M.S. in Cybersecurity

Enhance your skills in emerging technologies with an online master’s in cybersecurity

Every 39 seconds one computer with internet access is attacked. With 2,215 attacks every day, we are constantly under the threat of the next cyberattack. Another interesting fact: More than 77% of organizations do not have a cybersecurity incident response plan and it takes most companies nearly six months to detect a data breach. In a rapidly growing industry like cybersecurity, curious and well-trained professionals have the opportunity to make an immediate impact. Franklin’s M.S. in Cybersecurity equips you with theory-based knowledge and application-oriented security skills to institute cybersecurity measures as a standard business process. At Franklin, you’ll earn a comprehensive degree that enables you see the big picture, translate technical issues to all audiences, and develop solutions that minimize risk. 

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100% Online Coursework

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Hands-On Learning

Use industry-leading tools to build your skills in the fast-growing field of cybersecurity.

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M.S. in Cybersecurity Degree Overview

Prepare yourself for a cybersecurity career at the operational, tactical or strategic level

Whether you want to advance your career in cybersecurity or transition into more cyber-focused roles, Franklin’s M.S. in Cybersecurity is a great way to broaden your knowledge and skills. Aligned with industry-leading certifications, the program’s inclusion of emerging technologies like cloud, containers and Blockchain will make you an asset in government or a wide variety of industries including insurance, retail, or banking and finance.

By applying your technical and critical thinking skills, you’ll be able to help organizations navigate cybersecurity challenges at the operational, tactical and strategic levels. With these sought-after abilities your marketability will increase, as demand for cybersecurity professionals is projected to grow 13% through 2027, which is faster than average.*

Throughout the 16-month M.S. in Cybersecurity program, you’ll build a strong foundation in the basics with courses in cryptography, advanced network security, ethical hacking and security governance. You’ll learn from credentialed experts and gain in-depth understanding of relevant concepts, theories and techniques.

Build your competencies in preventative, detective and corrective countermeasures through hands-on coursework

At Franklin, experiential learning is an essential part of the cybersecurity curriculum. You’ll apply what you learn in order to prepare you to overcome real-life challenges. You’ll have an opportunity to mimic common security threats – hacking websites and wireless networks, sniffing networks to capture passwords, and spoofing network packages – in order to secure networks and prevent data theft and intrusion. 

However, cybersecurity is not only a technical domain; it also has organizational, legal, ethical and managerial aspects. In addition to technical expertise, you’ll gain management-level knowledge by examining strategic aspects of cybersecurity such as ethics, privacy, and information security policy and governance. 

As part of your transformation into a well-rounded cybersecurity professional, you’ll also build the soft skills employers desire. Throughout the program you’ll sharpen your communication, presentation and listening skills to differentiate yourself, whether you are working as part of a team or you want to position yourself as a solutions-oriented leader. 

Choose an online cybersecurity master’s degree that’s built for busy adults

As an accredited, nonprofit university, our focus at Franklin is on you. Our team of academic advisors will help ease your transition to becoming a student, while our flexible course schedules and 100% online coursework help to balance your education with work, family and life. 

Students rate our faculty members as top-notch for the real-world expertise they are able to bring to the coursework. When you need help, your instructor is just a phone call or email away. You can also rely on support resources from the Learning Commons, like workshops, tutoring sessions and library services. Get started on your future today.

 

*Source information provided by Economic Modeling Specialists International (EMSI)

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Master's in Cybersecurity Courses & Curriculum

