Georgetown University Online Master's in Cybersecurity Risk Management

Georgetown University offers an online Master of Science (MS) in Cybersecurity Risk Management through the School of Continuing Studies that can be completed in two years. This program prepares graduates to become strategic thinkers with effective communication skills who possess the knowledge and skills to succeed in the field of cybersecurity. The interdisciplinary approach to cybersecurity risk management includes the areas of management, law, communications, security, and computer science.

The program curriculum draws from frameworks developed by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and the National Initiative for Cybersecurity Education (NICE). Course learning includes profiling hackers, organized crime, foreign states, and insiders, and determining what analysis methods and tools they are using to carry out cyber attacks; developing integrated governance frameworks for information security management; examining traditional risk treatment options such as acceptance, avoidance, remediation/reduction, or transfer; navigating social culture and style practices within institutions and deploying steady reinforcement in their communication, especially concerning risk and change.

By the culmination of the program, students will be able to design cybersecurity and risk mitigation strategies for businesses and organizations, develop cybersecurity solutions that take into account global threats and regulations, apply ethical decision-making to cybersecurity decisions, and assess the impact of new technologies on information networks and infrastructure.

Coursework for the graduate cybersecurity program is fully online, with start dates landing in the fall, spring, and summer. No GRE/GMAT or work experience is required. Applicants must hold a bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited institution with a minimum GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale. Application materials include an online application, unofficial or official transcripts, contact information for recommenders for two letters of recommendation, and a statement of purpose. The degree may be earned in two years of fall, spring, and summer study, and students can take up to five years to complete the degree.

Cybersecurity Risk Management courses are delivered through the Canvas online learning management system (LMS). Most program courses are asynchronous and may include synchronous videoconferencing for real-time engagement in class discussions, presentation delivery, and live communication with faculty or guest speakers. Other courses are synchronous, requiring online attendance through Zoom at specified days and times each week.

Online courses are supplemented with other online learning tools such as PollEverywhere, TurnItIn, and VoiceThread. Students should expect to spend six to nine hours on coursework per week, for each course.

Students may access services through the Academic Resource Center, Counseling and Psychiatric Services, the Center for Multicultural Equity and Access, the LGBTQ Resource Center, the Office of Student Financial Services, and the Office Of Student Outreach and Support.

The online Master’s in Cybersecurity Risk Management program includes two core courses, seven foundational courses, and two elective courses. Core and foundational courses include Ethics in Cyber Security; Information Security; Cybersecurity Governance Frameworks; Information Assurance and Risk Management; Security Architecture and Design; Information Security Laws and Regulatory Compliance; Communication Strategy for Information Security Professionals; Disruptive Technology and Organizational Change; and Capstone.

Electives may include Computer Emergency Response and Resilience; Cryptography and Network Security; Cyber Defense Analysis; Cyber Threat Intelligence; Secure Cloud Computing Architecture; Securing Digital Supply Chain; Security Architecture and Design; Cyber Surveillance Operation and Legal Framework.

Georgetown University is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE) and is located in Washington, DC.