American InterContinental University System Online Bachelor of Science in Information Technology: Cybersecurity

American InterContinental University's online B.S. in Information Technology with a Cybersecurity focus is a bachelor's degree for people starting a security career from the ground up. Its distinctive feature is intellipath, an adaptive learning plan that skips what you already know. Confirm credits, cost and transfer rules directly with AIU before you apply. It's a for-profit school with low completion numbers.

American InterContinental University System is a private for-profit university based in Chandler, Arizona. The B.S. in Information Technology: Cybersecurity is delivered fully online. AIU's page lists coursework covering principles and methods in cybersecurity, ethical penetration testing, operating systems security, and network defense and countermeasures.

AIU also lists a separate Bachelor in Cybersecurity and Artificial Intelligence on the same page, so ask which of the two matches the job you want. The information technology degree is the broader of the two, while the other adds an artificial intelligence focus.

AIU's school-wide numbers are worth a look before you apply. Its federal graduation rate is 9 percent, and the completion rate for transfer-in students is 20.5 percent, both lower than at many nonprofit and public schools. An adaptive plan can help you move faster, but ask what support exists for students who fall behind, such as advisors, tutoring and check-ins.

Request a written estimate that includes tuition, technology fees and books before you enroll.

Transfer credits can change your bill more than any other factor at the bachelor's level. Ask for a transfer evaluation early, and compare the result against other schools.

Who It Fits

• Students who already know some IT. Intellipath lets you focus on what you don't know instead of repeating familiar material.
• Self-directed learners. An adaptive plan rewards students who can work without much outside structure.
• Adults finishing a first bachelor's who want a fully online schedule.
• People who want to compare several AIU cybersecurity options before choosing.

Who Should Skip It

• Students who want a firm price and credit count before talking to an advisor.
• Anyone who needs a nonprofit or public school. AIU is private for-profit.
• Students who want named certification prep built into the courses.

AIU describes the cybersecurity coursework in three parts. The first is principles and methods in cybersecurity, the foundation of how defenders think. The second is ethical penetration testing, which means authorized attempts to break into systems so weaknesses can be fixed. The third is operating systems security and network defense and countermeasures, which cover locking down computers and the networks that connect them.

That mix suits a generalist path, and it's a sensible first degree if you haven't settled on a specialty yet. You'd graduate able to talk about both attack and defense, which fits entry-level analyst and administrator roles.

Ask for the full course catalog and compare it with the AIU Cybersecurity and Artificial Intelligence bachelor's, since the two share a listing page.

Standout Features

• intellipath adaptive learning plan

The degree is fully online. The standout feature is intellipath, which AIU says lets you personalize your learning plan and focus on what you don't know for a more efficient educational experience. In practice, an adaptive system tests what you already understand and then spends your time on gaps.

That can save time if you have IT experience. It can also feel unstructured if you prefer a set weekly schedule. Ask admissions about term length, live sessions and how a typical week looks.

The degree itself is the credential, so if employers in your area ask for security certifications, plan to earn those separately and ask whether any courses help you prepare.

If accreditation matters to you, look up AIU's institutional accreditor directly and confirm that your intended employer or graduate school accepts its credits.

Where this degree can lead: Cybersecurity Degree Jobs.

The full rubric is on the methodology page.

• Credit count, price and timeline all need to be confirmed with an advisor.
• AIU is a for-profit school, and its student outcomes are weaker than at many nonprofit and public schools.
• Certification study is on your own time.
• Adaptive learning suits some students and frustrates others.
• Weak school-wide graduation and transfer-in completion rates mean you should ask about student support before enrolling.

• How many credits does the degree require, and how many can I transfer?
• What is the total cost, including technology fees and books?
• How does intellipath work week to week?
• How does this degree differ from the Bachelor in Cybersecurity and Artificial Intelligence?
• Which certifications do the courses prepare me for?
• What share of bachelor's students finish, and what do graduates do afterward?

• Best Online Programs in Arizona Rank 2 of 5, bachelor's

• Baker College

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  Michigan $465 per credit Score 50.6

• St Petersburg College

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• University of Cincinnati

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• Northwood University

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