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CybersecurityDegrees
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Carnegie Mellon University · Information Networking Institute, College of Engineering

M.S. in Information Security (MSIS)

Master'sMSDedicated degreeOn campus

Overview

A 123-unit Master of Science in Information Security from the Information Networking Institute combining security, systems and networking core courses with program electives. Students may start in fall or spring, and a part-time option is offered in person in Pittsburgh.

Official program name
M.S. in Information Security (MSIS)
Awarded degree
Master of Science · major: Information Security
Source: cmu.edu · verified October 11, 2026
Degree level
Master's
Cybersecurity focus
Dedicated cybersecurity degreeThe degree itself is in cybersecurity or a closely related security field (information security, information assurance, cyber operations, digital forensics…).
Source: cmu.edu · verified October 11, 2026
School
Source: cmu.edu · verified October 11, 2026
Location
Pittsburgh, PA
Specializations
Cyber Defense — formal concentration / track (“Cyber Defense Specialization”)Cyber Operations — formal concentration / track (“Cyber Operations Specialization”)Digital Forensics — formal concentration / track (“Cyber Forensics and Incident Response Track (CyFIR)”)Incident Response — formal concentration / track (“Cyber Forensics and Incident Response Track (CyFIR)”)
Tracks / concentrations
Cyber Defense Specialization · Cyber Operations Specialization · Cyber Forensics and Incident Response Track (CyFIR)
Source: cmu.edu · verified October 11, 2026
Orientation
Technical
Source: cmu.edu · verified October 11, 2026
Required credits
123 units (CMU units; most courses are 12 units)
Source: cmu.edu · verified October 11, 2026
Duration
Part-time: can be completed in just 2 years or up to 6 years (part-time option)A minimum under the stated conditions, not a typical length.
Source: cmu.edu · verified October 11, 2026
Start terms
Fall, Spring
Source: cmu.edu · verified October 11, 2026
Why this program is listed

Dedicated MS in Information Security offered in person in Pittsburgh by the Information Networking Institute.

Degree title is Information Security; required core includes Introduction to Information Security, a second security course, Cyber Risk Modeling and an additional graduate security course.

Source: cmu.edu · verified October 11, 2026

We list cybersecurity bachelor's, master's and research doctorates at institutionally accredited US schools — dedicated degrees and formal concentrations, never certificates or electives-only degrees. Eligibility rules

Format and attendance

Formats, online delivery, campus visits, internships and class schedule are shown separately, each only as the school states it.
Formats offered
On campus
Source: cmu.edu · verified October 11, 2026
Internship
Internship requirement: not verified
Study intensity
Full-time, Part-time
Source: cmu.edu · verified October 11, 2026

Curriculum

Curriculum

  • 75 units of core courses (systems, networking, security, business and management, degree-specific security) and 48 units of program electives
    Source: cmu.edu · verified October 11, 2026

Accelerated options

  • Accelerated program for CMU undergraduates
    Source: cmu.edu · verified October 11, 2026

Research and doctoral requirements

Research areas, supervision, examinations and residency as the school publishes them.

Choosing a supervisor

  • Each student is assigned a faculty academic advisor
    Source: cmu.edu · verified October 11, 2026

Admissions

Required, optional, waived and not-required items are shown exactly as the school states them. Anything not listed is not verified — not “not required”.
Prior degree
RequiredAn undergraduate degree (minimum recommended qualification)
Source: cmu.edu · verified October 11, 2026
Minimum GPA
RecommendedMinimum 3 — 3.0 or higher on a 4-point scale (minimum recommended)
Source: cmu.edu · verified October 11, 2026
Recommendation letters
Required3 letters — Three letters of recommendation
Source: cmu.edu · verified October 11, 2026
Résumé / CV
RequiredResume no longer than two pages
Source: cmu.edu · verified October 11, 2026
Application fee
Required$75 — $75 nonrefundable; waived for attendees of an info session
Source: cmu.edu · verified October 11, 2026

Tests

GRE General Test
Not requiredNot requested or reviewed for Fall 2027
Source: cmu.edu · verified October 11, 2026
TOEFL iBT
RequiredEnglish proficiency exam required of international and US permanent resident applicants unless waived; TOEFL iBT, IELTS Academic or Duolingo accepted
Source: cmu.edu · verified October 11, 2026

We do not publish acceptance rates or estimate admission chances.

Start dates and deadlines

Dates are shown with the term the school printed. A past date is marked passed and is never carried into a new cycle.

