 4723 Ethical Hacking | Spring year 1 | COMP-4723 |
| COMP 4455 Shell Scripting and System Tools | Summer year 1 | COMP-4455 |
| COMP 3361 Operating Systems | Summer year 1 | COMP-3361 |
| COMP 4621 Computer Networking | Fall year 2 | COMP-4621 |
| COMP 4721 Computer Security | Fall year 2 | COMP-4721 |
| Elective1 | Winter year 2 | (Common choice: COMP-4732) |
| COMP 3731 Computer Forensics | Winter year 2 | COMP-3731 |
| COMP 4384 Secure Software Engineering | Spring year 2 | COMP-4384 |
| COMP 4722 Network Security | Spring year 2 | COMP-4722 |
| COMP 4799 Capstone Project | Summer year 2 | COMP-4799 |
The program includes cybersecurity Development Coursework Requirements - 4-12 Credits2 from a combination of the following:
- COMP 4995 Independent Research 1-8 credits
- COMP 4991 Independent Study 1-8 credits
- COMP 4799 Capstone Project3 4 credits
The intention of the Capstone project is for students to work in the cybersecurity industry as an intern or full-time employee. The Capstone itself culminates in a report detailing the student’s journey from the start of the program through on-the-job experience or other experience (projects/research). In the case that an internship is not possible (none found or not desired), independent study or other elective courses may take the place of an internship. However, with or without an internship, all students must complete the Capstone report. Non-internship Capstones must be approved by the department and/or the student’s major advisor.
With an impressive mix of full-time university faculty, you’ll learn from instructors who are on the front lines of cybersecurity.
DU Program Overview
This site provides additional details for the MS Cyber Security program. DU maintains this information on the main computer science site here: Main University Program Site
While the courses listed above are the recommended cybersecurity curriculum, on a case-by-base basis students may choose to substitute certain courses from a variety of electives, including: Introduction to Databases, Advanced Data Structures and Algorithms, Data Privacy, Data Mining, Network Administration, Cryptography, IoT Security, and various special topics courses. Restrictions apply; a maximum of two courses from the curriculum may be substituted with appropriate electives2. Some courses not applicable for substitution. ↩︎
A maximum of two required courses may be replaced by independent study, independent research, or another course deemed appropriate by the student’s degree advisor ↩︎
Capstone Project – Required ↩︎