Iowa State University · Interdepartmental graduate major (Center for Cybersecurity Innovation & Outreach)

Master of Science with a major in Cyber Security

Master'sMSDedicated degreeOn campusOnline

Overview

A 30-credit Master of Science in Cyber Security, with thesis (24 course credits plus 6 research credits) or non-thesis (27 course credits plus a 3-credit creative component), housed in a home department such as Electrical and Computer Engineering, MIS, Mathematics or Political Science; offered on campus and online.

Official program name: Master of Science with a major in Cyber Security
Awarded degree: Master of Science · major: Cyber Security
Source: catalog.iastate.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: catalog.iastate.edu · verified October 11, 2026
School: Iowa State University — Interdepartmental graduate major (Center for Cybersecurity Innovation & Outreach)
Source: catalog.iastate.edu · verified October 11, 2026
Location: Ames, IAFor the online option this is where the school is located — not a residency requirement, and not a guarantee that you may enroll from your state.
Specializations: None mapped from official curriculum evidence
Required credits: 30 credits (24 course + 6 research with thesis; 27 course + 3 creative component without thesis)
Source: catalog.iastate.edu · verified October 11, 2026
Duration: 2 years+ (online program; 'Time to Complete' as printed)A minimum under the stated conditions, not a typical length.
Source: iowastateonline.iastate.edu · verified October 11, 2026
Start terms: Fall, Spring
Source: grad-college.iastate.edu · verified October 11, 2026

Why this program is listed

Dedicated MS in Cyber Security, thesis or non-thesis, offered on campus and online.

Interdepartmental graduate major in cyber security; core and elective courses in network protocols and security, information system security, information warfare, cryptography and forensics.

Source: catalog.iastate.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 · Online
Source: catalog.iastate.edu · verified October 11, 2026
Online delivery: Fully onlineAll coursework is online and the institution states no required campus attendance for the online option.
Source: iowastateonline.iastate.edu · verified October 11, 2026
Campus visits (online option): Campus visits: not verified
Class schedule (online option): Not verified
Internship: Internship requirement: not verified
Study intensity: Not verified

The program page does not say whether the online option requires campus visits. Ask the school before you apply — missing information is not “no requirement”.

Curriculum

Thesis and non-thesis options

Thesis option (recommended for PhD or research careers) or non-thesis option with a creative component.
Source: catalog.iastate.edu · verified October 11, 2026

Other

Students are admitted to a home department and to the program; Electrical and Computer Engineering is the only home department for off-campus students.
Source: catalog.iastate.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: RequiredBachelor's degree in engineering, mathematics, computer science, management information systems, political science or a closely related field.
Source: catalog.iastate.edu · verified October 11, 2026
Minimum GPA: RequiredMinimum 3 — Minimum 3.0 GPA (program may alter requirement)
Source: grad-college.iastate.edu · verified October 11, 2026
Résumé / CV: RequiredResume; academic or professional background in a computing field.
Source: grad-college.iastate.edu · verified October 11, 2026
Transcripts: RequiredAcademic records/transcripts
Source: grad-college.iastate.edu · verified October 11, 2026

Tests

GRE General Test: OptionalThe catalog states the GRE or GMAT may be required depending on the home department.
Source: grad-college.iastate.edu · verified October 11, 2026
IELTS Academic: Required — minimum 6.5International applicants; English proficiency minimum.
Source: grad-college.iastate.edu · verified October 11, 2026
PTE Academic: Required — minimum 53International applicants; English proficiency minimum.
Source: grad-college.iastate.edu · verified October 11, 2026
Duolingo English Test: Required — minimum 115International applicants; English proficiency minimum.
Source: grad-college.iastate.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.

Application deadline
July 15 (U.S. and distance-program applicants) · for Fall
The school does not print a year with this date.
Source: grad-college.iastate.edu · verified October 11, 2026
Year not printed
Application deadline
December 1 (U.S. and distance-program applicants) · for Spring
The school does not print a year with this date.
Source: grad-college.iastate.edu · verified October 11, 2026
Year not printed
International applicants
May 1 (applicants who require a visa to study on campus) · for Fall
The school does not print a year with this date.
Source: grad-college.iastate.edu · verified October 11, 2026
Year not printed
International applicants
September 1 (applicants who require a visa to study on campus) · for Spring
The school does not print a year with this date.
Source: grad-college.iastate.edu · verified October 11, 2026
Year not printed

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.

