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PlusOne Program with MS in Cybersecurity

The PlusOne Accelerated Master’s Program empowers motivated students like you to start earning your master’s degree during your undergraduate studies. Apply up to four graduate-level courses to both your BS and MS in cybersecurity, reducing the time it takes to complete a master’s from two years to one. Get a head start on a successful career as you build the skills you need to ensure the safety and reliability of digital environments.

Program details

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Program eligibility

Students must be enrolled in the cybersecurity major or a cybersecurity combined major to be in this pathway. Students in combined cybersecurity majors with Khoury College are eligible regardless of their home college affiliation.

Students may complete up to four graduate (master’s) courses as an undergraduate.

  •  Only one graduate course may be completed per semester.
  • The remaining required courses must be completed as a master’s student (post-bachelor’s graduation).

When can you begin?

  • Minimum 3.0 GPA required to request graduate course enrollment.
    • First-year students are not permitted to take their first graduate-level course during the summer. Plan to take your first graduate-level course in the fall semester of your second year at the earliest.
       
  • Students request enrollment in graduate-level courses via a survey that is emailed before registration periods each semester.

Admission requirements

Interested students should meet with their advisor no later than their third semester to discuss how the PlusOne pathway will fit into their academic plan and when they plan to complete their first graduate-level course.

Admission requires:

  • Minimum 3.0 GPA, both cumulative and within the major
  • Successful completion of a graduate-level Khoury College course
  • Submission of the online PlusOne Application form:
    • Academic advisors will share the online application form with eligible students
    • Application form should only be submitted after the above requirements are met
    • Admission into the PlusOne program does not guarantee admission into the master’s program upon graduation at the bachelor’s level

Progression requirements

  • To continue in the PlusOne program, students must maintain a minimum 3.0 GPA and earn a cumulative 3.0 GPA in all graduate-level CS courses.
  • Students admitted into the PlusOne program maintain undergraduate standing and must continue to request admission into graduate courses each term.
  • Undergraduates are limited to one graduate course per semester, with a limit of four graduate courses (including withdrawals) total during the undergraduate degree. Placement is not guaranteed.
  • Students should confer regularly with their undergraduate academic advisor to ensure proper planning.
  • Students entering a graduate program via the PlusOne pathway are not eligible for the Double Husky Scholarship. If you have additional questions related to tuition or scholarship eligibility, please reach out to Student Financial Services.

Graduate replacements for undergraduate courses

Please note that the table of classes is not intended to be comprehensive. Check the course catalog for course descriptions.

Undergraduate Course RequirementGraduate Replacement
Cybersecurity ElectiveCY 5010 Cybersecurity Principles and Practices
CY 4170 The Law, Ethics, and Policy of Data and Digital TechnologiesCY 5240 Cyberlaw: Privacy Ethics and Digital Rights
Cybersecurity ElectiveCY 5200 Security Risk Management and Assessment
Cybersecurity ElectiveCY 5210 and CY 5211 Information System Forensics
CS 4710 Mobile and Wireless SystemsCS 6710 Wireless Network
CY 5770 Software Vulnerabilities and SecurityCY 5770 Software Vulnerabilities and Security
CY 4740 Network SecurityCY 6740 Network Security
CY 4770 CryptographyCS 5120 Applied Cryptography
CS 3650 Computer SystemsCS 5600 Computer Systems
CS 4500 Software Development OR
CS 4530 Fundamentals of Software Engineering
CS 5500 Foundations of Software Engineering
CS 3700 Networks and Distributed SystemsCS 5700 Fundamentals of Computer Networking
CS 4700 Network FundamentalsCS 5700 Fundamentals of Computer Networking

Campus location

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    Boston

    Located in the heart of Boston, Northeastern’s oldest campus is home to a vibrant community of students, researchers, and faculty working across disciplines to build a better world through CS.

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