  • Priority deadline

    December 1, 2026 · for Fall 2027

    Source: cmu.edu · verified October 11, 2026
    Upcoming

  • Application deadline

    January 29, 2027 · for Fall 2027

    Source: cmu.edu · verified October 11, 2026
    Upcoming

Tuition and fees

Each amount keeps its student category, academic year and basis. Per-credit, per-term and whole-program figures are not comparable with each other, and tuition is not the full cost of attendance.
CategoryAmountBasis and year
All students — INI tuition, 2026-27$30,755per semester · 2026-2027Source: cmu.edu · verified October 11, 2026
Per-unit rate (fewer than 36 units in a semester)$855per credit · 2026-2027Calculated tuition$105,165 = 123 credits × $855 per credit. Excludes mandatory fees, books, travel for any required visits or placements, transfer credit reductions and rate changes. Not the full cost of attendance.Source: cmu.edu · verified October 11, 2026

Other published fees

Technology Fee (per semester, 2026-27)
$245 per semesterMandatory
Source: cmu.edu · verified October 11, 2026
Activity Fee (per semester, 2026-27)
$122 per semesterMandatory
Source: cmu.edu · verified October 11, 2026

Scholarships and funding

Awards published by the school for this program or for its level. Loans must be repaid and are not scholarships; service scholarships require government service after graduation. Scholarships & funding guide

  • CyberCorps Scholarship for Service (SFS@CMU) Service scholarship

    Full tuition, $37,000 per year stipend, up to $4,000 per year professional development

    Eligibility: U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident, enrolled full-time in MSIS or MSAIE-IS

    Service scholarships carry a service obligation; the school's page did not state its terms.

    Source: cmu.edu · verified October 11, 2026

  • CyberCorps Scholarship for Service (SFS@CMU) Service scholarship

    Full-tuition scholarship, academic year stipend of $37,000 per year, up to $4,000 per year for professional development

    Eligibility: U.S. citizens or lawful permanent residents enrolled full-time in the MSIS or MSAIE-IS program, eligible for federal employment and able to obtain a security clearance

    Obligation: Work after graduation for an eligible employer in a cybersecurity-related position for a period equal to the length of the scholarship

    Source: cmu.edu · verified October 11, 2026

  • INI tuition scholarships Institutional scholarship

    Partial and full tuition scholarships

    Eligibility: All accepted INI applicants are considered

    Source: cmu.edu · verified October 11, 2026

School-wide awards are listed because they apply at this degree level; eligibility conditions apply.

Accreditation, ABET and CAE

Three different things: the school's institutional accreditation, ABET accreditation of this exact program, and the school's NSA CAE designation.

Institutional accreditation

  • Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE) — accreditedSource: ope.ed.gov · verified October 10, 2026

ABET program accreditation

This program does not appear in ABET's accredited-program database. ABET accreditation is program-specific and optional; the school's other programs or its institutional accreditation do not imply it.

NSA CAE designation (school)

  • CAE in Cyber Defense (CAE-CD) · 2000 - 2027Validated program(s) of study: Master of Science in Information Security (POS-CD); M.S. in Information Security, Specialization in Cyber Operations (POS-CO)Source: maps.caecommunity.org · verified October 11, 2026
  • CAE in Cyber Operations (CAE-CO) · 2013 - 2030Validated program(s) of study: Master of Science in Information Security (POS-CD); M.S. in Information Security, Specialization in Cyber Operations (POS-CO)Source: maps.caecommunity.org · verified October 11, 2026
  • CAE in Cyber Research (CAE-R) · 2009 - 2029Validated program(s) of study: Master of Science in Information Security (POS-CD); M.S. in Information Security, Specialization in Cyber Operations (POS-CO)Source: maps.caecommunity.org · verified October 11, 2026

A CAE designation belongs to the institution and its validated program of study; it is not accreditation and does not certify every degree. Accreditation & CAE explained

Sources and verification

Every fact on this page comes from the official pages and directories below. Last verified October 11, 2026.
  1. NCAE-C institution directory (National Centers of Academic Excellence in Cybersecurity) — Source, verified October 11, 2026
  2. DAPIP — MSCHE institutional accreditation record (data files downloaded 2026-10-10) — U.S. Department of Education dataset (IPEDS / DAPIP), verified October 10, 2026
  3. cmu.edu/ini/about/sfs.html — Official program page, verified October 11, 2026
  4. cmu.edu/ini/academics/cyberops.html — Official program page, verified October 11, 2026
  5. cmu.edu/ini/academics/msaie-is/index.html — Official program page, verified October 11, 2026
  6. cmu.edu/ini/academics/msis/curriculum_ms38.html — Official program page, verified October 11, 2026
  7. cmu.edu/ini/academics/msis/index.html — Official program page, verified October 11, 2026
  8. cmu.edu/ini/admissions/financial/index.html — Official admissions page, verified October 11, 2026
  9. cmu.edu/ini/admissions/financial/tuition.html — Official tuition and fees page, verified October 11, 2026
  10. cmu.edu/ini/admissions/howtoapply.html — Official admissions page, verified October 11, 2026
  11. cmu.edu/ini/admissions/parttime.html — Official admissions page, verified October 11, 2026

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Same degree level and focus. Listed for discovery, not ranked.

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Cybersecurity Degrees is independent and not affiliated with Carnegie Mellon University. Information is collected from official pages and directories and can change; confirm requirements, costs and deadlines with the school.