Category	Amount	Basis and year
All students — Online master's in cybersecurity, cost per credit (tuition and fee rates subject to change)	$900	per creditCalculated tuition$27,000 = 30 credits × $900 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: iowastateonline.iastate.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) Service scholarship
Full tuition for up to two years, $37,000 per year stipend, $6,000 per year professional development
Eligibility: U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident; full-time in the on-campus MS in Cyber Security with a thesis.
Service scholarships carry a service obligation; the school's page did not state its terms.
Source: cyio.iastate.edu · verified October 11, 2026
CyberCorps: Scholarship for Service (SFS) Service scholarship
Full tuition for up to two years of graduate study, $37,000 per year stipend and $6,000 per year for books, travel and professional certifications; funds six MS students per year.
Eligibility: U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident with a BS in Cyber Security Engineering or a closely related field; minimum 3.3 GPA, two recommendation letters, personal statement and ability to obtain a U.S. security clearance; full-time enrollment in the on-campus MS in Cyber Security with a thesis.
Obligation: Work in a cybersecurity-related role in a government agency for at least two years (equal to the scholarship length); internship before graduation; failure to serve requires repayment.
How to apply: Application review, faculty interview and final selection.
Source: cyio.iastate.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

Higher Learning Commission (HLC) — 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) · 1999 - 2027Validated program(s) of study: Bachelor of Science in Cyber Security Engineering (POS-CD)Source: maps.caecommunity.org · verified October 11, 2026
CAE in Cyber Research (CAE-R) · 2009 - 2029Validated program(s) of study: Bachelor of Science in Cyber Security Engineering (POS-CD)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

State authorization (online students)

Not verified — check the school's state authorization page before applying from outside Iowa.

International applicants

Not verified for the online option.

Sources and verification

Every fact on this page comes from the official pages and directories below. Last verified October 11, 2026.

catalog.iastate.edu/interdisciplinaryprograms/cybersecurity/ — Official catalog / bulletin, verified October 11, 2026
iowastateonline.iastate.edu/programs-and-courses/cybersecurity/cyber-security-master-of-engineering- — Official program page, verified October 11, 2026
NCAE-C institution directory (National Centers of Academic Excellence in Cybersecurity) — Source, verified October 11, 2026
DAPIP — HLC institutional accreditation record (data files downloaded 2026-10-10) — U.S. Department of Education dataset (IPEDS / DAPIP), verified October 10, 2026
cyio.iastate.edu/cybercorps/ — Official program page, verified October 11, 2026
grad-college.iastate.edu/academics/programs/apresults.php?id=66 — Official program page, verified October 11, 2026

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Similar programs at other schools

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

American National University

Master of Science in Cybersecurity

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Online · Mixed (live + self-paced)

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Internship required

Duration not verified · 56 credits

$411 per credit · All students — Cybersecurity Master of Science, cost per credit hour

No upcoming verified deadline

No ABET or CAE record found

No specialization mapped

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American Public University System

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Online · Asynchronous

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Online attendance requirements not verified

Duration not verified · 36 credits

$470 per credit · All students — Master's-level standard rate

Rolling admission (as published)

School designated CAE-CDNSA CAE designation of the institution, not accreditation

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Carnegie Mellon University

M.S. in Information Security (MSIS)

Master'sMSDedicated degreeMaster of Science

Campus · Full-time, Part-time

Pittsburgh, PA

Campus-based study

Part-time: can be completed in just 2 years or up to 6 years (part-time option) · 123 credits

$30,755 per semester · All students — INI tuition, 2026-27 · 2026-2027

December 1, 2026 · Fall 2027

School designated CAE-CD, CAE-CO, CAE-RNSA CAE designation of the institution, not accreditation

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