Curriculum Overview
Master of Science in Behavioral Cybersecurity & Cybercrime
36 U.S. credits · 12 graduate courses · 100% online
The Master of Science in Behavioral Cybersecurity & Cybercrime focuses on the intersection of cybersecurity and human behavior. It examines how people interact with technology, how cybercriminals exploit psychological and social factors in attacks, and how organizations can prevent and mitigate these risks. Its practical orientation emphasizes how to influence cybersecurity environments while studying cybercriminal motivations, social engineering, incident management, human-centered systems, online social interaction, and models of cybercrime and victims.
Master of Science
Behavioral Cybersecurity & Cybercrime
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| Course | What you study |
|---|---|
| ISM 500Technological Learning Tools | Students gain an in-depth understanding of the virtual learning environment that structures a fully online graduate program. Moodle, Google Drive, online questionnaires, forums, and collaboration tools are introduced as the resources through which students navigate online study, communication, and shared work in the program. The course has no pre-requisite. |
| PSY 510Biases and Heuristics Deep-Dive | More than 190 cognitive biases coded to date are examined through rigorous interactive study, giving students deep knowledge of biases and heuristics. Working as a team, students create a collective book of cognitive biases that serves as reference material for the rest of the master and gives the concepts a shared structure for continued use across the program. |
| CYB 515Incident Response and Emotional Management in Crisis | Any company in any industry can become the victim of a cybersecurity incident by the simple fact of using email. The course addresses the preparation security teams need to face an incident and the ability workers need to identify situations that trigger special intervention. Emotional management is examined as part of response when crisis conditions emerge. |
| CYB 520Behavioral Design Risk Prevention | Behavioral psychology and design principles guide the identification, analysis, and mitigation of risk. Students explore theoretical foundations in human behavior, decision-making, and cognitive biases. Through case studies and practical applications, they develop strategies for risk prevention that take those behavioral factors into account in applied work. |
| CYB 525Cyber Criminology, Models, and Victimology | Criminological theories, victimology, and the evolving landscape of cybercrime are examined as connected fields. The course explores models used to explain cybercriminal behavior and studies the impact of cybercrimes on individuals and society. It also addresses strategies intended to prevent cyber victimization within the broader cybercrime landscape. |
| CYB 530Cybercriminal Profiling | Cybercriminal profiling is approached as the art and science of identifying and understanding behavior, motivations, and characteristics. The course draws from criminology, psychology, and computer science to frame cybercriminal conduct. Case studies and practical exercises connect those perspectives to the analysis of cybercriminal profiles and characteristics. |
| CYB 535Behavioral Ecology Biological Bases of Social Interactions | Human behavior in digital environments is studied through the lens of behavioral ecology. Combining biology, psychology, and sociology, the course analyzes how biological mechanisms influence online behaviors, communication, and societies. It connects the biological bases of social interaction with the ways people act and relate in digital environments. |
| RSC 550Research and Scientific Communication | Students receive a specific view of scientific research and the communication practices that support it. The course covers bibliographic searches in scientific databases, bibliographic reference formats, and APA referencing. It also examines how research is disseminated through conferences and scientific poster presentations in formal academic settings. |
| CYB 620Applied Social Engineering Case Studies | Social engineering is studied through real-world case analysis, with attention to the manipulation of individuals and systems through psychological and sociological tactics. The course provides an in-depth understanding of these techniques. Students work to comprehend, recognize, and counter attacks built on social engineering tactics in digital contexts. |
| PRO 625Indirect Personality Profiling | The indirect personality profiling technique developed in the Spanish Police is presented as a way to know how a person is, thinks, and acts. The course focuses on its application to gain strategic advantage in contexts where human response matters. Interviews, interrogations, and negotiation processes form the main areas of application for the technique. |
| FBA 635Persuasion and Influence | Influence and persuasion are examined as applied techniques in negotiation and collaboration processes. The course presents the main techniques and how to apply them in situations that require handling people’s responses with advantage. Its focus is turning those techniques into a competitive advantage in negotiation, collaboration, and response-handling situations. |
| CAP 701Capstone Project | The Capstone Project is a multifaceted assignment that serves as the student’s culminating academic and intellectual experience. Continuous tutoring supports academic writing throughout the process. The completed work is presented before an online tribunal of professors, who evaluate the project as the final academic experience before academic completion. |
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Full course descriptions and academic policies are in the Academic Catalog.