Transdisciplinary Cybersecurity

The following are core for all Transdisciplinary Cybersecurity Programs. All core courses are normally offered once per year. See the current catalog for course descriptions and general graduate school requirements.

 CYBS 561 should be taken in each student's first fall semester. 

The following are core for Transdisciplinary Cybersecurity Programs. Technical elective courses are normally offered once every other year (EOY). See the current catalog for course descriptions.

C^ indicates a requirement of completing the course with C or higher as a prerequisite. 

Additional courses are available as Special Topics Courses (CYBS 589) based on new research and student demand.

All students are encouraged to pursue internships during the summer or to focus on research. 

Graduate credits (CYBS 589) in the following cybersecurity areas: cybersecurity policy, psychology of cybersecurity, cybersecurity data science, or cybersecurity technical electives.

The professional masters is a course based program that has research integrated in courses, but does not require additional research. 

For the PM degree students must take:

• All core courses listed above (18 cr)
• 6 credits of technical electives
• 6 credits of cybersecurity area courses

The master of science degree is a research based program where students carry out independent research in addition to completing coursework.

For the MS degree students must take:

• All core courses listed above (18 cr)
• 3 credits of technical electives
• 3 credits of cybersecurity area courses
• Research (either)
  • 6 credits of thesis or
  • 3 credits of independent study and 3 additional credits of cybersecurity area courses

The combined degrees of a MS-CYBS or PM-CYBS along with a BS in an aligned field may be achieved in an accellerated timeframe. Students must complete all of the requirements of the associated BS and the MS-CYBS or PM-CYBS degrees.

Students in the accelerated program may use up to nine 500-level or above credits toward both their BS and either MS-CYBS or PM-CYBS degrees allowing them to complete their degrees in an accelerated timeframe.

A minimum of 68 credits total.

Up to 30 graded credit hours from an appropriate master’s degree, may be included. These must be approved by the student's graduate committee and the program director.

44 hours of graded coursework approved by the student’s advisory committee must include:

• All core courses listed above (18 cr)
• 9 credits of technical electives
• 12 credits of cybersecurity area courses
• Up to 12 graded research credits (CYBS 581) may be used toward the required graded coursework credits.
• Dissertation (24 credit hours): CYBS 595

The minimum time in which students may be able to expect to complete their degrees is in the table below, depending on the student's preparation, focus, dedication, and proficiency in research. 

* Due to the complexity and variability of research, the time to degree for MS and PhD vary substantially and expected minimums are shown here. Time to complete research, particularly in the PhD program, should be expected to be longer -- in most cases 5 years is more typical.

Many students in these program are supported by their employers or provide their own funding. However, full time students may recieve support either through the NMCCoE, typically on graduate contracts associated with external grants or contracts. Students with special skills or needs should make those clear in their graduate applicatoin.