Master of Engineering in Cloud Computing Management: Program Quick Facts

Completion Time: Approximately 2 years
Delivery: 100% online
Total Credits: 30 credits
Cost Per Credit: $1,195
Total Tuition Cost: $35,850

Help Businesses Manage Unprecedented Cloud Complexity

In 2019, the average business leveraged more than 1,295 unique cloud services with some larger organizations using up to 3,0001. While the cloud offers a number of key business benefits, the scale and complexity of modern cloud computing also creates challenges. Organizations seeking to optimize their use of the cloud need well-defined strategies for integrating multiple services from different vendors along with a comprehensive agenda for protecting and governing data stored in cloud, on-premises and in hybrid environments — all while ensuring high reliability and availability, along with low latency.

The GW online Master of Engineering in Cloud Computing Management is designed to help graduates navigate the complexities of business cloud computing and guide their organizations toward adopting effective multi-cloud and hybrid cloud strategies. Graduates of this program will be able to answer questions like:

  • Which of our business applications are best suited for cloud environments?
  • How can we manage migrating key systems and software to the cloud with minimal disruption?
  • How do we build data governance practices when leveraging multiple cloud providers, on-premises infrastructure and hybrid cloud architecture?
  • How can we keep operational costs low as we leverage an increasing number of cloud services?

The cloud computing management master’s program from GW is well-suited for business and IT professionals who want to expand their technical skills along with their business and leadership acumen.

A Cloud Computing Degree Designed to Build Cloud Leaders

The online Master of Engineering in Cloud Computing Management is a STEM-focused, multidisciplinary degree that prepares graduates for managing the unprecedented complexity of business cloud computing systems and services. The program combines knowledge of cloud computing systems and architecture, business processes, management, security and data analytics — preparing students to solve challenges related to cloud migrations and answer the question, “What’s next?” for their organizations.

The cloud computing management master’s program is designed for business and IT professionals who are passionate about the potential of cloud computing and want to play a key role in transforming their organizations for the digital, cloud service-driven future.

Some of the key areas covered in the curriculum include:

  • Cloud applications architecture
  • Computer architecture and design
  • Big data and cloud computing
  • Applied machine learning for engineers
  • Cloud migration strategy

The program prepares graduates to manage increasingly complex business technology environments, often consisting of combining multiple cloud services, on-premises infrastructure and numerous interconnection services in order to make data transferable between each of these environments. Graduates will be equipped to guide migration strategies, manage multi-cloud environments, and optimize cloud architecture for performance, security and reliability.

Admissions

The online Master of Engineering in Cloud Computing Management enables business and IT professionals to hone their technical and management skills. Students will gain an understanding of cloud architecture, applications and key trends, while learning how to assert their knowledge into promising business decision-making.

Considering the program’s flexibility, it is accessible to professionals from both technical and non-technical backgrounds. Applicants should, however, still be capable of showcasing their STEM aptitude through a combination of work, life and academic experiences.

Ideal candidates for the cloud computing management program will meet the following requirements:

  • Bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution.
  • Minimum GPA of B- (2.7 on a 4.0 scale) or higher.
  • Applicants with less than a 2.7 GPA are welcome to apply and may be accepted conditionally based on a holistic review of application materials.

Note: GW considers a candidate’s entire background when reaching an admissions decision. Applicants who do not meet these requirements may still be eligible for admission and their records will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis. Please contact an admissions counselor for more information.

Application Materials

To expedite our review of your application for admission, please order your official transcripts and prepare all other materials to submit at the same time as your application. All supporting material must be submitted no later than 45 days from the date of application or the application deadline for the semester for which you are applying.

Complete application packets include:

  • Completed Application There is no application fee for this program. When completing the application form, you will also need to upload your resume and statement of purpose.
    • Resume or CV: Upload your up-to-date resume or C.V.
    • Statement of Purpose: In 250 words or less, state your purpose in undertaking graduate study at the George Washington University. Describe your academic objectives, research interests and career plans; present your related qualifications including collegiate, professional and community activities and any other substantial accomplishments not previously mentioned.
  • Official Transcripts: Official transcripts are required from all institutions attended to complete the application packet. More information on transcript requirements can be found on the transcript policy page.
  • Letters of Recommendation: Three letters of recommendation are required for admission. At least two of these letters must come from a professional reference. Please download the letter of recommendation form, fill out the top portion and email the form to the individual providing the recommendation. A letter of recommendation is only considered official when it is sent from the individual providing the recommendation and delivered directly to an admissions counselor via email at onlinecybersec@gwu.edu or via fax at (888) 245-5409. Submissions directly from applicants will not be accepted.
  • GRE Scores: GRE scores are recommended.

