Overview

It is based on the observation that the overall space of information security/cybersecurity challenges is not confined to one traditional topic area such as computer science but encompasses issues of (at least) software, hardware, policy, education, finance, psychology, ethics, communication, and linguistics.

Features

Students graduating from the Interdisciplinary Information Security program at Purdue University are well-prepared for a career in cybersecurity, information security, cybercrime investigation, privacy protection, security policy, or related topics.

Graduates have senior positions with federal agencies including the SEC, NASA, DoD, DoE, and US Senate staff; with notable research institutions such as MITRE and Sandia; and at commercial firms such as Amazon, Google, and Microsoft.

Programme Structure

Curriculum:

Students who are interested in a particular subject area — such as computer science or computer technology — should seek degrees in those traditional departments.

The INSC program is structured around a multidisciplinary central core of classes that give students a fundamental grounding in basic issues of cybersecurity and encryption, network security, and related topics; in technology policy issues; and in information ethics.

Thereafter, students pick courses, in consultation with their advisors, to specialize in a subarea of the field, such as cyber forensics or incident response.

They also select complementary courses in related fields to broaden their understanding of related topics (e.g., homeland security policy or general forensic science).

A Masters thesis or Ph.D. dissertation is required, showing that the student understands how to apply the course material to a real problem and then communicate the solution effectively.

Key information

Start dates & application deadlines

Starting 2027-09-24 00:00:00
- Apply before 2026-12-31 00:00:00

Language

English

TOEFL^® IBT

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Delivered

On Campus

Campus Location

West Lafayette, United States

Disciplines

Information Technology (IT) View 50 other PhDs in Information Technology (IT) in United States

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Academic requirements

GPA

GRE^®

Required

English requirements

TOEFL^® IBT

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Other requirements

General requirements

Transcripts

Recommendation Letters

Academic Statement of Purpose

Personal History Statement

Graduate Record Examination (GRE)

Writing Sample

Resume

Tuition Fees

Tuition fees are shown in and the most likely applicable fee is shown based on your nationality.

International Applies to you

Applies to you

Non-residents

29194 USD / year

≈ 29194 USD / year
Out-of-State

28794 USD / year

≈ 28794 USD / year
Domestic

Applies to you

In-State

9992 USD / year

≈ 9992 USD / year

Living costs

West Lafayette

United States

1096 - 1774 USD / month

The living costs include the total expenses per month, covering accommodation, public transportation, utilities (electricity, internet), books and groceries.

Funding

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Scholarships Information

Below you will find PhD's scholarship opportunities for Interdisciplinary Information Security.

Available Scholarships

You are eligible to apply for these scholarships but a selection process will still be applied by the provider.

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