University of Colorado Colorado Springs · Department of Computer Science, College of Engineering and Applied Science

Cybersecurity, PhD

Research doctoratePhDDedicated degreeOn campus

Overview

A 60-credit on-campus PhD in Cybersecurity (30 credit hours of coursework and 30 of dissertation) with qualifying, comprehensive and proposal examinations, a dissertation defense, three months of operational security experience and annual research workshops.

Official program name: Cybersecurity, PhD
Awarded degree: Doctor of Philosophy · major: Cybersecurity
Source: eas.uccs.edu · verified October 11, 2026
Degree level: Doctoral — research doctorate
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: eas.uccs.edu · verified October 11, 2026
School: University of Colorado Colorado Springs — Department of Computer Science, College of Engineering and Applied Science
Source: eas.uccs.edu · verified October 11, 2026
Location: Colorado Springs, CO
Specializations: Cryptography — core of the degree (“CS 5920 Applied Cryptography for Secure Communication”)
Required credits: 60 credit hours (30 coursework, 30 dissertation)
Source: eas.uccs.edu · verified October 11, 2026
Duration: must be completed within ten years (maximum time limit)A minimum under the stated conditions, not a typical length.
Source: eas.uccs.edu · verified October 11, 2026
Start terms: Fall, Spring
Source: eas.uccs.edu · verified October 11, 2026

Why this program is listed

Dedicated research PhD in cybersecurity with dissertation, delivered on campus. The program also covers physical and homeland security research areas.

Research doctorate in cybersecurity offered by the Department of Computer Science since 2008; required courses for students without equivalents include computer/network security and applied cryptography.

Source: eas.uccs.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: eas.uccs.edu · verified October 11, 2026
Internship: Internship / practicum required
Source: eas.uccs.edu · verified October 11, 2026
Study intensity: Not verified

Attendance requirements as published

Other attendance requirement Required
Attend a research workshop at least once a year to report progress and plans.
yearly
Source: eas.uccs.edu · verified October 11, 2026
Dissertation defense Required
Final defense of the dissertation.
Source: eas.uccs.edu · verified October 11, 2026

Curriculum

Academic calendar

Classes typically Monday through Thursday after 4 pm.
Source: eas.uccs.edu · verified October 11, 2026

Research and doctoral requirements

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

Research areas

Research areas include network security, intrusion detection, biometrics, cryptographic algorithms and protocols, space security and risk analysis.
Source: eas.uccs.edu · verified October 11, 2026

Choosing a supervisor

Applicants name a potential advisor in the personal statement; the plan of study is set by the PhD advisor and Advisory Committee.
Source: eas.uccs.edu · verified October 11, 2026

Research proposal

Proposal examination; no more than 24 dissertation credits before it is passed.
Source: eas.uccs.edu · verified October 11, 2026

Qualifying examinations

Written qualifiers and an oral qualifier are required.
Source: eas.uccs.edu · verified October 11, 2026

Dissertation

30 credit hours of dissertation.
Source: eas.uccs.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 or master's degree in a STEM field, homeland security or closely related field.
Source: eas.uccs.edu · verified October 11, 2026
Minimum GPA: RequiredMinimum 3.3 — At least 3.3 on a 4.0 scale
Source: eas.uccs.edu · verified October 11, 2026
Statement / essay: RequiredPersonal statement naming a potential advisor.
Source: eas.uccs.edu · verified October 11, 2026
Recommendation letters: Required3 letters — Three letters of recommendation
Source: eas.uccs.edu · verified October 11, 2026
Résumé / CV: RequiredResume
Source: eas.uccs.edu · verified October 11, 2026

Tests

GRE General Test: Required — minimum 148At least 148 quantitative, waived for applicants with a 3.0+ GPA bachelor's from a U.S. ABET-accredited CS or closely related program, or a 3.0+ CS master's from a U.S. R1/R2 institution.
Source: eas.uccs.edu · verified October 11, 2026
TOEFL iBT: Required — minimum 80May be waived for applicants who completed a U.S. degree.
Source: eas.uccs.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
February 1 · for Fall
The school does not print a year with this date.
Source: eas.uccs.edu · verified October 11, 2026
Year not printed
Application deadline
October 1 · for Spring
The school does not print a year with this date.
Source: eas.uccs.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.

Tuition for this program: not verified. We publish this only when the institution states it on an official page.

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

Program-specific scholarships: not verified. We publish this only when the institution states it on an official page.

The NCAE-C directory lists University of Colorado Colorado Springs with a CyberCorps Scholarship for Service program; eligibility, service obligation and the programs it covers are set by the school and the federal program. Source: maps.caecommunity.org · verified October 11, 2026

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) · 2012 - 2027Validated program(s) of study: Master of Engineering in Cybersecurity (POS-CD)Source: maps.caecommunity.org · verified October 11, 2026
CAE in Cyber Research (CAE-R) · 2024 - 2029Validated program(s) of study: Master of Engineering in Cybersecurity (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

Sources and verification

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

eas.uccs.edu/academics/programs/security-phd — 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

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