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CybersecurityDegrees
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Mississippi State University · Department of Computer Science and Engineering

Master of Science in Cyber Security and Operations

Master'sMSDedicated degreeOn campusOnline

Overview

A 31-credit MS in Cyber Security and Operations with Cyber Defense and Cyber Operations concentrations, offered on the Starkville campus and online with thesis and non-thesis options.

Official program name
Master of Science in Cyber Security and Operations
Awarded degree
Master of Science · major: Cyber Security and Operations
Source: cse.msstate.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: cse.msstate.edu · verified October 11, 2026
School
Source: catalog.msstate.edu · verified October 11, 2026
Location
Mississippi State, MSFor 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
Cyber Defense — formal concentration / track (“Cyber Defense concentration”)Cyber Operations — formal concentration / track (“Cyber Operations concentration”)
Tracks / concentrations
Cyber Defense · Cyber Operations
Source: catalog.msstate.edu · verified October 11, 2026
Required credits
31 credit program
Source: cse.msstate.edu · verified October 11, 2026
Duration
designed to be completed in 2 years for traditional students (traditional students)A minimum under the stated conditions, not a typical length.
Source: cse.msstate.edu · verified October 11, 2026
Start terms
Fall, Spring, Summer
Source: bagley.msstate.edu · verified October 11, 2026
Why this program is listed

Dedicated MS in Cyber Security and Operations offered on the Starkville campus and online.

Degree title names cyber security and operations; the program offers Cyber Defense and Cyber Operations concentrations covering penetration testing, after-action analysis and malware analysis.

Source: cse.msstate.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: cse.msstate.edu · verified October 11, 2026
Online delivery
Fully onlineAll coursework is online and the institution states no required campus attendance for the online option.All coursework is online and the institution states no required campus attendance for the online option.
Source: bagley.msstate.edu · verified October 11, 2026
Campus visits (online option)
No mandatory campus visits
Source: bagley.msstate.edu · verified October 11, 2026
Class schedule (online option)
Mixed (live + self-paced)
Source: bagley.msstate.edu · verified October 11, 2026
Internship
Internship requirement: not verified
Study intensity
Not verified

Curriculum

Thesis and non-thesis options

  • Thesis or non-thesis option; mastery demonstrated in a comprehensive exam (which may include a thesis defense).
    Source: cse.msstate.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”.

Technical preparation

Programming prerequisite
RequiredAbility to develop and analyze software; understanding of hardware/software interface and data communications
Source: cse.msstate.edu · verified October 11, 2026
Mathematics prerequisite
RequiredSome mathematical fluency
Source: cse.msstate.edu · verified October 11, 2026
Minimum GPA
RequiredMinimum 3 — 3.00/4.00 GPA in overall undergraduate work
Source: catalog.msstate.edu · verified October 11, 2026

Tests

Entrance and English-language test policy: not verified. We publish this only when the institution states it on an official page.

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

    June 1 (online, domestic and international; on-campus domestic); May 1 for on-campus international · for Fall

    The school does not print a year with this date.

    Source: bagley.msstate.edu · verified October 11, 2026
    Year not printed

  • Application deadline

    November 1 (online, domestic and international; on-campus domestic); October 1 for on-campus international · for Spring

    The school does not print a year with this date.

    Source: bagley.msstate.edu · verified October 11, 2026
    Year not printed

  • Application deadline

    May 1 (online, domestic and international; on-campus domestic); March 1 for on-campus international · for Summer

    The school does not print a year with this date.

    Source: bagley.msstate.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.
CategoryAmountBasis and year
In-state — Starkville Campus graduate, 9 or more hours, per semester, total fee (resident)From the school-wide rate table for this level$5,547.50per semester · 2026-2027Includes feesSource: controller.msstate.edu · verified October 11, 2026
Out-of-state — Starkville Campus graduate, 9 or more hours, per semester, total fee (non-resident)From the school-wide rate table for this level$15,043per semester · 2026-2027Includes feesSource: controller.msstate.edu · verified October 11, 2026
All students — MSU Online Education graduate, 1-8 hours, tuition & required fees (resident and non-resident)From the school's online tuition table$602.50per credit · 2026-2027Includes feesCalculated tuition$18,677.50 = 31 credits × $602.50 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: controller.msstate.edu · verified October 11, 2026
All students — MSU Online Education graduate, 9 or more hours, per semester (resident and non-resident)From the school's online tuition table$5,647.50per semester · 2026-2027Includes feesSource: controller.msstate.edu · verified October 11, 2026

Other published fees

Instructional Support Fee (all MSU Online courses)
$25 per creditMandatory
Source: controller.msstate.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

  • National Science Foundation Scholarship for Service Program (CyberCorps) Service scholarship

    Full coverage of all tuition, health insurance reimbursement, $6,000 professional allowance, $27,000 stipend (undergraduates) and $37,000 stipend (graduate students) per year in the program.

    Eligibility: Citizen or lawful permanent resident of the United States; willing and eligible to obtain a security clearance; minimum 3.2 GPA (undergraduate) or 3.5 GPA (graduate); full-time enrollment.

    Obligation: Serve at a government agency in a cyber security position for a period equivalent to the length of the scholarship or one year, whichever is longer.

    How to apply: Cover letter, personal statement, resume, transcripts and at least two letters of recommendation.

    Deadline: April 1 (for Fall semesters), October 15 (for Spring semester, only if open positions)

    Source: cse.msstate.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

  • Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) — 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) · 2001 - 2028Validated program(s) of study: Bachelor of Science in Computer Science with an IA Certificate (POS-CD); MS in Cyber Security & Operations (POS-CO)Source: maps.caecommunity.org · verified October 11, 2026
  • CAE in Cyber Operations (CAE-CO) · 2013 - 2029Validated program(s) of study: Bachelor of Science in Computer Science with an IA Certificate (POS-CD); MS in Cyber Security & Operations (POS-CO)Source: maps.caecommunity.org · verified October 11, 2026
  • CAE in Cyber Research (CAE-R) · 2008 - 2029Validated program(s) of study: Bachelor of Science in Computer Science with an IA Certificate (POS-CD); MS in Cyber Security & 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

State authorization (online students)

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

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.
  1. cse.msstate.edu/grad/ms-cyops/ — Official program page, verified October 11, 2026
  2. catalog.msstate.edu/graduate/colleges-degree-programs/engineering/computer-science/ — Official catalog / bulletin, verified October 11, 2026
  3. NCAE-C institution directory (National Centers of Academic Excellence in Cybersecurity) — Source, verified October 11, 2026
  4. DAPIP — SACSCOC institutional accreditation record (data files downloaded 2026-10-10) — U.S. Department of Education dataset (IPEDS / DAPIP), verified October 10, 2026
  5. bagley.msstate.edu/distance/course-delivery/ — Official program page, verified October 11, 2026
  6. bagley.msstate.edu/distance/deadlines/ — Official program page, verified October 11, 2026
  7. bagley.msstate.edu/distance/faq/ — Official program page, verified October 11, 2026
  8. controller.msstate.edu/accountservices/tuition/online-education-rates — Official tuition and fees page, verified October 11, 2026
  9. controller.msstate.edu/accountservices/tuition/starkville-campus — Official tuition and fees page, verified October 11, 2026
  10. cse.msstate.edu/scholarships/sfs/ — Official program page, verified October 11, 2026

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