Applied Information Technology, Cyber Security Concentration (MS)

Who should apply?

The comprehensive education and developmental experience earned in this program is essential for aspiring senior leaders. The ideal applicant will have 5 to 12 years of professional experience after earning a BS degree, strong work performance, a working knowledge of information technology, an increasing leadership role and responsibilities with the potential for even broader and higher level assignments, and an unwavering commitment to his or her technical, analytical, and management skill sets.

Why choose George Mason?

• The MS AIT program fills the gap between systems engineering and software engineering, preparing graduates for project development, network operations, and quality control roles in a broad array of industries.
• In addition to student demand for the program, regional and national employers seek out MS AIT graduates.
• Highly credentialed and preeminent MS AIT faculty members will take students beyond theory and expose them to practical day-to-day IT issues.
• Along with the BS IT, this program assembles a curriculum based on the needs of the region, with a specific focus on the federal sector. In fact, as a board of advisors, leading area employers provide guidance in curriculum development and continue to engage with the program as reviewers of students’ capstone projects.
• Student support services including online and face-to-face advising consultations, web resources, and social resources are available to help you stay connected with the university and keep you on track to graduate.
• This entire degree is offered in an online format and can be successfully completed on a part-time basis to fit your schedule.
• In 2016, this program was ranked #38 as a Top Online Master’s in Computer Science by GoGrad.

Program requirements may change; please refer to the Mason Course Catalog for the most up-to-date requirements.

Requirements: 30 credits total

• 9 credits core courses
• 18 credits concentration courses
• 3 credits capstone course

Sufficient courses are offered to complete the entire degree online. Most online courses are delivered asynchronously and offerings vary by semester. Each semester, contact an MS AIT advisor to discuss your course completion plan.

Core Courses

• AIT 622 Determining Needs for Complex Big Data Systems | 3 Credits
• AIT 697 Leading Organizations Through Change Credits | 3 Credits
• GBUS 540 Analysis of Financial Decisions | 3 Credits

Concentration Courses

Cyber Security (CYBR)

• AIT 665 Managing IT Programs in the Federal Sector | 3 Credits
• SYST 508 Complex Systems Engineering Management | 3 Credits

Choose four of the following:

• AIT 670 Best Practices Managing Security and Privacy for Cloud Computing | 3 Credits
• AIT 671 Information System Infrastructure Lifecycle Management | 3 Credits
• AIT 672 Identity Management for Federal IT | 3 Credits
• AIT 673 Cyber Incident Handling and Response | 3 Credits
• AIT 701 Cyber Security: Emerging Threats and Countermeasures | 3 credits

Other concentrations are available through a mix of online and face-to-face courses. See the catalog or contact Daniel Garrison (dgarriso@gmu.edu) for more information.

Capstone Course

• AIT 685 Capstone Seminar | 3 Credits

The capstone course must be taken during a student’s final semester.

Tuition (2017-2018)

Please refer to the Students Accounts Office website for more information on tuition and fees.

Financial Aid

For information on loans and scholarships, visit the Office of Student Financial Aid. For information regarding grants, tuition waivers and other merit aid, please inquire with your graduate department.

Career Descriptions

The MS in Applied Information Technology is the very best graduate education in IT for high-potential leaders, especially those working on IT solutions that affect the federal government. Its objective is to graduate men and women of competence and character who can lead multidisciplinary teams in the design, justification, development, management, and sustainment of mega-systems from data to decision in the private and federal sectors.

Graduates of this program find jobs that focus on the application of IT, including:

• Project Manager
• Program Manager
• Vice President of Operations
• Chief Information Officer

As a Mason student, you may contact Mason Career Services for more career information and counseling.

All applicants should review Office of Graduate Admissions steps for How to Apply. For international applicants, see guidelines for International Graduate Requirements and English Proficiency Exams.

Prerequisites

• Hold a bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited school
• A GPA of at least 3.00 in the 60 highest-level credits
• Experienced in the fundamentals of IT and quantitative methods
• International students must have a TOEFL score of 230 (575 if paper-based). A minimum score of 250 (600 if paper-based) is required for international applicants seeking Graduate Assistantships.

Application Materials

• Graduate application
• Application fee
• Two official transcripts from all colleges and universities attended
• Three letters of recommendation
• Goals statement
• Resume

If you have any questions during the application process, please contact the IST Department at msait@gmu.edu or 703-993-3565.