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Maryville University Master of Science in Cybersecurity | OnlineMaryville University Master of Science in Cybersecurity | OnlineMaryville University Master of Science in Cybersecurity | Online
We are a tech-forward and future-focused university that has been disrupting higher education for over 150 years. Our online cybersecurity master’s program can help prepare you for the changing role of cybersecurity professionals by equipping you with the hard and soft skills that employers desire.We are a tech-forward and future-focused university that has been disrupting higher education for over 150 years. Our online cybersecurity master’s program can help prepare you for the changing role of cybersecurity professionals by equipping you with the hard and soft skills that employers desire.We are a tech-forward and future-focused university that has been disrupting higher education for over 150 years. Our online cybersecurity master’s program can help prepare you for the changing role of cybersecurity professionals by equipping you with the hard and soft skills that employers desire.
Prepare for your future with an outcomes-focused master’s in cybersecurity
Expert cybersecurity professionals are in high demand as public, private and nonprofit organizations race to stay ahead of the latest threats. As the need for auditing, protection and troubleshooting grows and cybersecurity budgets soar, now is the perfect time to capitalize on this critical global need.
Our online master’s in cybersecurity can help you reach areas of the industry a bachelor’s degree typically can’t, including management and the C-suite. When you earn your master’s in cybersecurity from Maryville University, you can grow your cybersecurity credentials with in-demand technical skills, knowledge of vital business concepts and industry-relevant certifications such as CISSP, ECSA, ECES, CISA, CCSP, and Splunk Core Certified Power User.
Top career skills you can develop in our online cybersecurity program:
- Auditing
- Troubleshooting
- Operating systems
- Risk analysis
- Governance
- Advanced pen testing
Graduate in as few as 12 months.
Learn from case studies pulled from the latest headlines.
Complete coursework using the Maryville Virtual Lab, which was distinguished by Apple for mobile innovation.
Prepare for certifications while you complete your degree: ECSA, ECES, Splunk, CISA, CCSP, and CISSP.
Why choose Maryville for your online master’s in cybersecurity?
Your success in the field of computer science depends on details and decisions. Maryville University is uniquely prepared to help you learn the technical intricacies of cybersecurity and turn them into strategies that protect precious data.
For example, the Maryville Virtual Lab is a course delivery system that doubles as a virtual training ground. From any device, anywhere, you can hone your skills in a safe and protected environment.
Most of our faculty members work in cybersecurity, which keeps us directly connected with the marketplace. They know the industry’s highest expectations because they’ve seen them firsthand in their positions in Fortune 500 companies, law enforcement and intelligence agencies. That’s why they have built six industry-relevant certifications into the course curriculum — to help give you the competitive edge you need to succeed.
Become integral to your organization’s success
Our online cybersecurity master’s program, which is part of the John E. Simon School of Business, can help prepare you for the changing role of cybersecurity professionals by equipping you with the hard and soft skills that employers desire. Aspire to sit shoulder to shoulder with top decision makers. Make your cybersecurity policies and strategies an integral part of the business.
Experts in cybersecurity are increasingly taking on larger roles in their organizations, even in the C-suite. As technology plays an increasing role in the business world, the CIO role is evolving from a technology expert to more of a business strategist.
Project-based learning
Maryville University is known for its cybersecurity program that has its own innovative, student-run and faculty-managed operations center named the Cybersecurity Center for Excellence. The Center provides a wide range of free services such as cyber defense, computer networking and security management to non-profit organizations in the St. Louis region including:
- Mathews-Dickey Boys’ & Girls’ Club
- American Cancer Society
- Habitat for Humanity
- Salvation Army
Professional partnerships
Maryville partners with corporate and civic organizations in the greater St. Louis region and beyond to provide students with opportunities to experience hands-on involvement in real-world projects. Partners of the university include:
- Jackie Joyner-Kersee Foundation
- PNC Financial Services
- World Wide Technology
- TD Ameritrade / Charles Schwab
- Mastercard
What can I do with an online master’s in cybersecurity?
The job outlook for cybersecurity professionals is exceptional. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) projects the demand for information security analysts to grow 32% from 2022 to 2032, much faster than the average for all occupations.1
This growth is driven by the need for organizations of all kinds, from financial institutions and healthcare systems to small- and medium-size businesses, to protect their information infrastructure as more and more transactions take place in the cloud.
Pursue your career in cybersecurity and become a:
- Chief information security officer
- Chief information officer
- Network architect
- Information security manager
- Security engineer
- Chief technology officer
- Security consultant
- Director of security
You have job opportunities in the following areas of business:
- Government
- Intelligence
- Finance
- Information technology
- Large corporations
What is the median cybersecurity salary?
