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IMPACT POWERED BY SECURITY


Think Cyber Is Only For Techies? Think Again.

A SAFER WORLD STARTS WITH YOU


Master of Science in Information Security Policy & Management (MSISPM)

Preventing electronic intrusion of the nation’s most critical IT networks. De-incentivizing piracy of online music and movies. Empowering private citizens to safeguard their information and protect their online identities. These are the problems of our age. And these are the problems that students in Heinz College’s Master of Science in Information Security Policy & Management (MSISPM) program study and solve.

Carnegie Mellon University has long been a national asset in cybersecurity. The field is growing at an unprecedented rate and needs talented leaders—our graduates' starting salaries are proof of that. Many organizations now have a Chief Information Security Officer, a role which will continue to gain in influence for years to come. With our blend of technology and management skills, Heinz College graduates are perfectly positioned to take advantage of this dramatic shift.

Taught by Heinz College faculty as well as leading practitioners from the CERT Division of CMU's internationally renowned Software Engineering Institute, our MSISPM brings students into contact with world-class thought leaders and hands-on experiences that simply cannot be replicated by any other degree program.

Heinz College is designated a National Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense by the National Security Agency and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.

Some of the world’s greatest challenges, that our faculty and students are working to solve:

  • Developing software that detects deepfakes
  • Building an anomaly detection tool for a cryptocurrency exchange
  • Keeping companies safe from insider threats
  • Combating cybercrime by using automation to turn threat intelligence into actionable data 
  • Disrupting money laundering that supports terrorism
  • Deploying knowledge graphs to help the financial industry prioritize threat alerts
  • Preventing piracy of movies and music
  • Safeguarding critical infrastructure, from power grids and water supplies to voter rolls
  • Closing the cybersecurity job gap in the community 
  • Defending children from online predators
  • Volodymyr Zelensky Deep Fakes
  • Ramayya Krishnan
  • Cybersecurity and Machine Learning
  • Graphic of a city under cyber attack
  • Rayid Ghani

Stories of Impact


Read our articles and stories about Heinz College's impact in cybersecurity and privacy

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Leading Practitioners

MSISPM Students Work With Faculty and Practitioners from the CERT Division of CMU's Software Engineering Institute

WORK WITH SEI AND CERT

#1 Ranked

Heinz College Is Top-Ranked in Cybersecurity, And Has Been #1 In Information And Technology Management Since 2001

Rankings

Top Program For Military Students

MSISPM Is Proud To Offer Benefits For Active Service Members And Veterans

Scholarships

Leader in Innovation

Carnegie Mellon University Is The Birthplace Of Autonomous Cars, AI, And Technologies That Are Transforming Society

Innovation at CMU
A trusted partner in cybersecurity

Carnegie Mellon University is one of only 11 colleges and universities designated by the NSA and Department of Homeland Security as a Center of Academic Excellence (CAE) in all three focus areas: Cyber Defense (CD), Cyber Operations (CO), and Research (R). The CAE programs promote higher education and research in the critical area of cybersecurity.

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My Story: Andrea


One of the reasons Andrea's employer chose her for an interview was because they knew how hard she had to work to complete a Carnegie Mellon program.

My Story: Tanner


Tanner found the dynamic nature of the curriculum — How should we change this course? What skills are in demand? How should we teach them? — to be a strong suit of the MSISPM program.

 
ABOUT SEI

The Software Engineering Institute (SEI) is a federally funded research and development center sponsored by the U.S. Department of Defense and operated by Carnegie Mellon University. The SEI works with organizations to improve software engineering capabilities by providing technical leadership.

Learn more about SEI

 
ABOUT CERT

The CERT Division of SEI is a national asset in the field of cybersecurity, the world’s leading trusted authority dedicated to improving the security and resilience of computer systems and networks.

Learn more about CERT

  • Alessandro Acquisti
  • Leman Akoglu
  • Nicholas Cristin
  • Rahul Telang

Trail-Blazing Faculty


Our faculty are thought leaders at the vanguard of cyber policy and innovation.

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MSISPM Dual Degrees

Explore dual degree partnerships

Explore our dual degree partnership with University of Pittsburgh School of Law

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Accelerated Master's Programs

Earn your bachelor's and MSISPM in five years instead of six

Students in undergraduate programs at Carnegie Mellon, Allegheny College, Bethany College, and Chatham University can earn their bachelor’s and MSISPM degrees together in five years instead of six.

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