The Master of Science degree in Cybersecurity Defense at the New England Institute of Technology is designed for technology professionals with experience in networking, cybersecurity or software engineering who desire to advance their leadership and cybersecurity skills as a precursor to a leadership role. From multi-national corporations to local small businesses, cybersecurity defense is an integral piece of an organization’s strategy. Information and the technology infrastructure it resides on are two of an organization’s most valuable assets and these are often continuously threatened or under active attack. Successful defense and protection of these assets requires a trained cybersecurity professional who not only understands the technical aspects, but also is aware of strategic business interests. An effective cybersecurity leader requires a blend of operational and technical expertise, leadership and management of projects and teams, and a solid foundation in the principles of cybersecurity.

The MSCD degree blends technical knowledge and essential cybersecurity skills with business management and enterprise leadership principles that drive organizations today. The program weaves technical topics such as penetration testing and digital forensics with project management, leadership and risk assessment.

While the bachelor’s degree in Cybersecurity and Network Engineering prepares graduates to secure, design, and implement networks, databases and applications, the master’s program provides graduates with the ability to analyze business scenarios and assess risk, anticipate and respond to a continuously changing environment, address post-incident business impacts and effectively assign resources to the entities that comprise the enterprise information systems.

The program emphasizes the relevance of continuous learning to personal and professional growth through the combination of advanced technical courses and an integrated management core. Employment opportunities may include positions such as Chief Information Security Officer (CISO), Project Manager, Incidence Response or Forensics Team Lead, Director of Software Security Engineering, Chief Information Officer (CIO), or Chief Technical Officer (CTO).

The MSCD program’s mission is to prepare information technology professionals to be workplace and community leaders in cybersecurity, able to identify and assess cybersecurity vulnerabilities under their responsibility, to develop viable, actionable plans to address those vulnerabilities and to implement, monitor and respond in accordance with those plans. The mission and program are built around the components of the CISSP (Certified Information Systems Security Professional) Certification, which is often required for a cybersecurity professional to advance in the field and the requirements for an NSA Center for Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense (NSA CAE CD). The program is not directly designed to prepare graduates for certification, instead program and course objectives are closely aligned with the CISSP knowledge areas and CAE CD knowledge areas.

Program Mission

The NEIT Masters in Cybersecurity Defense seeks to prepare information technology professionals to be workplace and community leaders in cybersecurity, able to identify and assess cybersecurity vulnerabilities under their responsibility, to develop viable, actionable plans to address those vulnerabilities and to implement, monitor and respond in accordance with those plans.

Learning Outcomes

Graduates of this advanced degree program will be able to demonstrate each of the following learning outcomes:

  • Proficiency in identifying vulnerabilities, anticipating attacks, using monitoring tools, and developing defensive strategies.
  • Understand and analyze the technological, human, and policy challenges in this field through hands-on experience of cyber vulnerabilities, attacks, and defenses.
  • Create a principled, forward-looking framework to protect organizations against cyber threats and design organizational resilience, and crisis management and response capabilities.
  • Understand of cybersecurity and privacy through comprehensive consideration of technology and policy, including economic, human, legal, organizational, and socio-political factors.
  • Understand the security and privacy implications of emerging technologies, such as big data, cloud computing, mobile computing, social networks, the internet of things, and Web 2.0 applications.
  • Understand role of communication in leading teams and organizations, and develop communication skills necessary to influence and motivate teams.