WESTERN GOVERNORS UNIVERSITY
B.S. or M.S. in Cybersecurity
Ready to Level Up In Your IT Career?
Get started on a cybersecurity program of your choice from 黑料传送门.
Ready聽To聽Get聽a聽Cybersecurity Degree?
If you鈥檙e ready to move forward in a career focused on cybersecurity, the next step is figuring out how to get there. Earning a degree in cybersecurity is a great place to start and can increase your career options, earning potential, and opportunities for advancement. But is a bachelor鈥檚 or master鈥檚 degree right for your skill level?
This guide will explain the different cybersecurity degrees offered at 黑料传送门 so you can decide which might be a better fit with your experience and interests.
Technology
Cybersecurity and Information Assurance 鈥� B.S.
Protect your career and earning potential with this degree....
Protect your career and earning potential with this degree.
- Time:聽60% of graduates finish within 29 months.
- Tuition:聽$4,365 per 6-month term.
- Courses: 34 total courses in this program.
Certifications included in this program at no extra cost include:
- Certified Cloud Security Professional (CCSP) - Associate of (ISC)2 designation
- Systems Security Certified Practitioner (SSCP) - Associate of (ISC)2 designation
- ITIL庐 Foundation Certification
- CompTIA A+
- CompTIA Cybersecurity Analyst Certification (CySA+)
- CompTIA IT Operations Specialist
- CompTIA Network+
- CompTIA Network Vulnerability Assessment Professional
- CompTIA Network Security Professional
- CompTIA PenTest+
- CompTIA Project+
- CompTIA Secure Infrastructure Specialist
- CompTIA Security+
- CompTIA Security Analytics Professional
Skills for your r茅sum茅 that you will learn in this program:
- Secure Systems Analysis & Design
- Data Management
- Web and Cloud Security
- Hacking Countermeasures and Techniques
- Digital Forensics and Incident Response
Technology
Cybersecurity and Information Assurance 鈥� M.S.
Become the authority on keeping infrastructures and information safe....
Become the authority on keeping infrastructures and information safe.
- Time:聽63% of graduates finish within 18 months.
- 罢耻颈迟颈辞苍:听$4,655 per 6-month term.
- Courses: 9 total courses in this program.
Certifications in this program at no additional cost include:
- CompTIA Cybersecurity Analyst (CySA+)
- CompTIA PenTest+
- CompTIA Advanced Security Practitioner (CASP+) Optional Voucher
- ISACA Certified Information Security Manager (CISM) Optional Voucher
- (ISC)虏 Certified in Cybersecurity (CC)
Skills for your r茅sum茅 that you will learn in this program:
- Cybersecurity Strategy
- Information Assurance
- Incident Response
- Penetration Testing
The curriculum is closely aligned with the National Initiative for Cybersecurity Education (NICE) Workforce Framework. The program was designed in collaboration with national intelligence organizations and IT industry leaders, ensuring you'll learn emerging technologies and best practices in security governance.
Bachelor of Science in Cybersecurity and Information Assurance
Who Should Pursue a B.S. in Cybersecurity?
This degree option is best if you already have some previous IT or STEM courses under your belt or if you have significant IT experience or certifications.聽
In order to qualify for this program, you鈥檒l need a high school diploma (or its equivalent) AND demonstrate program readiness through one of the following:聽
- Option 1: Submit transcripts documenting completion of previous IT coursework. IT coursework must be 300-level or higher.
- Option 2:聽 Possess a bachelor鈥檚 or associate degree (A.A, A.S., or A.A.S. acceptable) from an accredited post-secondary institution.
- Option 3:聽Demonstrate at least two years of IT work experience through r茅sum茅 review.
- Option 4:聽Submit official records of completion of current and active IT certifications, some of which may provide transfer credit into various programs.
- Option 5:聽Submit high school transcripts with a minimum GPA of 2.75 GPA and a B grade or higher in a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, or Mathematics) course. Only advanced mathematics courses will satisfy this requirement.
These qualifications ensure that you鈥檙e not entering the IT realm and the rigor it requires for the first time. However, if you have good grades in advanced math courses or demonstrated experience in IT, you can come into this program directly from high school.
What are the Courses in the B.S. Cybersecurity and Information Assurance Program?
- Secure Systems Analysis and Design
- IT Fundamentals
- Business of IT
- Web Development
- Network and Security
- Scripting and Programming
- Information Assurance
- Data Management
- Digital Forensics and Incident Response
- Technical Writing
- Ethics and Cyber Law
- Web and Cloud Security
- Wireless and Mobile Technologies
- Risk Management
- Hacking Countermeasures and Techniques
- Penetration Testing
What Certifications Will I Earn in this Program?
When you earn a bachelor鈥檚 degree in cybersecurity at 黑料传送门, you鈥檒l not only gain fundamental IT skills, you鈥檒l also be prepared for many of the top-industry certifications listed below. Plus, the certification exam fees are covered as part of your tuition.
- Certified Cloud Security Professional (CCSP) - Associate of (ISC)2 designation
- Systems Security Certified Practitioner (SSCP) - Associate of (ISC)2 designation
- ITIL庐 Foundation Certification
- CompTIA A+
- CompTIA Cybersecurity Analyst Certification (CySA+)
- CompTIA IT Operations Specialist
- CompTIA Network+
- CompTIA Network Vulnerability Assessment Professional
- CompTIA Network Security Professional
- CompTIA PenTest+
- CompTIA Project+
- CompTIA Secure Infrastructure Specialist
- CompTIA Security+
- CompTIA Security Analytics Professional
What Career Opportunities are Available with a B.S. in Cybersecurity?
