M.S. in Cybersecurity Program and Certificates – 100% Online

Welcome to a transformative learning experience at Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota, where innovation meets education. Our online degree and graduate certificate programs redefine a flexible and proven education, empowering you to excel in your career on your terms.

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Prep for CISSP + CISM

Available Financial Aid

Waived GRE/GMAT

$760 Per Credit

Be the Solution to Cyber Attacks.

Without both technology expertise and business leadership skills, it’s tough to excel in cybersecurity. Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota can help you build on your existing knowledge and cultivate crucial skills to direct small, medium, and large organizations in preventing cyber attacks.

This expertly designed degree gives you a broad understanding of this complex field, including risk management, operational policy, and network security. You’ll develop business leadership skills to promote your initiatives to non-cyber leaders, manage specialists, and operate ethically.

The additional online graduate certificates in Cybersecurity Management and Cybersecurity Technology will give you the opportunity to specialize your informational security and leadership skills that much further. The certificates can also be applied toward the M.S. in Computer Science program.

Global cybersecurity spending grew 10 percent to $60.2 billion in 20211, driven by data breaches, app testing, and an urgent need to protect vital data. Previously unaware of their vulnerabilities, large and small businesses alike now grasp how quickly they need to act to protect important assets.

Fine Tune Your Expertise with Certifications

Saint Mary’s offers two graduate certificate options for professionals interested in furthering their cybersecurity careers. Each of these 12-credit certificates can be completed as a standalone, or the credits can be directly applied toward the online M.S. in Cybersecurity degree, in effect adding a certificates to your degree at no additional cost. Choose the certificate that aligns with your goals and gain specialized skills for continued success.

Prepare for leadership roles as you pursue a career in an information security environment or continue your education with an MSCS graduate degree. Study topics that include security policy, risk management, operational strategies, security architecture, and security planning.

Explore technical topics in cybersecurity to apply computer networking environments, programming, and cloud-based application security. Learn the network-oriented protection techniques that include cloud and network-based aspects of security such as intrusion detection, network security, cloud applications, programming/scripting, and network defense methods. You can apply credits earned in the program toward the MSCS graduate degree.

Saint mary’s university is all about awakening, nurturing, and empowering you to live your best life. our faculty and staff are dedicated to quality, diversity, accessibility, social justice, and sound stewardship. join us, and let’s make a difference together.

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Online Convenience, On Point Outcomes

Saint Mary’s online programs are designed to provide excellence in education beyond campus borders. With user-friendly formats and flexible scheduling, our commitment to delivering leading-edge knowledge and valuable credentials allows you to excel in your profession while balancing family and work responsibilities.

A Curriculum Created for Vigilance

The online M.S. in Cybersecurity program at Saint Mary’s is focused on giving you the tools you need to anticipate, prevent and remediate cyber attacks. The Saint Mary’s faculty are cybersecurity professionals with deep experience working in industry. During this program, you’ll have full technical, academic and career support from Saint Mary’s faculty and staff.

Preview just a few of the courses in the online M.S. in Cybersecurity program:

CYBR 606: Cloud Architecture and Application Security

This course introduces the domains of cloud security in both theoretical and practical applications. Students are presented with a structured approach to cloud architecture and design requirements along with applications involved in developing layered cloud security strategies. Students evaluate the data organization, data security, cloud applications, operations, and compliance used in deploying cloud-based security architecture that supports the objectives of the enterprise.

DIGA 625: Python Programming for Technology Applications

The course focuses on core programming concepts such as classes and objects, controlling flow, batch processing, and error handling while working in the context of data processing, analysis, and visualization. The course explores a variety of Python packages and integration for project development. Using Python to automate workflows and create custom visualizations is discussed, and students are able to explore tabular data, spatial data, and/or cybersecurity applications of Python.

CYBR 650: Ethical Hacking and Defense

This course includes a study of theoretical and practical aspects of network and web application penetration testing. You’ll evaluate the security of a network or system’s infrastructure and outline how hackers find and attempt to exploit any vulnerabilities. Included in the course are in-depth details on ethical hacking, including reconnaissance, vulnerability assessment, exploitation, maintaining access and covering tracks. Current tools and methodologies are stressed.

CYBR 635: Data Privacy

Discover techniques for information distribution in such a way that data privacy is protected. Learn models and frameworks for privacy protection that support privacy enhancements from economic, legal and policy perspectives. Fundamentals of cryptographic theory and practice along with its applications are introduced in topics such as classical and contemporary ciphers, encryption and decryption, breaking ciphers, cryptographic protocols, and analysis tools.

Top-Level Positions Await You

With nearly a million cybersecurity professionals employed in the U.S. in 2021, 464,4202 jobs were unfilled. This demand is not an anomaly.

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects that jobs for information security analysts will grow 33 percent3 over the next decade.

Through our expertly crafted cybersecurity curriculum, you’ll cultivate leadership skills that will give you a competitive advantage toward management- and executive-level positions. Build on your expertise and emerge ready to lead in this growing field.

With a master’s in cybersecurity, you’ll be ready for top-paying jobs like these:

  • Computer Network Architect – $116,7804
  • Information Security Analyst – $103,5905
  • Information Security Engineer – $109,3406
  • Information Security Officer –$93,2447
  • Computer/Information System Manager –$151,1508

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Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission, www.hlcommission.org.

Sources and Disclaimer

  1. O’Brien, Chris (2021, January). “Canalys: Cybersecurity spending is projected to rise 10% in 2021,” VentureBeat. Retrieved from https://venturebeat.com.
  2. Cyberseek US, Cybersecurity Supply/Demand Heat Map. Retrieved from https://www.cyberseek.org.
  3. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, Fastest Growing Occupations. Retrieved from https://www.bls.gov.
  4. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, Computer Network Architects. Retrieved from https://www.bls.gov.
  5. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, Information Security Analysts. Retrieved from https://www.bls.gov.
  6. PayScale, Inc., Jobs, Average Senior Information Security Engineer Salary. Retrieved from https://www.payscale.com.
  7. PayScale, Inc., Jobs, Average Information Security Officer Salary. Retrieved from https://www.payscale.com.
  8. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, Computer and Information Systems Managers. Retrieved from https://www.bls.gov.