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CybersecurityDegrees
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Nova Southeastern University · College of Computing, AI, and Cybersecurity

M.S. in Cyber Defense

Master'sMSDedicated degreeOn campusOnline

Overview

A 30-credit MS in Cyber Defense focused on network security engineering, with required courses in cryptography, database security, forensics and advanced network security, offered 100% online or on the Fort Lauderdale/Davie campus.

Official program name
M.S. in Cyber Defense
Awarded degree
Master of Science · major: Cyber Defense
Source: computing.nova.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: computing.nova.edu · verified October 11, 2026
School
Source: computing.nova.edu · verified October 11, 2026
Location
Fort Lauderdale, FLFor 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 — core of the degreeNetwork Security — core of the degree (“Network Security Engineering”)
Orientation
Technical
Source: computing.nova.edu · verified October 11, 2026
Required credits
30 credits (10 courses)
Source: computing.nova.edu · verified October 11, 2026
Duration
as little as one year (minimum; condition not stated)A minimum under the stated conditions, not a typical length.
Source: computing.nova.edu · verified October 11, 2026
Start terms
Fall (August), Winter (January), Summer (May)
Source: computing.nova.edu · verified October 11, 2026
Why this program is listed

Dedicated MS in Cyber Defense offered 100% online or on campus.

Degree title names cyber defense; required courses include Fundamentals of Cybersecurity, Applied Cryptography, Database Security, Computer and Network Forensics, Advanced Network Security and an Information Security Project.

Source: computing.nova.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: computing.nova.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: computing.nova.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

Capstone

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

Prerequisite courses
Not verifiedApplicants without adequate background may be required to take 500-level prerequisite courses (programming, computer organization, mathematics in computing, data structures)
Source: computing.nova.edu · verified October 11, 2026
Prior degree
RequiredBachelor's degree
Source: computing.nova.edu · verified October 11, 2026

Tests

GRE General Test
Not requiredNo GRE/GMAT required
Source: computing.nova.edu · verified October 11, 2026
GMAT
Not required
Source: computing.nova.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 deadlines: not verified. We publish this only when the institution states it on an official page.

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 — Graduate tuition rate, applies to all students$989per creditCalculated tuition$29,670 = 30 credits × $989 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: computing.nova.edu · verified October 11, 2026
All students — Estimated total tuition$29,670entire programSource: computing.nova.edu · verified October 11, 2026
All students — 2026-27 COA for graduate degrees, tuition without scholarships/program discountsFrom the school-wide rate table for this level$989per credit · 2026-2027Calculated tuition$29,670 = 30 credits × $989 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: computing.nova.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

  • DoD Cyber Service Academy (DoD CSA) Service scholarship

    Undergraduate: full tuition, books, fees, health insurance, $27,000 stipend/yr; Graduate: full tuition, books, fees, health insurance, $32,000 stipend/yr · Maintain a 3.2 GPA (undergraduates) or 3.5 GPA (graduates).

    Eligibility: 18 or older; U.S. citizen at time of application; enrolled at a CAE in Cyber Defense; ability to obtain a security clearance; eligible juniors/seniors, master's students or doctoral students in the College of Computing, AI, and Cybersecurity.

    Obligation: Work for the Department of Defense as a civilian employee for one calendar year for each year of scholarship assistance.

    How to apply: Two letters of reference, resume and transcripts required.

    Deadline: January 15 of every year for the following Fall term

    Source: computing.nova.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) · 2005 - 2026Published period has endedValidated program(s) of study: M.S. in Artificial Intelligence Cybersecurity (POS-CyberAI); M.S. in Cyber Defense (POS-CD); M.S. in Cybersecurity Management (POS-CD)Source: maps.caecommunity.org · verified October 11, 2026
  • CAE in Cyber Research (CAE-R) · 2023 - 2028Validated program(s) of study: M.S. in Artificial Intelligence Cybersecurity (POS-CyberAI); M.S. in Cyber Defense (POS-CD); M.S. in Cybersecurity Management (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 Florida.

International applicants

  • F-1 students must pay a $500 enrollment deposit to process the I-20; an I-20 cannot be issued to a provisionally admitted student.Source: computing.nova.edu · verified October 11, 2026

Sources and verification

Every fact on this page comes from the official pages and directories below. Last verified October 11, 2026.
  1. computing.nova.edu/admissions/tuition-fees.html — Official tuition and fees page, verified October 11, 2026
  2. computing.nova.edu/degrees/doctoral/cybersecurity-management.html — Official program page, verified October 11, 2026
  3. computing.nova.edu/degrees/masters/cyber-defense.html — Official program page, verified October 11, 2026
  4. computing.nova.edu/graduate/scholarships.html — Official program page, verified October 11, 2026
  5. NCAE-C institution directory (National Centers of Academic Excellence in Cybersecurity) — Source, verified October 11, 2026
  6. DAPIP — SACSCOC institutional accreditation record (data files downloaded 2026-10-10) — U.S. Department of Education dataset (IPEDS / DAPIP), verified October 10, 2026

Something out of date? Request a correction · Represent this school? Claim the profile

Similar programs at other schools

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

Carnegie Mellon University logo

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Format: Online
Location: Seattle, WASchool location, not a residency requirement
Attendance: Online attendance requirements not verified
Duration: Duration not verified · 39 credits
Tuition: $775 per credit · All students — School of Technology & Computing, graduate per credit (US tuition) · 2026-2027
Next deadline: No upcoming verified deadline
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Dakota State University logo

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Format: Campus · Fully online · Full-time, Part-time
Location: Madison, SDSchool location, not a residency requirement
Attendance: Fully online as published (no separate campus-visit statement)
Duration: 1-1.5 years full-time; 2-3 years part-time (full-time, 2-3 classes at a time) · 30 credits
Tuition: $495.70 per credit · All students — Online master's, per credit (tuition and fees) · 2026-2027
Next deadline: No upcoming verified deadline
Accreditation and designation: 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 Nova Southeastern University. Information is collected from official pages and directories and can change; confirm requirements, costs and deadlines with the school.