Master of Science in Information Security Engineering
North Bethesda, USA
MSc
DURATION
5 years
LANGUAGES
English
PACE
Full time, Part time
APPLICATION DEADLINE
EARLIEST START DATE
STUDY FORMAT
Blended, Distance Learning, On-Campus
Key Summary
About: The SANS Technology Institute's Master of Science in Information Security Engineering is a 36‑credit degree for IT and security professionals. You can finish in 3 to 5 years via online study and immersives. Courses are hands-on, leading to GIAC certifications. The program is non-residential; SANS.edu doesn't issue I-20s or support F-1 visas. Entry requires a baccalaureate (min GPA 2.80), 12 months' experience, and organizational access.
Career Outcomes: Graduates enter roles such as security engineer, incident responder, penetration tester, security architect, CISO. Skills include cybersecurity, network defense, threat hunting, digital forensics, governance and compliance across enterprise IT and managed security.
Join the Next Generation of Cyber Security Leaders
Designed for working professionals in information security and information technology, the SANS Technology Institute's 36-credit Master of Science in Information Security Engineering (MSISE) takes cybersecurity careers to the highest levels.
“SANS Technology Institute courses are fully aligned to what is happening in the industry. Course materials are continuously updated based on new developments in cybersecurity. It is rigorous, challenging, and relevant.”
Karim Lalji
Managing Security Consultant, TELUS
Designed for Working Professionals
The M.S. in Information Security Engineering (MSISE) program enables you to earn your degree in 3 to 5 years while continuing to work full-time, studying online and at immersive weeklong events held throughout the United States and across the globe. Students have the option of completing the program entirely online.
Please note that the SANS Technology Institute’s programs are non-residential. At this time, the college does not issue I-20s or support F-1 student visas.
“The decision to choose a master's degree from SANS.edu was the best one I have ever made. This transformed me into a true cybersecurity professional.”
Viswanath Srinivasan Chirravuri
Software Security Director, Thales DIS USA
Minimum Program Requirements
- Have at least 12 months of professional work experience in information technology, security, or audit
- Be employed or have current access to an organizational environment that allows you to apply the concepts and hands-on technical skills learned in the master's degree program
- Have earned a baccalaureate degree from a recognized college or university, or equivalent international education, with a minimum cumulative grade point average of 2.80
“I receive compliments from senior leadership when I present – all directly related to feedback I received from my SANS faculty research advisors. When SANS.edu advertises that the program changes careers, this is a concrete example – it's the best graduate program on the planet.”
Jim Horwath
Director of Security Engineering, Guardian Life
“You leave the program with a firm understanding of why the industry functions the way it does. You get a look under the hood. It’s not just about how to manipulate the technology. It is also about learning the ‘why.’ If you want to become a leader, you need to know the ‘why.’”
Shawna Turner
Principal Solutions Architect, Nike
Curriculum
Designed and taught by some of the world's top instructor-practitioners in cybersecurity, the 36-credit Master of Science in Information Security Engineering curriculum prepares working professionals for all aspects of an upper-level cybersecurity leadership position — whether for a commercial enterprise or a government or military entity. The Master of Science in Information Security Engineering is a non-thesis program.
Earn 9 GIAC Certifications
Most courses in the master's degree curriculum culminate with exam assessments for GIAC certifications. That means you will validate your skillset in critical, specialized areas of Information Security throughout the program and emerge with a set of industry-recognized certifications as well as a master's degree.
Required Courses and Capstone | 27 credit hours
The core of the master's degree curriculum is a carefully designed sequence of hands-on technical courses, management courses, leadership experiences, and integrated research and presentation opportunities, culminating in a capstone.
- Technical, hands-on coursework gives you skills you can use immediately on the job.
- Simulations like NetWars deepen your understanding of new and underlying technologies.
- Management, policy development, and communications coursework, and group projects simulate the organizational leadership roles you expect to take on.
- Writing peer-reviewed white papers for possible publication in the SANS Reading Room and consideration for industry journals develops your credentials as a subject-matter expert.
- Opportunities to present your research at SANS events help you build your professional reputation and network.
Elective Courses and Special Focus Areas | 9 credit hours
Students in the master's degree program select three technical electives and have the option of pursuing one of these five Special Focus Areas.
- Cyber Defense Operations
- Incident Response
- Industrial Control Systems
- Penetration Testing
- Security Management
