Cybersecurity (D.Sc.)

The mission of the Doctorate of Science (D.Sc.) in cybersecurity is to prepare highly qualified cybersecurity professionals to lead the increasingly complex cyber challenges of the digital world in which we live and protect the digital infrastructure that is critical to the nation’s security and economy. This doctorate program is unique in its location at the center of the United States government’s cybersecurity initiatives; emphasis on the intersections of the technology, ethics, management, leadership, policy, teaching, and data science aspects of cybersecurity; and focus on working practitioners in the field.

Marymount’s D.Sc. in cybersecurity program provides the knowledge, skills, and abilities needed to meet the cybersecurity challenges facing governments, businesses, and individuals in the increasingly hostile online environment.

The D.Sc. in cybersecurity is offered in two formats:

• 72-credit D.Sc. in cybersecurity for students entering with a qualified undergraduate degree

  • Students who enter the doctoral program as a post-baccalaureate will complete the 36 credit M.S. in Cybersecurity program first. Upon completion of the M.S. program, students will start their 36 credits of doctoral coursework.

• 36-credit D.Sc. in cybersecurity for students entering with a master’s degree in a cybersecurity-relevant field

Graduates with this terminal degree will be prepared to take leadership roles in cybersecurity in academia, business, or the nonprofit community and make a significant difference to the safety and security of today’s digital world. Students will expand their knowledge of cybersecurity, both from its theoretical underpinnings and its practical applications. The focus of the program is applied research, advancing the field of cybersecurity, and applications in the real world.

Courses are available in online and face-to-face formats, and students may take any combination of course formats to meet the requirements of the program. Students are expected to be engaged throughout the program and adhere to the requirements for ethical behavior, respect for others, and research and writing standards.

Upon completion of the program, students will be able to

• Lead cybersecurity programs in government, business, and society by researching, analyzing, and applying current and future cybersecurity techniques;
• Research contemporary cybersecurity theory and practice and apply these concepts to protecting an increasingly threatened computer infrastructure;
• Demonstrate advanced levels of judgment, critical thinking, and accountability in designing and evaluating cybersecurity measures;
• Communicate effectively very technical cybersecurity and related computer concepts with others, including academics, cybersecurity professionals, and those who may be less technical;
• Apply ethical analysis when generating cybersecurity policy, research, and practice;
• Use cybersecurity skills and knowledge to teach or train others in cybersecurity awareness, operation, and defense; and
• Publish in professional cybersecurity journals and present at professional cybersecurity conferences.

Admission Requirements: 

Post-Bachelor’s Entry

1. Application
2. Application fee: $40
3. Official transcripts for all attempted coursework with a minimum GPA of 3.0 or considerable work experience
4. Resume
5. A Statement of Research Background and Interests that describes research-focused coursework, papers, and projects completed. Please provide evidence of this work and/or college-level writing samples (at least two documents).
6. Interview invitation is extended to qualified applicants upon application completion.

Post-Master’s Entry

1. Application
2. Application fee: $40
3. Official transcripts for all attempted coursework — must include a master’s degree in a related field — with a minimum GPA of 3.5 or considerable work experience. Note: Students who do not have a solid background in cybersecurity will be required to take relevant courses as prerequisites to the program.
4. Resume
5. A Statement of Research Background and Interests that describes research-focused coursework, papers, and work-related cybersecurity projects completed. Please provide evidence of this work and/or college-level writing samples (at least three documents).
6. Interview invitation is extended to qualified applicants upon application completion.
7. College-level statistics course with a B- or better 

Minimum Grade Requirements: Students in the DSc in Cybersecurity must earn a minimum grade of B- in all courses in the program to earn credit. All graduate students in the College of Business, Innovation, Leadership, and Technology must maintain a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0.

Residency Requirements: Students must apply for residency to ensure that they benefit and contribute to the full spectrum of educational and professional opportunities provided by the university. To establish residency, students should interact with faculty and peers by regularly participating in class (online or in the classroom), attending professional events sponsored by the university or other institutions, and actively using the university’s library resources. The doctoral residency requirements may be satisfied only after admission into the doctoral program and completion of 18 credits of doctoral-level courses for at least three consecutive semesters (fall, spring, and summer).

Candidacy Requirements: Students must then apply for candidacy in the D.Sc. in cybersecurity program. They may do so after they have completed 24 credits of the 700- and 800-level courses and have met the following requirements:

• achieved a minimum GPA of 3.5;
• submitted documentation verifying a professional paper was presented at a professional event;
• completed at least two service commitments involving increasing the cybersecurity knowledge and expertise in the community; and
• formed a dissertation committee.

Commencement Participation Requirements: DSc in Cybersecurity students cannot participate in the University commencement ceremony until they have successfully defended their dissertation, posted their dissertation for public dissemination through the University library, and successfully completed IT 850.

Dismissal from Program: A DSc in Cybersecurity student may repeat one (1) grade of F. If a student receives a second F grade, in the same or a different course, they will be dismissed from the program.

School of Technology and Innovation Cybersecurity (D.Sc.) Student Handbook: DSc in Cybersecurity students must comply with additional program-specific policies and requirements found in the DSc Cybersecurity Student Handbook. The handbook is available through the DSc Cybersecurity Advising site on Canvas. All DSc students are required to read the handbook upon matriculation in the program and to review the handbook each time it is revised. Notification of revisions is made through the Canvas site.

Dissertation Courses and Enrollment Status: Students enrolled in IT 830, IT 835, IT 840, IT 845, IT 850, and IT 855 are considered to be in dissertation coursework.  The program considers dissertation coursework to be equivalent to full-time enrollment. 

Degree Requirements — Cybersecurity (D.Sc.)

Degree requirements for those entering with a master’s degree in cybersecurity or equivalent.

36 credits

800-Level Courses

IT 800	Beginning Applied Research in Cybersecurity	3
IT 810	Applied Research Topics and Methods in Cybersecurity	3
IT 820	Applied Research: Qualitative and Quantitative Research	3
IT 830	Applied Research: the Dissertation Proposal	3
IT 840	Applied Research: Dissertation Data Collection and Analysis	3
IT 850	Dissertation and Oral Defense Designs	3
	Students may extend their proposal preparation timeline to reach candidacy by taking the following 1-credit course (maximum 3 times)
IT 835	Continuing Dissertation Proposal Preparation	1
	Students may extend their data collection and data analysis by taking the following 1-credit course (maximum 3 times)
IT 845	Continuing Dissertation Data Collection And Analysis	1
	Students may extend their dissertation preparation timeline to reach a successful oral defense and complete the dissertation itself by taking the following 1-credit course (maximum 3 times)
IT 855	Continuing Dissertation Preparation	1

Degree Electives

 Take six (6) of the following courses in any order:

IT 727	Managing Cybersecurity Risk	3
IT 737	Securing the Evolving Technology Infrastructure	3
IT 745	Machine Learning in Cybersecurity	3
IT 747	Cybersecurity in the Systems Life Cycle	3
IT 757	Cyber Threat Intelligence	3
IT 767	Workforce Development: Cybersecurity Education, Training, and Certification	3
IT 777	Malware Analysis	3
IT 787	Cybersecurity Applied Research Practicum	3
IT 797	Advanced Topics in Cybersecurity	3