Cybersecurity professionals earn a range of salaries that vary depending on location, industry, education and experience. Here’s a look at the median salaries for a few careers, according to 2022 BLS data:
Gain incentives beyond a cybersecurity degree salary
Salary numbers demonstrate the value of an online master’s degree in cybersecurity. Top earners in the field earn well into the six figures. But information professionals often enjoy the additional perks of a competitive marketplace and a modern work environment. Business News Daily reports that today’s employers offer unique benefits to top talent, including complimentary meals, company gyms, massage therapists, and in-house health services.
How does an online cybersecurity program prepare you for the workforce?
Our curriculum makes the difference.
As a student in our program, you’ll spend half of your time in core courses focused on IT management, cyber defense, problem solving and cybersecurity incident response, to name a few. In addition, you’ll have a choice of two focus areas: Technical or Business/Leadership.
Our Technical elective courses focus on network security, mobile device hacking and forensics, security log management and more. Courses in this track prepare you to take the CEH, CCSP, ECES and Splunk professional certifications. These courses can prepare you for roles such as chief technology officer (CTO), security analyst, penetration tester, network architect, information security crime investigator and security engineer.
Our Business/Leadership elective courses cover such topics as the principles of cybersecurity auditing, data security and analysis, risk analysis and metrics, cloud migration and more. These courses prepare you to take the Security+, CISA and CYSA+ professional certifications. Business/Leadership-focused courses are designed to prepare you for roles including chief information security officer (CISO), chief security officer (CSO), information security auditor, cybersecurity training and development director and information security director.
You’ll develop your skills by completing assignments designed to address real-world issues facing cybersecurity professionals today. Gone are the days of 3–5-page papers. They are replaced by active discussions, presentations, position papers and analyses.
You’ll also be able to gain hands-on experience in CyberCOE, a next-generation learning center where students provide cost-free cybersecurity services to a wide range of clients, including nonprofit organizations, charities, schools and small businesses.
Why choose a distance learning master’s in cybersecurity vs. a computer science degree?
As technology advances and more and more devices go online — from cars to kitchen appliances to election systems — the need for well-trained cybersecurity professionals with the skills to protect these systems continues to grow. A Master of Cybersecurity can prepare you to meet these changing threats and find success in a high-demand field.
Higher income potential
Cybersecurity workers earn a median salary premium of $112,000 per year.7
Exciting opportunities
Your cybersecurity master’s degree can help you qualify for high-growth jobs. U.S. News & World Report ranks “information security analyst” third on its list of Best Technology Jobs of 2024,8 among other high-growth positions such as data scientist and IT manager.
The Maryville online master’s in cybersecurity curriculum
Our online master’s in cybersecurity features a curriculum designed to help you improve your technical skill set, hone your expertise and gain industry-relevant certifications. Pursue professional credentials such as:
- EC Council-Certified Security Analyst (ECSA)
- EC Council-Certified Encryption Specialist (ECES)
- Splunk Core Certified Power User
- Certified Information Systems Auditor (CISA)
- Certified Cloud Security Professional (CCSP)
- Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP)
You can further customize your master’s degree experience by pursuing one of two focus areas: Business/Leadership or Technical. Whether it’s cybersecurity governance and information security management, ethical hacking and network security policies, or security operations management and research, you’ll have the opportunity to gain the specialized knowledge to pursue the career you want.
Because our program is housed in the John E. Simon School of Business, you can develop a great business sense, too. Learn more on our curriculum page.
Grow your career on offense and defense
To become an expert, you must be well-versed in offensive and defensive techniques. We teach you both. Courses such as Mobile Device Hacking and Forensics give you firsthand knowledge of the types of threats you may see in your career. And courses such as Controls for Effective Cyber Defense and Cybersecurity Incident Response and Examination can prepare you to build defensive and preventive strategies.
Learn the legal side, too
Our online master’s in cybersecurity program teaches more than technical skills. In our Legal Aspects of Privacy and Compliance course, you’ll get the opportunity to study questions of jurisdiction, regulation of online speech, privacy, security and intellectual property.
Meet our master’s in cybersecurity program director
Clifford Wilke
Program Coordinator for Center PoC
Graduate Cybersecurity
Instructor of Graduate Cybersecurity
Contact Info
Phone: 314.529.2837
Email: cwilke2@maryville.edu
Insights from our cybersecurity faculty
Our professors shared their thoughts on Maryville’s cybersecurity online master’s program and the cybersecurity industry:
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Maryville’s program has a wide range of hands-on activities such as virtual labs and our Cybersecurity Center of Excellence, but the most crucial skill a student can gain from this degree and apply throughout their career is a soft skill: the ability to communicate with technical and non-technical peers. This is arguably the single greatest skill for a cybersecurity professional.