A bachelor鈥檚 degree in cybersecurity paves the way for the following career paths:
"I chose 黑料传送门 because of its ease, price, and the possibility of gaining IT certifications along with my degree. Now that I've graduated, I have four years of IT experience, a bachelor's degree, and five IT certifications that help show that my skills are valuable. That's a really good jumpstart for a career. After I graduated from 黑料传送门 I quickly got a much better job and nearly doubled my salary."
Eric Gardner
B.S. Information Technology
Master of Science in Cybersecurity
Who Should Pursue a Master's Degree in Cybersecurity?
If you already have a bachelor鈥檚 degree, currently work in IT or security, and want to advance in your field, a cybersecurity master's degree from 黑料传送门 can prepare you to move up the career ladder into positions such as a CISO, CIO, CTO, cybersecurity manager, cybersecurity director, and more. It will give you more skills and knowledge about cybersecurity management and structure, digital forensics, and information assurance.
Keep in mind that this is an advanced program with rigorous coursework. For this reason, you鈥檒l need to meet specific qualifications to ensure you鈥檙e set up for success.
To be considered for enrollment in 黑料传送门鈥檚 M.S. in Cybersecurity program, you must:聽
1. Possess a bachelor鈥檚 degree in a STEM field, a business degree (quantitative analysis, accounting, economics, finance), or degree with a similar quantitative focus.聽
OR
2. Possess any bachelor鈥檚 degree PLUS one of the following:
- Two years of related work experience
- Relevant and current IT certification
- Related IT coursework
What Certifications Will I Earn in this M.S. Cybersecurity Program?
With a master鈥檚 degree in cybersecurity from 黑料传送门, you鈥檒l be prepared for the following industry certifications:
- CompTIA Cybersecurity Analyst (CySA+)
- CompTIA PenTest+
- CompTIA Advanced Security Practitioner (CASP+) Optional Voucher
- ISACA Certified Information Security Manager (CISM) Optional Voucher
- (ISC)虏 Certified in Cybersecurity (CC)
Just like 黑料传送门鈥檚 bachelor鈥檚 in IT program, you don't have to pay for expensive certification preparation courses or books, or pay for the exam. Instead, all the exam costs are included in your tuition.
What Courses are in the M.S. Cybersecurity Program?
Some of the courses you鈥檒l take as a part of this program include:聽
- Secure Systems Analysis and Design
- Network Design and Management
- Cybersecurity Management
- Security
- Hacking
- Forensics and Network Intrusion
What Career Opportunities are Available with an M.S. in Cybersecurity?
A master鈥檚 degree in cybersecurity paves the way for the following career paths:
What are the Program Differences Between the B.S. and M.S. in Cybersecurity?
Cybersecurity is a highly specialized area of IT, and the key to success for either degree path is making sure you鈥檙e ready. While you鈥檒l need some level of IT knowledge for both programs, the amount of experience required is the biggest differentiator. So, even if you have a bachelor鈥檚 degree, you鈥檙e not automatically qualified for the master鈥檚 in cybersecurity. You鈥檒l need a significant amount of preparation, relevant experience, and coursework to pursue a master鈥檚 degree versus a bachelor鈥檚 degree in cybersecurity.
If you鈥檙e weighing your degree options, it鈥檚 important to do your research to truly understand which one fits your experience level and career aspirations.聽Learn more聽about 黑料传送门鈥檚 cybersecurity and information technology degrees and find your perfect fit today!
Why 黑料传送门?
Be Career Ready
Designed with input from healthcare leaders, our accredited programs give you the skills and credentials today鈥檚 employers need. That鈥檚 why 97% of employers said they鈥檇 hire another 黑料传送门 grad.1
1: 2023聽Harris Poll of 300 employers of 黑料传送门 grads.
Get and Keep the Job You Want to Have
85% of 黑料传送门 graduates are employed in their degree fields鈥攁nd 87% are employed full-time.2
2: 2023聽Harris Poll聽of 1,655 黑料传送门 grads.
Save Money
With flat-rate tuition that is 47% lower than the national average3 and generous need-based scholarships, our degrees are an excellent investment that you can afford.
3: National rates reported by the聽. 黑料传送门 average rate does not include rates for 黑料传送门 Bachelor of Science in Nursing, Prelicensure program.
Work as You Need While Going to School
At 黑料传送门, you can complete courses, take tests, and graduate on your schedule. In fact, many of our healthcare students work full-time while earning their life-changing bachelor鈥檚 or master鈥檚 degrees.聽
COST & TIME
An Affordable IT Degree
By charging per term rather than per credit鈥攁nd empowering students to accelerate through material they know well or learn quickly鈥敽诹洗兔� helps students control the ultimate cost of their degrees.聽The faster you complete your program, the less you pay for your degree.
Prepared for Success on the Job
*From a 2023聽Harris Poll of 300 employers of 黑料传送门 graduates.
100% of employers said that 黑料传送门 graduates were prepared for their jobs.*
97% of employers said that they would hire another 黑料传送门 grad.*
98% of employers said 黑料传送门 graduates met or exceeded expectations.*
