Online Master of Arts in Global Security - Cybersecurity
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The cybersecurity concentration of the online Master of Arts in global security provides students with an interdisciplinary understanding of the complex nature of digital threats and how to address them from a domestic and international perspective, allowing students to learn from expert faculty who are scholars, practitioners and thought leaders.
Become a global cybersecurity leader
This online cybersecurity concentration is embedded within the MA in Global Security. The program is practical, non-technical and designed to train students from diverse backgrounds prepare for a rapidly changing cyber environment. Students learn to understand complex domestic and global cybersecurity threats, opportunities, risks and policies. The concentration does not require prior cyber experience and develops students’ critical thinking through case studies, policy exercises and practice-oriented studies designed to encourage and enable career advancement.
Learn more about the Global Security (MA) program.
The largest and most diverse unit at Arizona State University:
- Top 5 for best-qualified graduates, according to the Wall Street Journal.
- Top 20 for humanities research, according to the National Science Foundation.
- 20,000 enrolled students, 89 undergraduate majors, 134 graduate degrees and 22 interdisciplinary schools and departments.
- $115 million in research expenditures.
- #1 university in the nation for innovation.
Featured Courses
The class engages interdisciplinary approaches to conflict and international security with a focus on defining a strategic approach to short, medium and long-term global trends. The class reviews key philosophical and social science theories of war and conflict drawn from international relations, sociology and conflict studies. It considers the historical development of global security from the post-WWII era to the present including a consideration of the role of states and non-state actors.
This class provides an overview of cybersecurity with a focus on its relationship to broad national and international security issues. The class explains the core concepts of cybersecurity, cyberwar, cyberpolitics and cyberpower. It introduces key ideas of internet architecture and complexity, the basics of cyberattacks and defense, public governance and protection, private management and questions of espionage and the potential for escalation within cyber domains.
This class focuses on the complex nature of cybersecurity threats as well as emerging trends within the field. The class covers issues of hacking and data breaches, protecting critical infrastructure and cybercrime and includes key case studies on these issues. It also links social theory and policy discussions related to social media and interconnectedness as well as key legal and ethical issues associated with cybersecurity.
This class focuses on the special challenges associated with preparing for cybersecurity threats and enabling resiliency from a global security perspective. The class provides an overview of cyberspace and its characteristics with discussions of core vulnerabilities, types of attackers and modes of targeting, as well as broad strategic issues of deterrence. The class also reviews key ideas and modes of encryption, the theoretical and practical challenges of attribution and a broad, interdisciplinary overview of policies to ensure and enable resiliency.
This class focuses on ideas and mechanisms for comprehensive cybersecurity planning and strategy. The class provides an overview of relevant institutions and actors (NSC, NSA, Cyber Command, internet management entities) and modes of threat analysis. It engages public and private cyberpolicy using concrete cases studies and reviews international cyber and internet regulation and strategy, the overlapping roles of non-state actors and modes of conceptualizing the future of cybersecurity.
Faculty
The cybersecurity concentration is led by Peter Singer, bestselling author and one of the nation’s leading experts on cybersecurity policy and retired US Marine Corps Lt. Gen. Robert Schmidle, who helped launch US Cyber Command. Courses are taught by a variety of professional faculty and include specific units created by former members of the National Security Council, top terrorism experts, technology leaders and others.
Related Careers
Cybersecurity careers for non-technical professionals
This program is oriented toward students seeking to build skills and awareness of how cybersecurity and cyber threats fit into the overall global and national security landscape.
The cybersecurity job is market growing as every agency, industry and domestic and international actor faces at least some form of cyber threat, just as a globally connected world presents multiple new opportunities. The cybersecurity concentration is a non-technical degree that assists students from a variety of professional backgrounds gain key skills and knowledge to succeed in careers in the government, military, humanitarian assistance, private industry including work as an analyst, manager or director.
Requirements
Applicants are eligible to apply to the program if they have earned a bachelor's or master's degree from an accredited institution as required by the ASU Graduate College and The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences.
Applicants must have a minimum of a 3.00 cumulative GPA (scale is 4.00 = "A") in the last 60 hours of a student's first bachelor's degree program, or applicants must have a minimum of a 3.00 cumulative GPA (scale is 4.00 = "A") in an applicable master's degree program.
All applicants must submit:
- Graduate admission application and application fee
- Personal statement
- Official transcripts
- One letter of recommendation (students may choose to submit more than one letter)
No GRE is required.
Foreign students should provide proof of English proficiency.
Get program details
To learn more about this program, fill out the form below and check your email for information on next steps.