Master's in Cyber Security

Unlike other master’s in cyber security programs, WPI’s Master’s in Cyber Security program teaches security subjects and skills within a societal context. Students learn rigorous technical material and its application within business, policy, and other fields. Students in WPI’s Master’s in Cyber Security graduate program choose courses that match their interests and specific career goals. A path of study may include applying security techniques, researching new techniques, or combining research with its application in policy and industry. The program uses real-world experiential learning and research opportunities to ensure students are prepared for an evolving threat landscape.

The Master’s in Cyber Security draws from WPI’s deep expertise across the computer science, electrical and computer engineering, and mathematical sciences departments and the Business School.

The National Institute of Standards and Technology indicates there is a global shortage of three million cyber security professionals. The job market for master’s and cyber security jobs is rapidly growing and lucrative. These positions play an important role in finance, insurance, manufacturing, public policy, and defense. Without well trained security professionals, organizations are vulnerable to security breaches, which cost the global economy hundreds of billions of dollars annually.

Applicants are expected to demonstrate sufficient background in computing for graduate-level work. Background in developing or using software tools is required. A bachelor’s degree in computer science, electrical engineering, information technology, or other related fields should be adequate preparation. Students from other backgrounds may apply if they can demonstrate their readiness through other means, such as GRE exams, professional certifications, or relevant technical work experience.

Curriculum

WPI’s Master’s in Cyber Security program has both a standard and an advanced academic track to accommodate students with significant prior preparation as well as those seeking to become professionals in the field.

Students on either WPI Master’s in Cyber Security degree program track complete 30 credits and earn the same credential (the tracks are for course selection only and are not officially recorded). On each track, students focus on either a software-centric or hardware-centric collection of courses.

Students on the standard track may complete

3 bridge courses
- CS 5007 Introduction to Programming Concepts, Data Structures, and Algorithms
- CS 5008 Introduction to Systems and Network Programming
- CS 509 Design of Software Systems
3 core courses
- One technically-focused course from:
  - CS 557 Software Security Design and Analysis
  - CS 558 Computer Network Security
  - DS/ECE 577 Machine Learning in Cybersecurity
  - ECE 579S Computer Security
  - ECE 579C Applied Cryptography and Physical Attacks
  - MIS 582 Information Security Management
- One human behavior-focused course from:
  - CS 571 Case Studies in Computer Security
  - CS 525 Digital Forensics
  - CS 525 Computer Crime Law
  - ECE 579B Blockchain and Cryptocurrencies
3 depth courses
ECE 573/CS 578 Cryptography & Data Security
ECE 673 Advanced Cryptography
CS 564 Advanced Topics in Computer Security
OIE 542 Risk Management & Decision Making
Any core course from above that has not been used to satisfy the core requirement.
capstone experience

Students on the advanced track may complete

3 core courses
- One technically-focused course from:
  - CS 557 Software Security Design and Analysis
  - CS 558 Computer Network Security
  - DS/ECE 577 Machine Learning in Cybersecurity
  - ECE 579S Computer Security
  - ECE 579C Applied Cryptography and Physical Attacks
- One human behavior-focused course from:
  - CS 571 Case Studies in Computer Security
  - CS 525 Digital Forensics
  - CS 525 Computer Crime Law
  - ECE 579B Blockchain and Cryptocurrencies
- MIS 582 Information Security Management
3 depth courses
ECE 573/CS 578 Cryptography & Data Security
ECE 673 Advanced Cryptography
CS 564 Advanced Topics in Computer Security
OIE 542 Risk Management & Decision Making
Any core course from above that has not been used to satisfy the core requirement.
3 elective courses
capstone experience

For students pursuing a thesis, the capstone and two elective courses may be swapped for a 9-credit MS thesis.

Research

WPI’s cyber security research groups are open to faculty and students to collaborate, innovate, and make new discoveries.

The Cake Lab explores various problems related to security and applied logic, including research on privacy, network security, software engineering, software verification, security, and programming languages.
The Vernam Group researches hardware security and the consequences of hardware vulnerabilities to the future of computing, from the cloud to the Internet of Things. Topics cover secure system software, innovations in cryptography including post-quantum cryptography and lightweight cryptography, machine learning applications of security, hardware security of FPGA and SoCs, side-channel analysis and fault attacks, physical tamper resistance, solutions for Trojan detection and anti-counterfeiting, and much more.

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Faculty Profiles

Lorenzo DeCarli

Affiliate Assistant Professor, Computer Science

I am generally interested in network security and traffic analysis, and in the challenges that arise when attempting to design security systems which are performant, effective, and usable. My interests cover:

IoT and residential network security
Web and cloud security
Software security
Malware detection and understanding
Usable security

Yarkin Doroz

Assistant Teaching Professor, Electrical & Computer Engineering

I became a Teaching Professor at Worcester Polytechnic Institute (In 2018) after serving as a Research Scientist at New Jersey Institute of Technology. My specialization lies in crafting secure systems through hardware, software, and cryptographic protocols. I am dedicated to pioneering novel cryptographic algorithms and applications, harnessing the potential of lattice-based cryptographic primitives. My expertise spans a wide spectrum, encompassing crucial domains such as Fully Homomorphic Encryption and Post-Quantum Cryptography.

