Cybersecurity, Information Systems and Technology Emphasis Accelerated Master's Degree

The Accelerated MS in Cybersecurity with Information Systems and Technology (IST) Emphasis program provides an opportunity for students to earn their BS in Cybersecurity with an IST Emphasis or their BS in Information Systems and Technology, and an MS degree in Cybersecurity with IST Emphasis in as few as 10 semesters.

The accelerated program reduces time to completion by requiring a minimum of 138 credit hours instead of the typical 150 credit hours if the degrees were pursued separately (120 for BS and 30 for MS). The program allows undergraduate students, in their Junior and Senior years, to take up to 12 credit hours of graduate courses and count those graduate courses to also fulfill some of their undergraduate degree requirements. Students then proceed to take the remaining 18 graduate credit hours to fulfill their graduate degree requirements.

Students are required to work closely with both BS and MS Program Advisors to ensure that the correct levels of required courses are completed in a timely manner and in the appropriate sequence.

Eligibility

Undergraduate students can apply to the Chair of the Information Systems and Technology Department for admission to the Accelerated MS Cybersecurity – IST Emphasis degree program during the semester they will complete 60 undergraduate credit hours. A cumulative grade point average of 3.0 or higher is required. 

Admission Requirements

Admission to the Accelerated MS Cybersecurity with IST Emphasis program and Graduate School proceeds in two phases: 1) Provisional Admission and 2) Graduate Admission.

Provisional Admission

Undergraduate BS in Cybersecurity with IST Emphasis or BS in Information Systems and Technology students are considered for provisional admission to Graduate School if they meet the following criteria.

• Have earned 60 credit hours as an undergraduate
• Have a minimum GPA of 3.0 
• Have met with both the BS and MS Academic Advisors in Information Systems and Technology

The IST Department Chair, in consultation with the Undergraduate Advisor and Graduate Program Director, will determine whether the student can apply for provisional status.  Provisionally admitted students are still classified as undergraduates but may begin obtaining the 12 graduate credits that will apply toward both their MS and BS degrees. Graduate courses completed by undergraduate students, who have been provisionally admitted to the Accelerated MS Cybersecurity with IST Emphasis program, will be charged at the undergraduate tuition rate. However, these courses will count toward the MS Cybersecurity with IST Emphasis degree while also fulfilling the requirements of their BS degree. These courses must be approved in advance to count toward both degrees. Therefore, it is recommended to apply for provisional status as a junior, preferably in the first semester of the junior year.

Graduate Admission

Applicants are considered for admission to the Graduate School if they meet the following criteria:

• Are in their final semester in undergraduate status
• Have a minimum GPA of 3.0 since being granted provisional status
• Have met with the MS Academic Advisor in IST Emphasis

The MS Academic Advisor, in consultation with the BS Academic Advisor, will determine whether the student can apply for graduate admission. Final decisions concerning graduate admission are made by the Graduate School in consultation with the IST Department Chair and Graduate Program Director. Students admitted at this stage are conferred graduate status and must continue taking courses with graduate status until the completion of the MS Cybersecurity – IST Emphasis degree.

Program Requirements

Eligible undergraduate BS students pursuing the Accelerated MS Cybersecurity – IST Emphasis degree option will be required to take the following four graduate courses (12 credits), which will count toward both their undergraduate and graduate degree requirements. 

INFSYS 6820	Systems and IT Infrastructure	3
INFSYS 6828	Principles of Information Security	3
INFSYS 6836	Management of Data Networks and Security	3
INFSYS 6858	Advanced Cybersecurity Concepts	3
Total Hours		12

Additionally, students must complete all the remaining requirements of the MS Cybersecurity with IST Emphasis and meet all Graduate School requirements.

Awarding of Degrees

The student may apply for and receive the bachelor’s degree in the semester when all the undergraduate requirements are completed. In their final semester in undergraduate status, the student must apply and be admitted to the graduate program, to begin the following semester. The student will apply to receive the master’s degree in the semester that the requirements for the graduate degree will be completed.

If the student fails to enroll for more than one year after receiving the bachelor's degree, the student can still earn the master’s degree, but the graduate-level credits earned as an undergraduate cannot be used for the graduate degree.