Sacred Heart University

What you'll study

Students develop skills to build secure, dependable systems, protect digital assets, perform hands-on cybersecurity research, and provide leadership in cybersecurity. Coursework and lab work emphasize proficiency with cybersecurity products and applications and practical research in the university’s Cybersecurity Lab. Faculty and industry professionals with combined experience in the field teach the program.

Entry requirements

The dual-degree pathway is open to undergraduates in Computer Engineering, Computer Science, Cybersecurity, Electrical Engineering, Game Design & Development, and Information Technology. Dual-degree students are guaranteed admission to the MS in Cybersecurity provided they continue to meet program-specific progression criteria. To matriculate into the MS portion, students must successfully complete the bachelor’s degree with a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0.

Career prospects

Graduates are prepared for a range of cybersecurity roles. Job titles noted for program graduates include chief information security officer, IT security consultant, network engineer/architect, forensic computer analyst, systems engineer, information security analyst, security architect, incident analyst, and cybersecurity consultant. National data cited with the program indicates information security employment growth projected at 29% through 2034 and a median annual wage for computer and information technology occupations of $104,420 (May 2023).

Scholarships & funding angle

The 4+1 format can reduce overall time and cost by combining undergraduate and graduate study into five years, and dual-degree participants may save on separate graduate tuition. Undergraduates in the pathway also receive academic advising and access to faculty and counseling resources, industry events, and student clubs to support progression into the graduate program.