Build advanced expertise in the technologies shaping the future of computer engineering. The MS in Computer Engineering: Emerging Technologies prepares students with specialized, career-focused skills in high-demand areas such as artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, robotics and automation, data engineering, ethical hacking, and quantum technologies.

Through a flexible Area of Interest, students can align their studies with their professional goals in Cybersecurity, Artificial Intelligence, Robotics and Automation, or Quantum. The program combines strong technical foundations with specialized training designed for roles in technology-driven industries including government, defense, finance, healthcare, advanced manufacturing, and tech.

Florida International University also stands out for its strength in cybersecurity education. FIU is recognized by the NSA and DHS as a National Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense Education, reinforcing the program’s connection to nationally recognized standards in cyber defense and emerging technology fields.

Career Path

Information Security Manager, Network Security Administrator, Network Security Engineer, Data Security Analyst, Systems Application Security Analyst, Lead Software Security Engineer, Chief Information Security Officer, Global Information Security Director, IT Security Consultant, Ethical Hacker, AI Security Specialist, Machine Learning Security Analyst, Cloud AI Architect, Applied AI Researcher (Security), Data Scientist – Cyber, Machine Learning Engineer, AI – Cyber Analyst

Non-traditional Career Paths- Artificial Intelligence Specialist, 3D Animator, Game Designer, Website Developer

Income Range

• $53,000 – $135,000+
• Industry Outlook
• FL: 15% ⬆️
• US: 13%⬆️

(Sources: Bureau of Labor Statistics and onetonline.org)

• The Master of Science in Computer Engineering – Online program requires 30 semester hours beyond the bachelor’s degree. This is a lock-step program that consists of a specific sequence of courses, plus courses from the Area of Interest.The program offers areas of interests, which are selected as part of the program with the guidance of the program director.

  Areas of Interest: (1) Cybersecurity, (2) Artificial Intelligence, (3) Robotics and Automation, and (4) Quantum

   

  Computer Engineering Courses: 15 Credits

  Complete ALL of the following Courses:

  • CAI5855 – Introduction to Applied AI in ECE
  • CAI5867 – Advanced Data Engineering in ECE
  • CIS5208 – Social, Economic, and Policy Aspects of Cybersecurity
  • CNT6154 – Advanced Machine Learning in ECE
  • EEL5807 – Advanced Ethical Hacking

  Math Requirement: 6 Credits

  Earn at least 6 credits from the following:

  • EEL5171 – Advanced Systems Theory
  • EEE5543 – Random Signal Principles
  • EEL6020 – Numerical Analysis of Electrical Devices
  • EEL6141 – Advanced Network Analysis

  The Math Electives may be changed or expanded by the Graduate Advisory Committee.

  Areas of Interest: 9 credits

  Students must complete 9 credit hours from the following areas of interest: Cybersecurity, Artificial Intelligence, Robotics and Automation, or Quantum.

  Complete at least 3 of the following:

  Cybersecurity Specialization

  • EEL6787 – Network Security
  • EEL6803 – Advanced Digital Forensics
  • EEL6805 – Advanced Malware Reverse Engineering

  or

  Artificial Intelligence Specialization

  • CAI6856 – Advanced Generative AI in ECE
  • CNT6150 – Advanced Deep Learning in ECE
  • CNT6144 – Advanced Analytics with Cloud Services in ECE

  or

  Robotics and Automation Specialization [starting Fall 2027]

  • EEL6821 – Computer Vision
  • EEE6766 – Algorithm Design and Firmware Implementation for IoTSensing,NetworkConnectivity, Closed-L…
  • EEL6615 – Modern Control Systems, Theory, and IoT Applications

  or

  Quantum Specialization [starting Fall 2027]

  • CAI6866 – Advanced Quantum AI in ECE
  • EEE6429 – Advanced Quantum Computers
  • EEL5935 – Advanced Special Topics

  Any exception to the program requires the approval of the Program Director for the MS in Computer Engineering- Emerging Technologies (Online) degree program.

Admissions Requirements

Applicants for admission into the MSCE: Security program must meet the minimum University Graduate School admission criteria: 

• Applicants must have a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering, computer engineering, or a bachelor’s degree in a related STEM field from an accredited institution.

• International applicants must have studied at a US comparable institution or must have obtained the equivalency to a US degree or a bachelor’s degree in a related field and a minimum of one year of work experience in the broad areas of computer engineering and/or technology.

• Undergraduate GPA of 3.0 in the last 60 semester hours in upper-level undergraduate work.

• The College of Engineering and Computing requires all applicants to have completed MAC 1147- PreCalculus Algebra and Trigonometry AND MAC 1105 College Algebra or equivalent with a “C” or higher to be considered for this program.

International Students

• Proof of English Language Proficiency. If you earned a bachelor’s degree in a country whose official language is not English, you must demonstrate English language proficiency by earning a passing score on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or the International English Language Testing System (IELTS). TOEFL required minimum score: 550 (paper-based exam) or 80 (internet-based). IELTS required minimum score: 6.5. When requesting official scores, please refer to FIU Institution code 5206. TOEFL / IELTS scores are valid for two years. View list of TOEFL/IELTS-exempt countries.

  • Graduate programs can use the Duolingo English Test.

  • Please visit Duolingo English Test for more information about how to register for the exam.

  • FIU Minimum Duolingo English Test Score: 110

• Official Transcripts Translation. If official transcripts are not in English, a second copy of the transcript must be requested for translation. Both the official translation, as well as the original transcripts, must be submitted to FIU.

• Certified Copy of Diploma. If you obtained your degree at a foreign institution.

