Master of Science in Cyber Security Engineering

The USC Viterbi School of Engineering Master of Science in Cyber Security Engineering program focuses on the fundamental theory and practices for designing, engineering and operating high assurance secure information systems. The program addresses the challenges and problems of sound policy formulation, verifiably secure operating systems, security-aware applications, secure networking, and use of cryptography and key management. This elucidates a foundation of sound principles for mitigation strategies that include advanced persistent threat employing malicious subversion.
Students enrolled in the Master of Science in Cyber Security Engineering program will be able to demonstrate understanding of contemporary engineering design principles and associated innovative practices relevant to the notion of threats to an information system and technical and procedural approaches to mitigating the threat, the technical concepts of secure system design and development, and mechanisms for building security services and risk management. Further, they will be able to implement these practices under guidance of Informatics faculty members in preparation for employment in Cyber Security and Information Assurance industries.

Upon completion of the USC Master of Science in Cyber Security Engineering degree, students will be able to apply critical principles and practices pertinent to cyber security and information protection in their employment practice. Graduates should be positioned to be extremely competitive in a very high demand sector. They will be well prepared to take on current large-scale security issues which have the potential of wreaking massive damage to the well being, safety, and privacy of the people of our nation.

Our program is committed to leveraging the strongest technology and educational methods in addressing these challenges. In particular, our focus will include trusted systems and standards, and proven verifiable protection of truly trustworthy high assurance security designed to substantially address the problems of adversarial attacks that include software subversion.

The degree is 28 units comprised of 5 required courses (20 units) and 2 elective courses (8 units). For course descriptions, please visit this page. To apply, please visit the this page.

Total Units: 28

Required Courses (16 units):

CSCI 530 Security Systems (4 units)
DSCI 519 Foundations and Policy for Information Security (4 units)
DSCI 523 Computer Systems Assurance (4 units)
DSCI 529 Security and Privacy in Informatics (4 units)

At least two of the following (8 units minimum):

CSCI 531 Applied Cryptography (4 units)
DSCI 525 Trusted System Design, Analysis and Development (4 units)
DSCI 526 Secure Systems Administration (4 units)
DSCI 528 Computer Forensics (4 units)

Plus an additional 4 units that may be composed of items from the above list or:

DSCI 590 Directed Research (Units: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)**
PTE 519 Integrated Physical and Cyber Security for Oil and Gas Operations (3 units)

Note:

**A maximum of 2 units of DSCI 590 may be applied.
Other courses may be approved in consultation with the department adviser, including classes in the student's proposed problem domain.

For questions please contact Steve Pham (Assistant Director, Student Affairs)