Purdue’s online cybersecurity degree, AI graduate certificate prepare professionals for emerging digital threats

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — Purdue Polytechnic Institute is launching online master’s degree and graduate certificate programs fostering sophisticated solutions to the growing complexity of commonplace cyberattacks.

The Master of Science in cybersecurity and trusted systems degree and the online graduate certificate in applied AI and cybersecurity programs are designed to teach skills such as artificial intelligence-related risk assessment, threat detection and digital defense strategies.

Both are designed for information technology professionals, cybersecurity practitioners and technology leaders seeking advanced skills in securing modern digital environments.

“These online programs give us an important opportunity to extend Purdue’s research strength and industry-focused cybersecurity education to working professionals wherever they are,” said Feng Li, professor and head of the School of Applied and Creative Computing. “Students will gain practical, research-backed expertise in how secure and trustworthy systems are designed, tested and defended.”

“We deliver a flexible, industry-aligned curriculum that empowers students to build specialized expertise and succeed in the rapidly evolving field of cybersecurity,” said Paul Thomas, clinical associate professor and assistant head of industry engagement, online programs and strategic initiatives. “The programs provide students a strong technical foundation in cybersecurity principles, risk management and secure systems while offering them the flexibility to customize their learning experience through electives.”

Both programs allow working professionals to advance at their own pace “while simultaneously balancing professional and personal commitments,” Thomas said.

The Master of Science in cybersecurity and trusted systems degree offers four optional pathways: applied AI and cybersecurity applications, applied cybersecurity foundations, cyber forensics, and ethical hacking. The AI and cybersecurity pathways address risks surrounding machine learning and large language models. Cyber forensics focuses on digital evidence collection, mobile and Internet of Things forensics, forensic investigation techniques, and incident responses. Ethical hacking identifies vulnerabilities and helps understand attacker techniques so organizations can proactively strengthen defenses.

The graduate certificate in applied artificial intelligence and cybersecurity applications is designed to provide working IT professionals with protective and defensive skills and tools they can implement immediately. The certificate’s 9 credits can be applied toward the Master of Science in cybersecurity and trusted systems and the Master of Science in computer and information technology online degrees, subject to separate admission to those programs.

“The program is structured to equip students with immediately applicable skills while also developing the knowledge that is necessary for sustained relevance and success in a constantly evolving cybersecurity landscape,” Thomas said.

Developed by the School of Applied and Creative Computing (ACC), the online programs reflect faculty collaboration across Purdue’s Indianapolis and West Lafayette campuses. Indianapolis ACC faculty Shu Hu, assistant professor and director of the Purdue Machine Learning and Media Forensics Lab; Tao Li, assistant professor; and Mustafa Abdallah, assistant professor, are involved in the online cybersecurity degree, and Li contributes a course.

In West Lafayette, ACC faculty Thomas; Brian Zuel, assistant professor of practice; and Wenhai Sun, associate professor with a courtesy appointment in the Department of Computer Science, bring expertise in AI and media forensics, networked and mobile systems security, cyber-physical and IoT security, trusted systems, social engineering, and cybersecurity education.

The U.S. is facing a shortage of skilled information security analysts. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Occupational Outlook Handbook, “Employment of information security analysts is projected to grow 21% from 2025 to 2035, much faster than the average for all occupations.”

For more information about the online Master of Science in cybersecurity and trusted systems degree, visit this website. Learn more about the online graduate certificate in applied AI and cybersecurity at this website.

About Purdue University

Purdue University is a research institution ranked among the top 10 public universities in the United States. More than 111,000 students study at Purdue across multiple campuses, including more than 57,000 at our main campus locations in West Lafayette and Indianapolis. As a land-grant university committed to affordability and accessibility, Purdue’s main campus has frozen tuition 14 years in a row, enabling more students than ever to graduate debt-free.