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Master of Science in Information Assurance with a major in Cybersecurity

For the 2020-2021 academic year, this degree program is only available online.

The Master of Science in Information Assurance with a major in Cybersecurity is a multi-disciplinary 30 credit-hour graduate degree. It is designed to produce comprehensively knowledgeable cybersecurity professionals by creating capable and rigorously educated leaders to engage in the serious business of protecting the nation's information infrastructure.

Protection of America's critical infrastructure is an emerging national priority. Due to its implications for national security, the responsibility for this program has been placed jointly with the National Security Agency (NSA) and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. Universities who meet the rigorous criteria established by these two federal agencies are granted designations as Centers of Academic Excellence in Information Assurance Education (CAE/IAE). This is a highly competitive annual process involving rigorous review of the target curriculum by national experts.

Approximately 200 top colleges and universities across 44 states, the District of Columbia and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico are designated CAEs for cyber-related degree programs. CAE graduates help protect national security information systems, commercial networks and critical information infrastructure in the private and public sectors. University of Detroit Mercy received its CAE/IAE designation in 2004 and has maintained it through 2016. In 2017, our program received a new category for designation as a National Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense Education (CAE/CDE). This is a four-year designation approved through 2021.

Where is this program available?

University of Detroit Mercy welcomes online students from around the world. If you are English-fluent, and you have a reliable internet connection, you can enroll in our online programs.

As a potential student, it is your responsibility to confirm that our program meets specific licensure requirements in your state or location of residence.

Health professions applicants should contact the applicable licensing board.

The Future of the Field

The title of our degree reflects University of Detroit Mercy's early involvement with the field. It was termed "Information Assurance" back in 2003. As the profession evolved, the term "information assurance" is now more commonly referred to as "cybersecurity," but the content and purpose of our degree remains the same. Information assurance is the key means of defense against terrorist threats to homeland security, and it is also of vital importance to businesses and organizations concerned about protecting their cyber assets. According to the National Initiative for Cybersecurity Careers and Studies, the official website of the Department of Homeland Security, approximately one in five Americans has been the victim of a cybercrime and the economic impact of these attacks can cost an average U.S. company more than $15 million annually. Cybersecurity professionals are in great demand to defend our networks and infrastructure. According to the National Initiative for Cybersecurity Careers and Studies (NICCS), cybersecurity professionals report an average salary of $116,000, which is almost three times the national average.

Program Director: Daniel Shoemaker, Ph.D.
Briggs Building, Room 215
McNichols Campus

Email: shoemadp@udmercy.edu
Telephone: 313-993-1053
Fax: 313-993-1166