Cybersecurity (AMP)
Cybersecurity (AMP)
The Accelerated Masters Pathway (AMP) in Cybersecurity lets Loyola undergraduates begin the MS in Cybersecurity during their senior year. Graduate courses taken as an undergraduate count toward both the bachelor's and the master's degree, so students can finish both degrees sooner and at a lower cost. Students from any undergraduate major may apply, provided they meet the program's admission requirements.
Where AI fits in
AI has changed this field on both sides of the fight: attackers now use AI to probe for vulnerabilities and craft convincing phishing campaigns, while defenders use AI to detect intrusions and analyze malware faster than manual methods allow. Department research sits directly at that intersection — developing deep learning methods to analyze malware and stress-test AI systems against adversarial attacks, alongside work on the human side of security: how behavior and decision-making shape vulnerability to threats like phishing.
The program holds a national NSA Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense (CAE-CD) designation, renewed through 2030. Students compete nationally in events like the Collegiate Cyber Defense Competition and Cyber 9/12 Strategy Challenge, and can join active organizations including the 7968 competition club and Women in Cybersecurity.
Students apply to AMP during their junior year and begin graduate coursework in their senior year. Learn more about the pathway from the Graduate School, and see the Cybersecurity MS program page for admission requirements and how to apply.