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Program: Cybersecurity Description: “In the Cybersecurity program dive deep into the concept of data security. They will learn what it means to protect information online. The program even teaches how to track hackers and malware in an affected system. This rigorous approach really sets cybersecurity apart from a masters in computer science.” Dr. Thomas Longstaff, Chair of Cybersecurity and Computer Science Master’s programs at Johns Hopkins. Where is it: Elkridge, MD Format: On-campus and most Online Prerequisites: Computer science or related degree Degree you get: Master of Science in Cybersecurity Size of the Program: ~210 Students Number of credit hours: 30 (10 Courses) Thesis: No, Independent study optional And that will take how long? 2-5 years When to apply: Any Time Fees: $35,000 - $40,000 Minimum Admission Requirements:
Not Required
Who should take it?
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How does the Cybersecurity program differ from a Masters in Computer Science?
Dr. Thomas Longstaff is the Chair of both the Cybersecurity and Computer Science (CS) programs at Johns Hopkins. These heavily integrated programs might have a student wondering which path to take? Should you focus on cybersecurity or take some cybersecurity courses while focusing on a more generalized degree?
Dr. Longstaff explained that the cybersecurity program was a natural spinoff of the CS Program, “It started with a track called information assurance that helped students understand the theory of security. The program then expanded into cybersecurity where courses developed to look into the protection of intellectual property, medical records and other personal information.”
Dr. Thomas Longstaff, Program Chair both the Cybersecurity and Computer Science programs.
He added that, “The Cybersecurity program now allows students to dive deeper into the concept of security. Students will not just learn about information assurance, they will also learn where and how to integrate them into a system. They will learn what it means to protect information online. The program even teaches how to track hackers and malware in an affected system. This rigorous approach really sets cybersecurity apart from a masters in computer science.”If a student so chooses, they can transfer between the two programs rather easily.
Learning Cybersecurity On-Campus and Online
While you can complete the Johns Hopkins cybersecurity program online, the program also offers on-site classes. “On-campus education is more comfortable for many students and faculty. The synchronous nature adds extra structure that will be beneficial to many that don’t have the discipline for asynchronous learning. Unfortunately, on-campus education does lack the freedom to quickly adopt the latest education pedagogy and education techniques,” admitted Dr. Longstaff.
Additionally, the cybersecurity master’s program also offers more hands on engagement than a traditional computer science degree. This hands-on nature is supported by the program’s on-campus courses.
In comparison, however, online learning’s asynchronous nature is easier for many working professionals to incorporate into their schedules. Though students have a set due date for work each week, they are free to complete the assignments and course material anytime within the given window.
“The online courses allow the program the ability to experiment into a new medium. We don’t videotape a lecture and call it an online course,” explained Dr Longstaff. “We incorporate videos, notes and activities into the learning. Also given that the marks of online students are dependent on participation, students can’t hide from the instructors. We get to know you fairly well. As an added benefit, we found that students who study online perform better when tested on the same material.”
What you will learn from a Masters in Cybersecurity
Johns Hopkins Cybersecurity Masters is the first in the country to offer such a degree with an engineering distinction. In comparison, many other Cybersecurity programs are offered as a business degree.
“We wanted to make this program solid in security and not a capstone in project management,” said Dr. Longstaff. “We want to support engineers who are moving ahead in their careers. Therefore we are one of the first and most technical cybersecurity degrees available. We made a conscious decision not to focus on management, but instead on the science and technology.For example, the cybersecurity lab tool Deter was designed by the Department of Defense (DOD) to safely test cyber-attacks. Using this tool, students and faculty can launch real malware and hacking attempts against their intrusion detection systems. They can then study how these attacks will be affected by their system and vice versa. This clearly doesn’t sound like a management course.
Essentially, with this degree students will learn how to deal with new cyber threats and modern threats. They will even learn how to hack to better learn how to prevent and study it in the real world.
Due to the technical nature of these courses, they are not a walk in the park. Students will need to set aside a block of time each week to work on their degree. This planning will ensure they don’t fall behind. Dr. Longstaff mentioned that students who don’t plan ahead will often struggle the most. As Dr. Longstaff said, “This is not a degree mill.”
The program tends to attract students who have 5-10 years of experience. These professionals are often looking for a change in career or a promotion. They see the booming cybersecurity sector and feel that the Johns Hopkins degree is their best chance to achieve the career they seek.
“Johns Hopkins is very careful not to get stuck in the media hype when designing courses or degrees,” noted Dr. Longstaff. “Though the field of cybersecurity is relatively new it is mature enough for a master’s degree. There are a staggering number of job opportunities out there for you once you graduate.”
Dr. Longstaff noted that the creation of the degree didn’t happen overnight. It first started as a series of information assurance courses in the computer science program. Students requested more courses on the topic. Soon the program started to look less like a computer science track and more like a separate degree. In 2009 the separate degree in Cybersecurity was established.
This evolutionary approach to developing a new degree allowed Johns Hopkins to separate the hype from the substance with respect to Cybersecurity. What they have come up with is a degree Dr. Longstaff is proud of. He said, “I don’t think we will have students looking back on this degree in 5 years and saying it was a waste. They will learn content that will support their careers well into the future.”
Given all the hype in the news, however, Dr. Longstaff said, “There is no such thing as a perfectly secure computer system unless it’s switched off and buried 200 ft. underground. Everything is about risk vs. reward. My opinion of online shopping, banking, and other activities is that there will always be those out to harm the public and we should take precautions against this. In that sense protecting online activity is no different than avoiding a walk down a dark alley. Part of what I want to teach is what can and can’t be achieved. I want the Cybersecurity engineers to make informed decisions so that users can enjoy the large benefit of technology at a lower risk.”
Why wouldn’t you get a Master of Science in Cybersecurity from Johns Hopkins:
- You want to learn completely online
- You want to focus on the management side of Cybersecurity
Johns Hopkins has sponsored promotion of their Master of Science in Cybersecurity on ENGINEERING.com. They have no editorial input to this post - all opinions are mine. Shawn Wasserman