From hospitals to nuclear plants, critical infrastructure is built to be strong and secure. In today’s internet-connected world, however, threats can be digital as well as physical. Organizations need to know how to protect their facilities against a host of potentially crippling cybersecurity threats - from denial of service attacks to worms that can shut down generators or cause equipment to malfunction.
The Master of Science (M.S.) degree in Critical Infrastructure and Cyber Protection is a unique interdisciplinary program designed to meet the demand for highly skilled professionals to upgrade, secure and manage the nation’s critical infrastructure. The program addresses one of the greatest technical challenges of the 21st century - how to create a robust and sustainable infrastructure that is resilient against multiple threats and hazards as well as build operational, systems, and programmatic capabilities for detection, protection, prevention, mitigation and response. The program provides the necessary knowledge, skills, and training to become a professional and leader in this diverse field. The degree provides a firm foundation in Critical Infrastructure policy, risk management, operations, and mission planning, as well as cyber security and protection of digital assets. Students will understand each Critical Infrastructure sector and will apply the latest techniques, including cybersecurity technology, to devise plans and policy for protection and rapid response.
Student Outcomes
Upon graduation, graduates will be able to
- Critically analyze problems in a variety of disciplines and to Identify relevant and useful information to support the attainment of desired outcomes.
- Think critically by drawing appropriate conclusions from examining the output of methodological applications in the Critical Infrastructure environment.
- Conceptualize, apply and integrate effective strategies and to use information effectively in the decision-making process.
- Create robust and sustainable infrastructure that is resilient against multiple threats and hazards.
- Build operational, systems, and programmatic capabilities for detection, protection, prevention, mitigation and response in the 16 sectors of Critical Infrastructure.
- Evaluate cyber in the context of data quality and security in order to determine the potential impact on Critical Infrastructure information resources.