36 Semester Hours
Course Sequence (36 hours)
ISEC 610 - Information Assurance (4)
This course covers the fundamentals of security in the enterprise environment. Included are coverage of risks and vulnerabilities, threat modeling, policy formation, controls and protection methods, encryption and authentication technologies, network security, cryptography, personnel and physical security issues, as well as ethical and legal issues. This foundational course serves as an introduction to many of the subsequent topics discussed in depth in later security courses.
ISEC 620 - Software and App Security (4)
Today, software is at the heart of nearly every business from finance to manufacturing. Software pervades everyday life in expected places like phones and computers but also in places that you may not consider such as toasters, thermostats, automobiles, and even light bulbs. Security flaws in software can have impacts ranging from inconvenient to damaging and even catastrophic when it involves life-critical systems. How can software be designed and built to minimize the presence of flaws or mitigate their impacts' This course focuses on software development processes that identify, model, and mitigate threats to all kinds of software. Topics include threat modeling frameworks, attack trees, attack libraries, defensive tactics, secure software development lifecycle, web, cloud, and human factors.
ISEC 630 - Information Risk Management (4)
When audits, technology, or compliance become the driver for security initiatives the resulting program is strategically fragmented, reactive, and rigid. Moreover, there are few, if any, assurances that the biggest threats are being addressed. On the other hand, risk assessment places values on assets, evaluates the current controls, and provides data to improve the protection in a controlled, proactive, and flexible manner. This course teaches an approach to security that combines operational security, risk assessment, test and review and mitigation such that value can be demonstrated. A project-based approach to risk assessment is followed including, project definition and preparation, data gathering, technical information, physical data gathering, analysis, mitigation, recommendations, and reporting.
ISEC 640 - Cryptography (4)
The cryptographic primitives of enciphering/deciphering and hashing are the two main methods of preserving confidentiality and integrity of data at rest and in transit. As such, the study of cryptographic techniques is of primary interest to security practitioners. This course will cover the important principles in historical and modern cryptography including the underlying information theory, mathematics, and randomness. Important technologies such as stream and block ciphers, symmetric and asymmetric cryptography, public key infrastructure, and key exchange will be explored. Finally, hashing and message authentication codes will examined as a way of preserving data integrity.
ISEC 650 - Advanced Network Security (4)
Networks connecting disparate devices, services, and users have been among the most ubiquitous technologies that have led to the spectacular economic and technical success of the Internet. Today, networks seem to disappear, only to receive attention when they fail or are breached by attackers. While firewalls and virtual private networks are mainstays of network security, a strategy built on these alone is insufficient. This course covers a more comprehensive and systematic approach to network security including monitoring, incident response, forensics, virtualization and cloud, secure protocols, cryptography, and web services
ISEC 660 - Cybercrime, Ethics, and Privacy (4)
The prevalence of data breaches, identity theft, and the dark net today makes the study of digital cybercrime, ethics, and compliance highly relevant to information security. Laws related to intellectual property, privacy, and criminal and civil proceedings will be discussed. Ethical behavior and frameworks for navigating between customer and business concerns in the workplace are also emphasized.
ISEC 670 - Ethical Hacking (4)
When most people think of information security the images that come to mind are those of hackers: secretive people who, for political or profit motives, illegally break into computer systems to steal data or cause mayhem. While that kind of criminal element does exist, ethical hackers provide a needed service to organizations seeking to test and refine their security plans and technologies. This course takes an in-depth approach to ethical hacking including reconnaissance, scanning, vulnerability analysis, exploitation, and reporting. Students will employ current tools and methods in a hands-on approach that also prepares them for the Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH) exam.
ISEC 680 - Information Security Policy & Governance (4)
As organizations have fallen victim to the proliferation of cyberattacks in recent years, many have responded reactively, thereby developing a posture that "wins the previous war." However, regulations and laws are now necessitating a more proactive stance. Organizations that can develop an effective security strategy stand to gain as they balance business with security. This course is about leading organizations in developing an effective information security program via policies, frameworks, architecture, standards, organizational hierarchies, controls and metrics with the end goal being a proactive security posture tailored to the specific business needs.
ISEC 690 - Security Research and Capstone (4)
This course, the final one in the program, challenges students to research a current topic of interest in information security and produce an original paper and presentation on the topic. Alternately, students may complete a capstone project in which they engage a real-world client for the purpose of security assessment, governance, audit, testing, risk analysis, or remediation. The course will also cover current and emerging issues in information security and privacy. Complete course in final term of program.

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Industry Aligned

National CyberWatch Center

Through our Center for Public Safety and Cybersecurity Education, a member of the National CyberWatch Center, the University collaboratively engages in efforts to advance cybersecurity education and strengthen the nation’s cybersecurity workforce. In service to communities and individuals, we provide access to the latest research impacting the industry, as well as innovations in cybersecurity education and training.   

Center for Public Safety and Cybersecurity Education

Franklin University’s Center for Public Safety and Cybersecurity Education provides the skills necessary to prepare professionals to effectively prevent, solve and investigate cybersecurity issues and challenges. The Center’s offerings leverage its faculty – who are both thought leaders and practitioners – along with Franklin University’s reputation for excellence in curriculum and course development to create learning experiences that address prevailing security concerns within industries and communities.

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Master's in Cybersecurity Program Details

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Cybersecurity Career Opportunities

Cybersecurity Manager

Cybersecurity managers monitor operations and infrastructure, maintain security tools and technology, ensure policy and regulation compliance and work within the organization to reduce risk. 

Cybersecurity Engineer

Cybersecurity engineers maintain system integrity by defining access privileges, identifying problems and reporting violations, implementing security improvements and conducting periodic system audits.

Cybersecurity Architect

Cybersecurity architects evaluate business strategies and requirements to determine security requirements, conduct system security and vulnerability analysis and risk assessments, and evaluate technology options to plan security systems. 

Network Engineer

Network engineers design system configurations, direct system installation, and define, document and enforce system standards in order to establish an organization’s networking environment. 

Penetration Tester

Penetration testers perform and review tests on a wide range of systems (web, infrastructure and wireless) to identify security risks and communicate findings and solution strategies to technical staff and business stakeholders.

IT Auditor

IT auditors may work independently or as part of a team to test and document procedures in order to communicate results and recommend process improvements that mitigate risks to key business and IT stakeholders.

Cybersecurity

14%

For 2017-2027 jobs in Cybersecurity are expected to increase by 14%

All Occupations

2017
1,862,725 jobs
2027
2,116,484 jobs


Source information provided by Economic Modeling Specialists International (EMSI).

Cybersecurity Knowledge & Skillsets

Gain in-demand skills sought by employers with curriculum that teaches you:

Master's in Cybersecurity Frequently Asked Questions

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