Transformational Leadershipin Cybersecurity
CYBERSECURITY LEADERSHIP HAS CHANGED
The Executive Masters of Professional Studies in Transformational Leadership in Cybersecurity at George Washington University is an executive leadership experience designed for accomplished cyber and technology professionals whose roles extend far beyond the traditional boundaries of cybersecurity.
executive-level coursework
applied learning
immersive experiences
engagement with senior leaders across industry, government, and policy
This program prepares participants to lead across the enterprise with greater influence, judgment, and strategic impact.
Rather than focusing primarily on technical cybersecurity education, the Executive MPS develops the broader leadership capabilities senior cyber executives need today, preparing them to become board-ready, crisis-ready, policy-ready, and enterprise-ready leaders.
Board-ready
Crisis-ready
Policy-ready
Enterprise-ready
CYBER LEADERS TODAY
The New Mandate for Cyber Leadership
Cyber risk has moved beyond the technology function and into the boardroom, the C-suite, regulatory environments, public policy, enterprise investment, organizational resilience, and public accountability.
Yet most cybersecurity education continues to focus primarily on technical capabilities, tools, and compliance. Executive seminars may address leadership, but often as short-term experiences. Traditional master's programs are frequently designed for professionals much earlier in their careers.
The Executive MPS in Transformational Leadership in Cybersecurity fills a different need.
Built specifically for experienced cyber leaders, the program develops the executive capabilities required to operate at the intersection of cybersecurity, enterprise strategy, governance, policy, politics, risk, emerging technology, and organizational leadership.
The goal is not simply to make you a stronger cybersecurity professional.
Built for Senior Cyber Leaders
This Executive Cyber MPS brings together a selective community of accomplished cybersecurity and technology leaders ready to expand their influence, strengthen their executive leadership capabilities, and lead across the enterprise.
Participants typically bring 10+ years of cybersecurity or technology leadership experience and a strong understanding of the technical dimensions of cybersecurity. At GW, they develop the broader capabilities required to lead across the enterprise—where cybersecurity decisions increasingly intersect with boards, regulators, policymakers, investors, customers, the media, and other critical stakeholders.
This program begins where traditional technical cybersecurity education ends.
Who This Program Is ForCISOs and Deputy CISOs
Senior cybersecurity and technology executives
CISO-track leaders preparing for broader enterprise responsibility
Government, defense, federal, and national-security cyber leaders
Executives operating in regulated, high-visibility, mission-critical, or complex organizational environments
Learn From Leaders Who Have Been in the Room
The Executive Cyber MPS faculty include senior practitioners and accomplished leaders with deep experience across cybersecurity, technology, executive leadership, government, policy, regulation, national security, communications, and organizational transformation.
They bring the realities of the boardroom, C-suite, government, and industry into the learning experience—connecting academic rigor with the judgment that comes from leading through complex, consequential situations.
Participants learn not simply about executive cybersecurity leadership, but with leaders who have practiced it.
Meet the FacultyFrom Cybersecurity Leader to Enterprise Leader
The Executive MPS is built around the capabilities senior cyber executives increasingly need to lead organizations through complexity, disruption, and change.
Through the program, executives develop their ability to:
Lead in the Boardroom
Translate technical cyber risk into fiduciary, financial, operational, reputational, and institutional terms—and communicate effectively with boards and senior executives.
Navigate Policy, Regulation & Geopolitics
Understand the legal, legislative, regulatory, political, and geopolitical forces shaping enterprise cybersecurity decisions.
Lead Through Crisis & Public Scrutiny
Make and defend consequential decisions during high-visibility incidents while navigating regulators, the media, boards, and competing stakeholder demands.
Shape Enterprise Risk & Investment
Connect cybersecurity priorities to enterprise risk appetite, resilience, capital allocation, and organizational strategy.
Govern AI & Emerging Technology
Evaluate emerging technologies through the lenses of governance, ethics, regulation, geopolitical exposure, and institutional responsibility.
Build Influence & Drive Transformation
Navigate organizational power, build executive coalitions, influence without formal authority, and lead enterprise-wide cybersecurity transformation.
An Executive Curriculum for a New Era of Cyber Leadership
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The curriculum moves beyond technical cybersecurity instruction to address the environments in which senior cyber leaders actually operate.
