Simon Fraser University
Engaging the World

Master's in Professional Computer Science

Outsmart Cyber Attacks

The Master of Cybersecurity program engages students in developing specialized knowledge and practical skills in the area of cybersecurity. The program trains students to build and maintain safe systems and infrastructure that can withstand digital attacks. Foundational topics such as penetration testing, malware analysis and configuration of firewalls are covered as part of the curriculum complemented by advanced teaching in cryptography, secure software design and ethical hacking, among others. Students take instructional and lab courses, in a cohort, and complete work placement through SFU's co-op program, allowing them to tackle real-world scientific, engineering, and social-economic problems and gain valuable project management experiences while expanding their network of industrial contacts. This full-time Master's program is suitable for students with a strong aptitude in computer science, or other quantitative fields, such as engineering and mathematics.

CURRICULUM

The current curriculum for the Master of Cybersecurity covers (but is not limited to) the following topics: 

  • Fundamentals and advanced knowledge of information security, risk management, situation analysis, data analytics, applied cryptography, cyber ethics and cyber forensics
  • Penetration testing and ethical hacking with hands-on experience to assess risks associated with potential security breaches
  • Studying attacks on computer systems, network and cloud infrastructure, and learning how to prevent and detect them
  • Understanding protocol-specific attacks and generic attacks, new technologies related to containers, IoT and 5G
  • Machine learning and predictive analytics for cybersecurity risk assessment, intrusion detection and prevention, and critical infrastructure protection
  • Secure software design, rigorous development and use of software that reliably preserves the security properties of the information and systems it protects
  • Applied cryptography, cryptographic and cryptoanalytics techniques such as cryptographic primitives, public key encryption, digital signature, message authentication codes and cryptographic protocols
  • Cybersecurity of blockchain technology and cryptocurrencies
  • Information privacy and fundamental privacy concepts in a broad sense with emphasis on challenging and emerging topics in privacy
  • Cyber risk assessment and mitigation strategies to identify, estimate, and prioritize cyber risks, threats and vulnerabilities

COURSEWORK

Students will take mandatory hands-on lab courses along with specialized courses according in cybersecurity. All students need to take a graduate co-op or capstone project.

Course outlines can be found here.

Interested in the Master of Cybersecurity program? Check Admission Requirements and learn How to Apply

QUESTIONS?

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