• As a fully online degree, this program is ineligible to grant/provide F-1 Student visas.

Admissions Documents

The following must be submitted:

• Online master’s programs application. Be sure to select Master of Science in Computer Engineering: Security.

• A resume including education, training, and employment history, practical and research experience (such as projects and publications), skills, and other pertinent information.

• A statement of objective in which the applicant must clearly state his/her intended engineering track, in addition to other information.

• Three letters of recommendation must be sent. Letters are to be from those who have knowledge of the applicant’s prior professional experience (e.g. a supervisor) or of the applicant’s ability to perform graduate work (e.g., a professor) and should attest to the applicant’s intellectual ability, motivation, maturity, and potential.

Meeting the minimum admission requirements does not guarantee admission into the program. Official transcripts/translations must be submitted directly by the respective institution(s) in electronic format or mailed in a sealed institution envelope to: 

FIU Online
Florida International University
11200 SW 8th Street, MANGO 540
Miami, FL 33199

Graduation Requirements

Students must have a minimum cumulative graduate GPA of 3.0 or greater. No grade below “C” will be accepted in a graduate program. In order to graduate in a given term, a student must submit an application for graduation to the Office of the Registrar by the appointed deadline. A graduate student must be enrolled in the term in which he or she graduates. A student denied graduation must complete the requirements for graduation and reapply for graduation.

Pursuing your degree is one of the best investments you can make — one that will open doors to personal and professional opportunities. Our tuition costs represent some of the best value in higher education, and we also offer financial aid support to reach your goals.

The cost of tuition for the academic year is $25,000. Students pay for courses at the beginning of each semester. All fees are subject to change.

Scholarship opportunities available

Academic Works

FIU offers Academic Works, a website that matches students with relevant scholarship opportunities.  Find the one that’s right for you!  Academic Works is an online scholarship application tool where FIU students can browse and apply for more than 100 scholarships, made possible by the generosity of FIU alumni and friends.  Students can apply after they are matriculated into one of our programs.  For more information visit https://give.fiu.edu/business-governance/scholarships/.

Other Resources

There are other third party resources that prospective students can access while researching on how to pay for school.  Below are various links that provide more information on financial aid and scholarship opportunities:

• FinAid
• FastWeb
• BigFuture

Federal Financial Aid

For information on Federal Financial Aid and the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), please visit our financial aid page.

Under the revised Florida Board of Governors’ (BOG) Regulation 8.002, all institutions of the State University System (SUS) of Florida are required to provide students with a side-by-side Tuition and Fees comparison for continuing education programs. The tuition comparisons are made between a traditional program vs. its counterpart Market Rate/Self-Supporting program. This approach provides students an opportunity to become aware of options that are available upon selecting a degree program of study.

Please click on the following link which will take you to a searchable database that provides the side-by-side tuition and fees comparisons for the Master of Science in Computer Engineering: Security https://continue.fiu.edu/programs/side-by-side-tuition-comparison/embed.html

Dr. Stavros Georgakopoulos
Professor

Assistant Professor Dr. Georgakopoulos joined FIU in 2007. His current research interests relate to wireless powering of portable, wearable, and implantable electromagnetic devices, applied and computational electromagnetics, RFID systems, antenna arrays, as well as novel reconfigurable, tunable, broadband, and miniaturized antennas. Prior to joining FIU, Dr. Georgakopoulos held a principal engineer position at the Research and Development Department of SV Microwave, which is part of Amphenol Corporation, one of the world’s largest manufacturers of telecommunications products.

Dr. Gustavo Chaparro-Baquero
Associate Teaching Professor

Dr. Chaparro-Baquero joined FIU as faculty member in 2018. He counts with over 20 years of experience teaching courses related to electrical and computer engineering for different engineering schools. He also has multiple publications related to real-time systems, embedded systems, computer architecture, and computer security topics. Dr. Chaparro-Baquero holds a Ph.D in Electrical and Computer Engineering from Florida International University. Additionally, he is member of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) Computer Society and the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS).

Dr. Alexander Perez-Pons
Associate Professor

Dr. Perez-Pons joined FIU in 2013. He has published numerous journal articles on real-time system, security, biometrics, and semantic link associations. As a consultant, he has worked in the private, public, and government sectors and advised in areas such as Business Intelligence, Mobile Technologies and Network Security. Dr. Perez-Pons holds a Ph.D in Electrical and Computer Engineering from the University of Miami and is a senior member of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE).

Dr. A. Selcuk Uluagac
Eminent Scholar Chaired Professor

Dr. Uluagac comes to FIU from Georgia Tech where he currently serves as the Senior Research Engineer in both the Communications Assurance and Performance Group as well as the Communications Systems Center in the school of Electrical and Computer Engineering. He plans to further his work by building, designing, and analyzing novel computing systems and collaborating on interdisciplinary projects with colleagues and faculty. As a graduate teaching assistant at Georgia Tech, he received the 2007 Outstanding ECE Graduate Teaching Assistant Award. He has also independently developed and taught courses in areas of network security, telecommunications, and wireless networks.

Dr. Kemal Akkaya
Director of Research

Dr. Akkaya brings 15 years of teaching experience to FIU, both at the graduate and undergraduate levels. While at Southern Illinois University he taught a variety of security related courses. Since his hire in 2005 at SIU, Dr. Akkaya has developed a significant research program in the area of wireless networks and security which includes founding the Advanced Wireless and Sensor Networking (ADWISE) Research Lab. Recently funded by the National Science Foundation for 300K over the next three years, Dr. Akkaya will be bringing with him a project titled   “Privacy-preserving Data Collection and Access for IEEE 802.11a-based Smart Grid Applications.”