Coursework explores cyberlaw and ethical AI, enterprise risk and political dynamics, geopolitical cyber intelligence, emerging technology, enterprise architecture, organizational power and influence, boardroom governance, crisis leadership, and executive communications.
The experience culminates in a Cybersecurity Leadership Practicum and Executive Cybersecurity Capstone, allowing participants to apply their learning directly to consequential challenges within their own organizations and defend executive-level strategies grounded in real institutional realities.
Explore the Curriculum & CoursesDesigned around the schedules of working executives, the program combines online learning and live engagement with immersive, in-person executive experiences.
Leadership Through Experience
Transformational leadership requires practice—and the opportunity to learn alongside other accomplished leaders.
GW's Washington, DC location becomes a living leadership laboratory, placing executives close to the institutions, policymakers, regulators, national-security leaders, and industry decision-makers shaping cybersecurity strategy and public accountability.
Just as important is who participants experience the program with. The Executive MPS brings together a selective cohort of senior cybersecurity and technology leaders who contribute their own experiences, perspectives, and challenges to the learning environment. Through residencies, executive conversations, shared experiences, and peer-to-peer learning, participants build trusted relationships with leaders facing many of the same high-stakes decisions—creating a professional network and executive community designed to extend well beyond graduation.
High-impact residencies move participants beyond discussion and into executive decision-making under pressure.
The Cyber Catalyst Leadership Table
Residencies also feature the Cyber Catalyst Leadership Table, a signature executive conversation bringing participants together with faculty, mentors, Advisory Council members, senior executives, and corporate partners to examine the changing scope, influence, and responsibility of the cyber executive.
MOVE BEYOND PROTECTING THE ENTERPRISE...
A PROGRAM INFORMED BY INDUSTRY, BUILT FOR WHAT COMES NEXT
Cybersecurity changes too quickly for an executive program to remain static.
The Executive Cyber MPS is supported by an Advisory Council of senior leaders and industry experts who extend the program's executive perspective, industry reach, mentoring capacity, and experiential learning network.
Their engagement helps keep the program connected to the changing realities facing cyber leaders—from emerging technologies and geopolitical shifts to evolving regulation, enterprise risk, workforce challenges, and new expectations of the CISO.
Together with faculty, mentors, and industry partners, the Advisory Council helps create an executive ecosystem designed around where cyber leadership is going—not where it has been.
Develop the Leaders Your Organization Will Need Next
The Executive Cyber MPS provides organizations with a powerful mechanism for developing, retaining, and preparing senior cybersecurity talent.
For employers, the Executive Cyber MPS is an investment in developing the next generation of enterprise cyber leadership—strengthening CISO succession, organizational resilience, and the leadership capacity needed to navigate an increasingly complex cybersecurity landscape.
Organizations can sponsor current senior leaders, develop high-potential CISO-track talent, and engage with the broader executive community through opportunities such as residencies, mentoring, thought leadership, applied organizational projects, and the Cyber Catalyst Leadership Table.
The result is development that creates value not only for the executive—but for the organization they lead.
Explore Corporate Partnerships and SponsorshipBuild the Skills You Need Now with Executive Micro-Certificates
For experienced cyber leaders seeking focused development without committing to the full degree, GW offers three residency-based Executive Micro-Certificates aligned with key areas of the Executive MPS curriculum.
Enterprise Cyber
Risk & Political- Regulatory Strategy
Strengthen executive capabilities in cyber risk, regulation, governance, and investment.
Cyber Organizational Power & Change Leadership
Build the influence, organizational insight, and leadership skills needed to drive enterprise transformation.
Cyber Board, Crisis & Public Accountability Leadership
Prepare to lead confidently with boards and through high-stakes crises, media scrutiny, and public accountability.
Each 6-credit micro-certificate can be completed independently for targeted executive upskilling or provide a pathway toward the Executive MPS in Transformational Leadership in Cybersecurity. Stack all three to build 18 graduate credits toward the degree, subject to GW admission and academic policies.
MOVE BEYOND PROTECTING THE ENTERPRISE...
Help shape its future.
The cyber leaders of the next decade will not be defined only by what they know about cybersecurity. They will be defined by their ability to govern through uncertainty, influence across institutions, communicate under pressure, navigate competing interests, and lead transformation at enterprise scale.
The Executive MPS in Transformational Leadership in Cybersecurity is designed for a select group of experienced leaders ready for that next level of responsibility.
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