Enhance Your Cybersecurity Career
Gain the competitive edge you need to become a leader in the field of cybersecurity with the ANU Master of Science in Cybersecurity (MSC) degree. In the program, you’ll gain the skills you need to design and implement robust cyber security solutions to prevent and detect cyberattacks.
Whether you’re a cybersecurity professional, or you’d like to advance in your information technology career by adding cybersecurity expertise, the ANU master’s degree in cybersecurity offers a broad foundation of relevant, practical skills that will give you the competitive edge that you need to seek employment or advancement in a variety of areas, including intelligence, computer forensics, IT management, and security engineering.
Upon successful completion of this degree program, students will be able to:
- Build a foundation of critical thinking skills on which to make professional judgments relating to Cybersecurity.
- Design and implement solutions aligned with Cybersecurity needs.
- Solidify an understanding of theoretical methods, principles, and tools used in the Cybersecurity industry.
- Examine the fundamental information technology issues and processes in today’s organizations relating to systems engineering, computer networking, database technologies, IT governance and strategy, Web development, and information assurance.
Become a highly sought-after cybersecurity professional
Cyberattacks are on the rise and well-trained cybersecurity professionals are in high demand as businesses and organizations turn to them to keep their computer networks and systems secure.
Cybersecurity Program Content
In the program, you’ll focus on best practices in information security, including advanced prevention, detection, countermeasures, and recovery. You’ll also learn to implement training, provide security management, and collect evidence. In addition, you’ll develop a project plan for a security assessment utilizing the Project Management Institute’s (PMI) Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK).
Core classes include Information Security Systems and Organizational Awareness, Intrusion Detection Attack and Countermeasures, and Information Security Project Management.
Prepare for Cybersecurity Certifications
The ANU MSC program will also prepare you to sit for a number of optional certification exams, including:
- Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP)
- Certified Secure Software Lifecycle Professional (CSSLP)
- Certified Business Continuity Professional (CBCP)
- Certified Computer Forensics Examiner (CCFE).
Indeed.com ranked CISSP amongst The 20 Most-Requested Certifications by Employers in 2020.
MASTER OF SCIENCE IN CYBERSECURITY REQUIRED COURSES
56 credit hours required/168 quality points required. All courses are 4 credit hours
Program Core (Required) 44 total credit hours required
MSC510 Information Security Systems and Organizational Awareness
4 Credit Hours
In this course, students will be introduced to the eight domains of the (ISC) 2 Common Body of Knowledge (CBK) in information security. These domains will be used as a framework to analyze critically security awareness issues and to evaluate best practices in implementing security systems within the enterprise.
MSC520 Intrusion Detection Attack and Countermeasures
4 Credit Hours
In this course, students examine common attack methods, technologies, and countermeasures. Students also gain skills needed to recognize various stages and methods of attack on the enterprise.
MSC530 Information Security and Organizational Change
4 Credit Hours
In this course, students analyze the principles of change management as they apply to the requirements and regulations of information security. Students evaluate the factors that affect corporate decision-making when implementing security programs and the ability of the manager to translate corporate needs into information security projects.
MSC540 Business and Security Risk Analysis
4 Credit Hours
This course provides students with an overview of risk management principles. Methods to identify, quantify, and qualify internal and external risks to the organization are examined. Students apply these principles and methods to the current business and risk environment.
MSC550 Information Security Project Management
4 Credit Hours
In this course, students utilize PMI’s Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK) as a framework to apply project management concepts in the information security arena. Each student develops a project plan for a security assessment, which incorporates the technical and behavioral characteristics of high-performance teams.
MSC560 Strategic Analysis in Information Security
4 Credit Hours
In this integrative course, students’ asses the information security risk associated with an identified management problem. Students then develop a risk mitigation strategy which integrates principles and techniques of risk analysis, project planning and change management.
MSC610 Design, Development and Evaluation of Security Controls
4 Credit Hours
In this course, students transform high-level policies and procedures into quantifiable and measurable controls and mechanisms that enforce data and process integrity, availability and confidentiality.
MSC620 Security Policies, Standards and Procedures
4 Credit Hours
In this course, students examine the role of security policies, standards, and procedures in addressing business and technical risks and develop a security governance report to evaluate compliance across the enterprise.
MSC630 Information Security and Assurance Policy Planning and Analysis
4 Credit Hours
This course provides students with the expertise and skills in development of information assurance policies and deployment plans as part of the comprehensive strategic plan and operational objectives of the enterprise.
MSC640 Risk Management and Compliance
4 Credit Hours
In this course, students evaluate the procedures and results of risk analysis, as well as the compliance processes that address the regulatory requirements, which drive the need for risk analysis within the enterprise. Security-related regulations such as SOX, GLBA, FISMA, and HIPAA are examined.
MSC650 Certification and Accreditation
4 Credit Hours
In this course, students analyze an enterprise-wide view of information systems and the establishment of appropriate, cost-effective information protection programs. Within this context, students examine a set of standard policies, procedures, activities and a management structure to certify and accredit information systems for the protection of the data as well as the systems.
Electives (Select 3) 12 total credit hours required
CIS525 Legal and Ethical Practices in Information Security (CISSP)
4 Credit Hours
(Prereq. MSC560) In this course, students will explore how laws, ethics, and technology interact within an organization. Students will develop an understanding and awareness into issues that arise from privacy, silence, access control, and policy development and enforcement, as well as other legal and ethical dilemmas that reside within organizations.
CSM535 Information Security Management
4 Credit Hours
(Prereq. MSC620) The purpose of this course is to help prepare students for a successful career in public practice, industry or government by understanding how to manage, use and participate in the design of information systems. The course will also help students learn how to assess and consider the impact of IT governance, risk and compliance on accounting functions, focusing on how IT affects business processes and controls. This course serves as a preparation course for the Certified Information Systems Manager (CISM) exam certification.
CSP545 Secure Software Development
4 Credit Hours
In this course, students will be introduced to the eight domains of the (ISC)2 Common Body of Knowledge (CBK) in secure software development. These domains will be used as a framework to critically analyze information security and assurance awareness issues in software development and to evaluate best practices in implementing security and assurance concepts systems in the Software Development Lifecycle.
CHP555 Ethical Hacking and Penetration Testing
4 Credit Hours
(Prereq. MSC640) This course analyzes the principles and techniques associated with the cybersecurity practice known as penetration testing. The course covers planning, reconnaissance, scanning, exploitation, post-exploitation, and result reporting and prepares students for the Licensed Penetration Tester (LPT) and Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH) certifications.
CFE565 Forensic Evaluation and Analysis
4 Credit Hours
This course uses the 9 domains of the CCFE as the foundation to educate students in the field of Computer Forensics and to provide the necessary skills to the student so they can be an effective Computer Forensics Investigator. The skills learned in the course will include practical skills for handson computer forensics investigations as well as preparation skills for legal examination and chain-ofcustody delivery under the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure. Additionally, the student will learn detailed techniques for examining digital evidence from computer equipment to mobile phones and any device that deals with a microprocessor.
CBC575 Business Continuity Planning
4 Credit Hours
In this course, students will explore how contingency planning is an important element of information security. This course will provide insight into an overall strategic plan for information security, including risk management processes to guide the appropriate managerial and technical controls.
All program admission criteria must be satisfied prior to admission to the program.
*All students enrolled in the program must complete 50 hours of practicum training each term.
