Boise State University Online Master of Science in Cyber Operations and Resilience

Boise State's online M.S. in Cyber Operations and Resilience is one of the most welcoming master's degrees on the list for people who did not study computing. It accepts any background, costs $550 per credit, runs in seven-week courses with six start dates a year, and gives you free access to VMware, Palo Alto and Cisco training academies.

It is not the pick if you want a program that lists a CAE designation or certification prep.

Boise State University is a public university in Boise, Idaho, and Boise State Online delivers its cyber operations degrees through the School of Computing. The master's is a 100% online program with no in-person requirements, and the courses are asynchronous, so you do not log in at a set time.

Boise State offers this subject at three levels: a B.S., a B.A.S. and this master's. The master's is for students who already hold a bachelor's degree, with technical and non-technical tracks that let you pick how deep into the technology you go.

The full rubric is on the methodology page.

The cost per credit is $550, the same for every student. Seven-week courses mean you pay as you go in small pieces, which makes budgeting easier than with a semester-long bill. Ask admissions how many credits the degree requires, then multiply by $550 for your own estimate.

The nine-credit certificates work as a lower-cost first step. If you are unsure about committing to a full master's, completing one first lets you test the field and still have a credential.

Who It Fits

• Career changers from fields like business, healthcare, law or education. Boise State says you can enroll with any background, and advisors help you choose courses.
• Working adults who want short courses. Seven-week courses and six starts a year mean you can begin within a couple of months and take a lighter or heavier load as work allows.
• Students who want to earn something on the way. Nine-credit graduate certificates can be completed in as few as two semesters.
• Veterans and service members. About 25 percent of students have a military affiliation, and the Veteran Services Center and Military Programs offer support.

Who Should Skip It

• Anyone who wants a program that lists a certification path or an NSA designation by name.
• Students who need live classes with set meeting times, since the courses are asynchronous.
• People looking for a program with a published credit total and total price. Ask admissions for a full estimate before you decide.

The core idea is the split between technical and non-technical tracks. A technical track is for someone who wants to work on systems and defenses. A non-technical track fits someone moving into policy, management or operations, where you need to understand security but will not be configuring it yourself. Because any background is accepted, the non-technical route is what makes the program practical for career changers.

Boise State also points to supplemental certificates, hands-on learning and teaching opportunities as part of the tailoring. The nine-credit graduate certificates are earned along the way, so you can leave with a credential in hand before the full degree is done.

The program page highlights free access to training from VMware IT Academy, Palo Alto Academy and Cisco Networking Academy. These are vendor training platforms, so they give you exposure to tools used in real networks, which helps if you came from outside IT. Ask which courses use them and whether any are required.

Standout Features

• Free access to VMware IT Academy, Palo Alto Academy and Cisco Networking Academy training resources
• Nine-credit graduate certificates earned along the way, completable in as few as two semesters

Courses are asynchronous and last seven weeks, with six start dates a year. That is a fast pace. A seven-week course covers a lot in a short time, so plan for steady weekly work rather than cramming. The upside is that if a course does not fit one term, the next start date is never far away.

There are no in-person requirements, so you can complete everything from home. Advisors are part of the model: they help you select courses, which is especially useful if you are choosing between the technical and non-technical tracks.

The program's credential strengths are the graduate certificates and the vendor academy access from VMware, Palo Alto and Cisco. If you plan to pursue an industry certification, treat those academies as study resources and confirm with an advisor how closely the courses line up.

About 25 percent of Boise State Online students have a military affiliation.

Where this degree can lead: Cybersecurity Degree Jobs.

• Seven-week courses move quickly, which can be hard during a busy season at work.
• The credit total and the full price need to be confirmed with admissions.
• No certification prep or NSA designation is listed.
• Asynchronous learning means less live contact with instructors and classmates, so you have to start conversations yourself.

• How many credits does the master's require, and what is my total cost at $550 per credit?
• What is the difference between the technical and non-technical tracks, and can I switch?
• Which courses use the VMware, Palo Alto and Cisco training academies?
• How do the nine-credit certificates stack into the full degree?
• How do advisors help me choose courses if I have no computing background?
• How many transfer credits can I bring in?

A public university in Boise, Idaho. Boise State Online delivers the cyber operations degrees through the School of Computing.

• Best Cyber Defense Degrees Rank 4 of 10, master's
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• Best Accelerated Online Programs Rank 6 of 10, master's
• Best for Working Adults Rank 10 of 10, master's
• Best for Career Changers Rank 1 of 5, master's
• Best With No Programming Rank 2 of 5, master's
• Best With Multiple Start Dates Rank 5 of 10, master's
• Best Public University Programs Rank 7 of 10, master's
• Best Online Programs in Idaho Rank 1 of 1, master's

• Bachelor of Science in Cyber Operations and Resilience

  B.S., Bachelor's

  Fully Online $395 per credit Score 57.2

• Bachelor of Applied Science in Cyber Operations and Resilience

  B.A.S., Bachelor's

  Fully Online Score 42.6

• University of Wisconsin-Whitewater

  Master of Science in Cybersecurity

  Wisconsin $722 per credit Score 58.9

• University of Maryland Global Campus

  Digital Forensics and Cyber Investigation Master of Science

  Maryland $694 per credit Score 59.4

• Pennsylvania Western University

  Professional Science Master's in Cybersecurity

  Pennsylvania $568 per credit Score 58.8

• American Public University System

  Master of Science in Cybersecurity Studies

  West Virginia $470 per credit Score 58.7