Master of Professional Studies in Homeland Security - Information Security and Forensics Option

For admission to the Graduate School, an applicant must hold either (1) a baccalaureate degree from a regionally accredited U.S. institution or (2) a tertiary (postsecondary) degree that is deemed comparable to a four-year bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited U.S. institution. This degree must be from an officially recognized degree-granting institution in the country in which it operates. The degree is multidisciplinary in nature and students from many disciplines may be accepted into the program. However, because of the technical nature of the degree program, those who hold a bachelor's degree in a technical or scientific discipline — including applied mathematics, computer information systems, computer science, information sciences, engineering, statistics, or a related field — will be considered. Students with sufficient background gained through work experience or professional training in information technologies, such as networks, web services, and database development, will also be considered for admission to the program. Students are expected to have basic competency in college algebra, computer programming, networks, and information technology (related work experience is also acceptable). A student may be accepted into the program with "provisional status" for no more than one year while work is completed to meet these competencies. GPA and Test Scores — postsecondary (undergraduate), junior/senior (last two years) GPA is required. Successful applicants are expected to have an overall grade-point average of 3.00 (on a 4.00 scale) or higher from undergraduate study (and/or graduate-level studies). However, accomplishments demonstrated through work experience and recommendation letters from an applicant's academic adviser or employer will also play an important role in the admission decision. A minimum of five years of relevant work experience is recommended. GRE or GMAT scores may also be required if you do not meet one or more of the following requirements: 3.00 undergraduate grade-point average (GPA) either overall or of the last 60 credits OR 3+ years of professional work experience OR 3.00 GPA upon completion of Penn State graduate certificate OR successful completion of a graduate degree.