Daniel Dougherty

Affiliate Professor,

Computer Science Department

The common thread running through my teaching and research is the use of mathematical methods---especially methods based on logic---in designing and building systems. Interesting systems are too complex to be understood by informal intuitions, and it can be very powerful to use formal tools to help understand whether the system we are actually building really fulfills our ideas about what it is supposed to do. Tools based on logic can help people build things in a way guided by specification, and indeed they can help people arrive at the right formal specification in the first place.

William Martin

Professor, Mathematical Sciences

Bill Martin's goal is to find mathematical research projects that lie between beautiful and powerful mathematical theory, on the one hand, and pressing technological applications, on the other. This effort requires one to keep abreast of both mathematical developments and applications in computer science and engineering.

Koksal Mus

Assistant Professor of Teaching, Electrical & Computer Engineering

Koksal Mus’ research and teaching interests focus on Cybersecurity and Cryptography and extend to hardware programming in computer engineering. He is passionate about helping students grasp theoretical subjects and implementing them through hands-on projects in a student-centered classroom by using deep pedagogy. He enjoys sharing his knowledge and expertise with undergrads and grads on various levels in his classes. Prof.

Craig Shue

Professor & Department Head, Computer Science

I am interested in computer networking and security. Given the significance of the Internet in our economy and society, I am interested in improvements and studies that can have a real-world impact. My recent work has focused on how to make both enterprise and residential networks more secure. In my research work, I am exploring ways to change the traditional computer network communication model using techniques such as software-defined networking and network function virtualization.

Berk Sunar

Professor, Electrical & Computer Engineering

I received my PhD in ECE from Oregon State University in December 1998 and worked briefly as a member of the research faculty at OSU's Information Security Laboratory. In 2000 I joined WPI as an assistant professor. My research interests include applied cryptography and cybersecurity;

For personal website please visit https://sunar.org

Robert Walls

Associate Professor, Computer Science, Program Director, Cybersecurity, Computer Science

My research focuses on systems security and performance. Consequently, my projects often lie at the intersection of software and hardware. Some of my projects include developing compiler-based defenses for embedded microcontrollers, providing security and privacy for deep learning, and reverse-engineering the behavior of proprietary GPU microarchitectures to improve system performance.

Craig Wills

Professor, Computer Science

My research has primarily focused on Internet application performance and measurement with more recent work examining issues related to Internet privacy. This work has led to a number of research publications and presentations as well as visibility in venues such as the New York Times, Wall Street Journal and NPR Science Friday.

Patrick Schaumont

Professor, Electrical & Computer Engineering

My research interests are in hardware security related topics, a field that gained enormous traction over the past two decades. I work on challenges in cryptographic engineering, and on making systems secure and tamper resistant. My students have built numerous demonstrators which has driven my research in attacks and countermeasures against faults and side-channel analysis. In addition to research in tamper-resistant design, I also work on the conception, design and implementation of efficient realizations of secure hardware and software.

Fatemeh Ganji

Assistant Professor, Electrical & Computer Engineering

Before joining the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI), Fatemeh was a Post Doctoral Associate at the University of Florida (from 2018-2020) and at the Telecom Innovation Laboratories/Technical University of Berlin (from 2017-2018). She defended her dissertation with the title "On the Learnability of Physically Unclonable Functions" at the Technical University of Berlin, with an overall grade of "distinction" (= summa cum laude). For her dissertation, she was awarded the BIMoS Ph.D.

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After Graduation

WPI’s Master’s in Cyber Security prepares students to be leaders in the fields of cyber security and computer science. The career outlook for these industries, and for cyber professionals who combine their expertise with business and social needs, is robust. A master’s in cyber security salary is lucrative, and master’s in cyber security jobs include options in areas as diverse as intrusion detection, security information and event management, and cloud computing.

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If you’re interested in exploring different specialties in the computer science field, WPI has plenty of options for you. WPI’s Master’s in Computer Science positions you right alongside faculty experts, principal investigators, and industry partners to conduct breakthrough research. You’ll work in areas that interest you, including artificial intelligence, data mining, learning sciences, game development, mobile computing, and security. If the rapidly expanding data science field appeals to your analytical mind, WPI’s Master’s in Data Science is one of only a handful of such degree programs in the nation. You’ll examine data to find innovative solutions for how we live, work, and interact with the world around us, and your highly sought-after skills will help you become an in-demand professional in the industry. If you’re interested in analytics and business, our Master’s in Information Technology gives you many opportunities. Its curriculum combines information technology, business analytics, and comprehensive management principles—all of which are necessary for understanding the application of IT to business. If you are already pursuing a computer science bachelor’s degree and seek some cyber security skills, the Concentration in Cyber Security gives you a foundation in cyber security that you can use in your CS career.

Elevate Your Career with a Master’s in Cyber Security

WPI’s cyber security department gives you the chance to work side-by-side with faculty leaders in the field. The university is designated as a National Center of Excellence in Cyber Security Research by the National Security Agency and the Department of Homeland Security, so you’ll have access to important cyber security research addressing a host of security threats across multiple disciplines. If you have questions about prospects for master’s in cyber security jobs, or want to know more about how WPI can help you gain skills and leadership in the cyber industry, explore our career outcomes page for graduates in this field. You’ll find resources, expert guidance, and a rigorous curriculum that covers the technical and societal implications of cyber security.