Arizona State University Online Master of Computer Science (Cybersecurity Concentration)

Arizona State's online Master of Computer Science with a Cybersecurity concentration is a computer science degree first and a security degree second. Nine of its 30 credits are cybersecurity, and the rest is core computing.

That's useful if you want to build and secure software and keep the broader credential of a computer science master's. It's a poor choice if you want a policy or management degree, or if you lack a computing foundation.

Arizona State University is a public research university based in Tempe, Arizona, and ASU Online delivers this degree through its engineering schools. The program is a 30-credit Master of Computer Science, and the cybersecurity concentration fulfills nine of those credit hours.

Classes run 7.5 weeks, in A and B sessions for fall and spring and a C session for summer. ASU also offers a B.S. in Information Technology with a cybersecurity concentration and an M.A. in Emergency Management and Homeland Security with a cybersecurity policy concentration. This master's is the technical graduate route.

The degree is a Master of Computer Science, which carries the weight of a general computing credential. Ask whether the concentration lines up with a particular certification exam, since the degree is a general computing credential.

Admission requires an undergraduate degree from an accredited university with a minimum cumulative 3.00 GPA in the last 60 credit hours. Non-computer-science majors may need to show foundational knowledge.

Where this degree can lead: Cybersecurity Degree Jobs.

Who It Fits

• Software engineers and developers. The master's is a computer science degree, so it builds on programming and systems knowledge.
• Graduates of a computer science program. The admission rules assume a strong undergraduate record with a 3.00 GPA over your last 60 credit hours.
• Students who want a broad credential. Because the degree title is Computer Science, it keeps doors open beyond security roles.
• People who like short, intensive courses. Seven and a half weeks per class lets you take on a subject and move on.

Who Should Skip It

• Career changers without a computing degree. Non-computer-science majors may need to show foundational knowledge.
• Students who want policy and management training. ASU's homeland security master's is closer to that goal.
• Anyone who wants a price before talking to admissions. Get the per-credit rate first.

The cybersecurity concentration uses nine credit hours, which is three courses. Named courses include Advanced Computer Network Security, Applied Cryptography, Information Assurance and Security, and Software Security.

Together they split into three ideas. Advanced Computer Network Security covers defending the infrastructure that connects systems. Applied Cryptography covers how encryption is used in real protocols, rather than only the theory. Software Security covers the way code gets exploited, which is a good complement for developers.

The rest of the 30 credits is computer science, so expect more general computing coursework than at a security-only program. That's the main difference from ASU's homeland security master's, where the cybersecurity concentration is only two courses about policy and information protection.

Courses the School Names

• Advanced Computer Network Security
• Applied Cryptography
• Information Assurance and Security
• Software Security

Check ASU Online's tuition page for the current per-credit rate before you budget. The degree is 30 credits, so once you have the rate, the total is simple to work out.

Ask admissions what fees apply per class. With 7.5-week classes, you'll pay them more often than in a program with semester-length terms.

The degree is fully online. Classes are 7.5 weeks long, and they run in A and B sessions during fall and spring and a C session in summer. That gives you several entry points each year and the option to take a summer class to move faster.

Short classes mean steady weekly pressure. If you're working full time, take one class per session at first and add a second once you know the pace.

Ask whether sessions are live if your schedule depends on it.

The full rubric is on the methodology page.

• Only nine of the 30 credits are cybersecurity, so the degree is less focused than a dedicated security master's.
• A 3.00 GPA over your last 60 credit hours is required, which excludes some applicants.
• Non-computer-science majors may need to prove foundational knowledge before they're admitted.
• Certification study is on your own time unless an advisor confirms a course lines up with an exam.

• What is the per-credit tuition and what fees apply to each class?
• What counts as foundational knowledge for a non-computer-science major?
• Which three courses make up the cybersecurity concentration, and are they offered every session?
• Are classes live or asynchronous?
• Can I take a summer C session to finish faster?
• How does this degree differ from the homeland security master's with a cybersecurity policy concentration?

A public research university in Tempe, Arizona. ASU Online delivers these degrees through its engineering and public service schools.

• Best Online Programs in Arizona Rank 5 of 8, master's

• Bachelor of Science in Information Technology (Cybersecurity concentration)

  B.S., Bachelor's

  Fully Online Score 49.3

• Master of Arts in Emergency Management and Homeland Security (Cybersecurity Policy and Management concentration)

  M.A., Master's

  Fully Online Score 49.2

• Tulane University of Louisiana

  Master of Science in Cyber Technology

  Louisiana $900 per credit Score 50.1

• University of Maine at Augusta

  Master of Science in Cybersecurity

  Maine Score 50.1

• University of Wisconsin-La Crosse

  Master of Science in Cybersecurity

  Wisconsin $850 per credit Score 50.1

• Strayer University

  Master of Science in Cybersecurity

  Texas Score 50.2