—Randy Magiera
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A degree attests that you are able to enter into a project and see it through to completion and that you’ve been exposed to a number of critical functional areas. I would say that having a degree in cyber will complement experience along with certifications and may be a determining factor in whether you are considered for a position or not. Both degrees and certificates are advantageous to one’s career.
—Mark McRoy
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The role of a security professional is to support the business, not the other way around. That’s why a good cybersecurity professional needs to be able to communicate risks to leadership and help it understand the potential impact on an organization. If this professional cannot get management on their side, they’ll have a very difficult time securing their organization.
—Randy Magiera
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I’d think that the continued advancement in AI, security and hacking sophistication will be the focus. It’s a never-ending cat-and-mouse game between hackers and defenders. This gives us job security, but as the tactics, techniques and procedures continue to evolve, we as cybersecurity professionals must continue to step up to combat the adversary. Education will continue to play a big part in the cyber professional’s career.
—Mark McRoy
Frequently Asked Questions
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With a holistic curriculum designed to educate well-rounded professionals, Maryville’s online master’s degree in cybersecurity prepares you for career advancement in a variety of fields across all sectors — public, private and nonprofit.
Troubleshoot and defend your organization’s information systems as a security engineer with advanced knowledge of intrusion detection and prevention protocols, or take charge of the design and review of your organization’s networks as a network architect. With enough experience, you can advance to chief information officer, the high-level executive who manages IT/IS departments and makes critical decisions about an organization’s information framework.
With a CyS master’s degree, you have a world of career options to choose from.
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The median salary for information security professionals is about $112,00.9
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Yes. The Master of Science in Cybersecurity program is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP). This means the program meets the ACBSP’s industry-specific standards for teaching excellence and quality student outcomes.
Additionally, Maryville University proudly holds regional accreditation from the Higher Learning Commission (HLC). Maryville has maintained accreditation from the HLC since 1941, and this status was most recently reaffirmed in 2015.
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Our online cybersecurity program requires 30 graduate credit hours and can be completed in as few as 12 months. Students with existing credits to transfer may be able to complete it sooner.
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Certifications play a key role in the hiring of IT and cybersecurity professionals. That’s why MVU’s online Cybersecurity master’s curriculum offers multiple industry-relevant certifications to help give you a competitive edge with hiring managers.
- Students who take courses from our Technical specialization can prepare to take the CEH, CCSP, ECES and Splunk professional certification exams.
- Students who select courses from our Business/Leadership specialization can prepare to take the Security+, CISA and CYSA+ professional certification exams.
Certification exams are administered when you complete the corresponding courses, meaning no significant outside time commitment is required.
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A detailed list of courses and descriptions can be found in Maryville University’s online academic catalog. You can also view a downloadable degree planning sheet here.
Apply to the online master’s degree in cybersecurity program at Maryville University
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1Occupational Outlook Handbook: Information Security Analysts (2023). U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Retrieved February 5, 2024.arrow_upwardReturn to footnote reference
2Occupational Outlook Handbook: Computer and Information Systems Managers (2023). U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Retrieved February 5, 2024.arrow_upwardReturn to footnote reference
3Occupational Outlook Handbook: Computer and Information Systems Managers (2023). U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Retrieved February 5, 2024.arrow_upwardReturn to footnote reference
4Occupational Outlook Handbook: Computer Network Architects (2023). U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Retrieved February 5, 2024.arrow_upwardReturn to footnote reference
5Occupational Outlook Handbook: Computer and Information Systems Managers (2023). U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Retrieved February 5, 2024.arrow_upwardReturn to footnote reference
6Occupational Outlook Handbook: Computer and Information Systems Managers (2023). U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Retrieved February 5, 2024.arrow_upwardReturn to footnote reference
7Occupational Outlook Handbook: Information Security Analysts (2023). U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Retrieved February 5, 2024.arrow_upwardReturn to footnote reference
8Best Technology Jobs (2023). U.S.News & World Report. Retrieved February 5, 2024.arrow_upwardReturn to footnote reference
9Occupational Outlook Handbook: Information Security Analysts (2023). U.S.Bureau of Labor Statistics. Retrieved February 5, 2024.arrow_upwardReturn to footnote reference