Master of Computer and Information Science (MCIS)

Our faculty members are more than educators—they are seasoned professionals, researchers, and mentors with decades of experience in computer science, cybersecurity, engineering, and data science. Their expertise spans industry and academia, allowing them to bring real-world insights directly into the classroom.

As an MCIS student, you’ll have access to one-on-one mentorship, opportunities to collaborate on research, and the academic support needed to pursue competitive roles in tech or continue on to Ph.D. programs.

The MCIS program is designed around experiential learning, ensuring students gain knowledge and practical, career-relevant experience. Key opportunities include:

• Capstone Projects: Solve complex, real-world challenges in collaboration with faculty or industry mentors.
• Individual Research: Explore your interests in AI, cybersecurity, forensics, and more.
• Internships: Apply your skills through meaningful work experiences in public and private sector roles.

Our students have presented at prestigious conferences, including:

• IEEE International Symposium on Digital Forensics and Security
• South Carolina Academy of Sciences
• Southeast Enzyme Conference
• ACM regional and national cybersecurity events

Gain experience. Get paid. Advance your career while still in school.

USCA offers a variety of professional roles and paid opportunities to help you grow while pursuing your degree, including:

• Cyber Pacers Competition Team Scholarships
  Financial support for students who compete and excel in national-level cybersecurity contests.
• IT Helpdesk Support
  Solve real-time tech issues, assist faculty and students, and sharpen your technical and communication skills.
• On-Campus Security Operations Center (SOC)
  Dive into cybersecurity monitoring, threat detection, and incident response—all in a live training environment.
• Regional Security Operations Center (RSOC)
  Work alongside experts to perform advanced threat analysis and cyber defense for real-world organizations.
• Technology Services and Development (TSD)
  Collaborate on infrastructure upgrades, software rollouts, and critical tech initiatives across campus.
• Center for Cyber Innovation and Awareness (CCIA)
  Lead awareness campaigns, educational workshops, and projects that strengthen cybersecurity literacy campus-wide.

Your education doesn’t stop at lectures. MCIS students benefit from direct access to advanced labs, cybersecurity centers, and research environments, including:

• One of only seven National Labs hosted on a university campus
• The Center for Cyber Initiatives and Awareness (CCIA-AI)
• The Regional Security Operations Center (RSOC)
• The HPC / Multi-scale Modeling Lab for high-performance computing and complex simulations

These facilities give you access to tools and environments used by global researchers, Fortune 500 companies, and government agencies.

We believe cost should never be a barrier to opportunity. That’s why USCA proudly stands among South Carolina’s most affordable universities in the STEM field.

We offer:

• Competitive scholarships and grants
• Graduate assistantships that allow you to work and earn
• Flexible scheduling designed for working professionals
• On-campus and remote employment opportunities

Our goal is to help you invest in your future, without being burdened by overwhelming student debt.

Be the go-to tech hero for students and faculty. In this frontline IT support role, you’ll assist with troubleshooting hardware, software, and connectivity issues across campus. It’s the perfect place to sharpen your communication, problem-solving, and technical support skills while making a visible impact in the university community.

Step inside a live cyber defense environment. Monitor real-time network activity, detect threats, and help manage incident response procedures. Working in our campus SOC puts you at the core of cybersecurity operations, giving you direct experience with the tools and protocols professionals use worldwide.

Contribute to real-world cybersecurity defense strategies. In this advanced role, you’ll collaborate with peers and mentors to perform proactive threat analysis, vulnerability assessments, and defense simulations. You’ll support actual regional organizations while gaining highly valued experience in the cybersecurity job market.

Help shape the future of campus technology. Join a team responsible for maintaining and upgrading university systems—from networking infrastructure to software enhancements. You’ll work on cross-departmental IT projects and learn how large-scale tech environments are designed, secured, and sustained.

Be a voice for cybersecurity education and outreach. This role lets you combine technical skills with creative thinking. You’ll help run workshops, develop awareness campaigns, and build engaging content that educates others on digital safety, cyber hygiene, and modern threat landscapes.