Overview
Students entering the PhD program in Cybersecurity must meet the minimum university graduate admissions requirements.
Requirements
Applicants must hold a bachelor’s or master’s degree from a regionally accredited U.S. institution or international equivalent, with verified official transcripts. Degrees should normally be in cybersecurity, computer science, information technology, engineering, mathematics, or a closely related field. Students without a background in Cybersecurity or a related field may be considered on an individual basis and may be required to complete leveling coursework prior to beginning the program. Prior to applying for admission, students are encouraged to visit the School’s website and ensure that their research interests match that of a faculty member.
Applicants are expected to demonstrate preparation in cybersecurity fundamentals, programming, computer networks, operating systems, information assurance, and mathematics relevant to cybersecurity research. Those entering the PhD program with deficiencies in these areas will have to make them up.
Applicants are required to submit:
- Official transcripts from all colleges and universities attended
- Two letters of recommendation from individuals familiar with the applicant's academic and professional background
- Resume or curriculum vitae
- Personal statement of purpose (SOP)
- GRE scores (waivers may be considered)
For students whose native language is not English, they must also satisfy university English proficiency requirements.
Applying
When you are ready, apply for admission online. Once the application is complete, the graduate committee will evaluate the application. The committee looks at the whole application before making a decision. In general, the committee considers three factors for admitting students into our PhD program:
- GPA and ranking of the graduating school
- GRE scores (there is no cutoff for considering the application)
- MOST IMPORTANT: Student background in terms of educational training and research interest should match with one of our faculty. For this you should browse the Cyber Faculty Directory and Faculty Disciplines. You are encouraged to contact the faculty directly to gauge common research interests. (If you have not contacted a faculty member to discuss common research interests, your chances of admission are much lower.)
Full-time PhD students who are awarded a Graduate Assistantship receive a 100% tuition waiver and a stipend.
If you have further questions, please contact the Graduate Program Director (GPD) for Admissions.