If you’re applying from outside the U.S., please see international student admissions information for additional requirements.

Transfer Credit

Academic credit earned at another institution will not be transferred into any online graduate program offered through the Online Engineering Programs.

Curriculum

The Master of Engineering in Cloud Computing Management offers a comprehensive curriculum, covering the technical aspects of cloud computing and related trends like big data, as well as the business skills to implement cloud migration and governance strategies.

The program is designed for current and aspiring business and IT leaders who want to hone their expertise with a focus on cloud architecture, applications and data. Graduates of the program will be able to effectively optimize current cloud deployments, better plan for future investments in cloud technology and manage cloud migrations of any scale.

The online format offers the advantage of synchronous or asynchronous delivery, allowing students the flexibility to study when and where it works best for their situations. While students are encouraged to attend and participate, all live lectures are recorded and can be viewed at a later time if needed.

M.Eng. in Cloud Computing Management Required Courses

Overview of cybersecurity and privacy, including cryptography, authentication, malware, viruses, network security, anonymity, privacy and online privacy, risk management. Common cyberattacks and techniques for detection and defense. Policy and legal perspectives for managing cybersecurity missions supporting the private sector and government. Cyber technologies as applied to the stability of global information and communications infrastructure; government cybersecurity policies.

Introduction to cloud application design guidelines and software patterns. The course will provide a survey of cloud services and how they can be used to construct scalable, secure cloud applications. Students will learn to understand trade-offs in cloud application design such as selecting container vs virtual machine deployments, monolithic vs microservice application architectures, as well as new paradigms such as serverless computing. Students will evaluate cloud application architectures and communication frameworks to understand their reliability, efficiency, performance and security.

Security concerns and best practices for cloud computing and cloud services; cloud computing architectures, risk issues and legal topics; data security; internal and external clouds; information security frameworks and operations guidelines.

Development and management of effective security systems. Includes information, personnel and physical security. Emphasis on risk analysis for information protection.

Advanced topics in protection of information assets and systems, including authentication, asset control, security models and kernels, physical security, personnel security, operational security, administrative security, security configuration management, and resource control. Prerequisite: EMSE 6540.

Methods for detecting problems with unauthorized activity in information systems and management challenges associated with those activities. Prerequisite: EMSE 6540

Problems in managing projects; project management as planning, organizing, directing and monitoring; project and corporate organizations; duties and responsibilities; the project plan; schedule, cost, earned-value and situation analysis; leadership; team building; conflict management; meetings, presentations and proposals.

Introduction to different approaches of maintaining compliance in cloud. Theory, methodology and procedures related to cloud computing; proper audit procedures for discovering system vulnerabilities; documenting findings according to the standards of compliance-based auditing. Explore the legal and regulatory environments related to cloud computing concerns. Formulate policy and conduct analysis for the prevention of intrusions, attacks and threats to cloud data. Gain an understanding of the value provided by regulatory, policy and compliance guidelines in addition to pure technology options. Prerequisite: ECE 6132

An analysis of migrating tradition IT services to a cloud-based environment. This course will help students analyze the technical and business considerations necessary to develop an effective cloud migration strategy for an organization. Students will use a decision analysis framework to prioritize applications for migration to the cloud, discuss how cloud migration affects operations and staffing and analyze the pros and cons of different migration approaches (i.e., lift and shift, refactoring, redevelopment, retirement). This course introduces a framework for choosing the “best fit” cloud approach for your organization, including decision models for selecting from cloud service models (i.e., IaaS, PaaS, SaaS), deployment models (i.e., private/on-premise, community, public, hybrid), emerging cloud models and options for multi-cloud service brokerage. Prerequisite: ECE 6132

This course covers a wide range of topics related to big data and cloud computing, including data centers, virtualization, as well as system-level issues on performance, energy efficiency, reliability, scalability and security.

Program Learning Objectives

The cloud computing master’s degree has been designed to give graduates an understanding of cloud computing service models, the technical aspects of cloud systems and the business leadership skills to shape cloud strategies of any scale. The following learning objectives guide the design and structure of the program:

  • Understand the latest cloud computing trends
  • Develop an end-to-end cloud strategy
  • Manage your organization’s migration to cloud and its associated risks
  • Leverage cloud computing to extend your computing environment
  • Understand and manage machine learning trends with cloud computing
  • Apply cloud solutions to enterprise challenges

Interested in learning more? Fill out the form on this page to download a free brochure.

1Netskope Cloud Report — August 2019