Cybersecurity Policy & Risk Management (M.S.)

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Applicants must hold a baccalaureate degree from an accredited college or university, but a specific major is not required. For example, students may come from business, public administration, healthcare, finance, homeland defense and security, retail, law, insurance, and a myriad of technical and engineering disciplines.

Current UNH undergraduates may apply for accelerated admission before completion of the baccalaureate degree. Read more information about this below.

The admissions committee uses a portfolio approach: applications are reviewed and decisions are made based on past academic performance, letters of recommendation, professional experience, civic engagement, and other qualities expressed via your personal statement.

Applications must be completed by the following deadlines in order to be reviewed for admission:

• Fall: July 1
• Spring: December 1
• Summer: N/A

For current UNH undergraduates seeking accelerated admission (see below), you must apply and be admitted to the program during the admissions cycle before the senior-year semester during which you want to enroll in courses for graduate credit.

Application fee: $65

Campus: Online

New England Regional: No

Accelerated Masters: Yes (for more details see the accelerated masters information page)

If you attended UNH after September 1, 1991, and have indicated so on your online application, we will retrieve your transcript internally; this includes UNH-Durham, UNH-Manchester and UNH Non-Degree work. 

If you did not attend UNH, or attended prior to September 1, 1991, then you must upload a copy (PDF) of your official transcript in the application form. International transcripts must be translated into English.

If admitted, you must then request an official transcript be sent directly to our office from the Registrar's Office of each college/university attended. We accept transcripts both electronically and in hard copy:

• Electronic Transcripts: Please have your institution send the transcript directly to grad.school@unh.edu. Please note that we can only accept copies sent directly from the institution.
• Paper Transcripts: Please send hard copies of transcripts to: UNH Graduate School, Thompson Hall- 105 Main Street, Durham, NH 03824. You may request transcripts be sent to us directly from the institution or you may send them yourself as long as they remain sealed in the original university envelope.

Transcripts from all previous post-secondary institutions must be submitted and applicants must disclose any previous academic or disciplinary sanctions that resulted in their temporary or permanent separation from a previous post-secondary institution. If it is found that previous academic or disciplinary separations were not disclosed, applicants may face denial and admitted students may face dismissal from their academic program.

Two letters of recommendation are required. Recommendations should support your application with professional and academic confirmation of your suitability for this particular program. Recommendations submitted by relatives or friends, as well as letters older than one year, will not be accepted.

This is your opportunity to personalize the application and help us better understand who you are and how well this programs suits your background, current situation, and future goals. Your well-crafted statements should range from 700 to 1,800 words. Applicants must provide a personal statement responsive to all four of these prompts:

1. Describe some examples of professional, personal, or academic experiences that helped develop your interest in cybersecurity policy and risk management.
2. Explain your career objectives. Discuss your expectations as to how this program could impact these objectives.
3. Identify and explain any important aspects of your professional or academic background that may not be reflected in your resume or undergraduate degree transcripts. (For example, if your past college grades do not reflect your current learning abilities, please explain. Also, if there is any additional information which you feel should be considered by the Admissions Committee, please explain.)
4. Please indicate your prior experience and levels of comfort and competence in online learning, and also describe the support (from work, family, or others) and plans you have to fit this time requirement in your life. Generally, online learners must be self-motivated, comfortable interacting through technologies, and confident in expressing their ideas in writing and orally. Time management is also important, since each 3 credit graduate course requires about 9 hours of study time a week.

Statements must be included with your submitted application.

A current resume is required with your submitted application.

Students claiming in-state residency must also submit a Proof of Residence Form. This form is not required to complete your application, but you will need to submit it after you are offered admission or you will not be able to register for classes.

Some academic departments recommend that international applicants, living outside of the United States, and planning on pursuing a research based degree, submit our extended inquiry form before submitting a full application. The extended inquiry form will be reviewed by the academic faculty and a department representative will reach out if your background and qualifications are a good fit for the program. 

Prospective international students are required to submit TOEFL, IELTS, or equivalent examination scores. English Language Exams may be waived if English is your first language. If you wish to request a waiver, then please visit our Test Scores webpage for more information.

We welcome international applicants, but please note that this is an online program. Any program that is conducted primarily online is not eligible for a student visa for study, but students may enroll at a distance or study under a different eligible visa type. 

If you have questions about the application or admissions process, please contact the UNH Online Student Success Coaches at: unh.online@unh.edu or +1 (855) 250-6699