Capitol Technology University Online Master of Science in Cybersecurity

Capitol Technology University's online master's is a fully asynchronous program mapped to the NSA's cybersecurity defense knowledge units, with labs in malware analysis, vulnerability assessment and penetration testing. It fits military members and technical professionals who want a school focused on science and technology. Active-duty servicemembers get a sharply lower rate.

Capitol Technology University is a private STEM university in Laurel, Maryland, and its Master of Science in Cybersecurity is offered 100% online. The university is small, with 1,065 students enrolled, and about 99% of its students study exclusively online according to federal data.

That makes this a school where online learning is the norm rather than an add-on. Courses are asynchronous and run in 8-week terms.

The program ends in a comprehensive risk assessment exercise as its capstone, which gives it a practical finish rather than a research paper.

The National Security Agency and Department of Defense have designated Capitol Technology University as a National Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense. The program page presents that as a school-level designation.

The page says CCNA, Security+, SSCP or CISSP certifications provide an excellent foundation for preparation, but are not required. In other words, certifications help you walk in, but the program doesn't prepare you for them.

Federal field-of-study data shows graduates earn a median of $104,008 four years out, while the federal field median is $129,180. Both figures cover all graduates in the field at Capitol, not only the online program.

Where this degree can lead: Cybersecurity Degree Jobs.

Who It Fits

• Active-duty servicemembers, who pay $350 per credit instead of the standard $665.
• Technical professionals who want hands-on practice in malware analysis, vulnerability assessments and penetration testing.
• Students interested in defense and government work, since the program is mapped to the National Security Agency's cybersecurity defense knowledge units.
• People who need to study on their own hours, because every course is asynchronous.

Who Should Skip It

• Students who want live classes or scheduled discussion. The page states the format is asynchronous.
• Anyone who needs a thesis route. A comprehensive risk assessment exercise is the capstone, and no thesis is listed.
• Applicants who want the program to include a certification exam. The page names CCNA, Security+, SSCP and CISSP only as a foundation, not as a requirement or an outcome.

Capitol describes its coursework as intensive hands-on labs in malware analysis, vulnerability assessments and penetration testing. Those three areas cover finding weaknesses, studying hostile code and testing defenses, which is a useful split between the analyst and tester sides of security.

The program is mapped to the National Security Agency's cybersecurity defense knowledge units, a framework used in federal cyber education. Mapping means the school lined its courses up against a published list of topics, so it is a way to see what ground the degree covers.

The capstone is a comprehensive risk assessment exercise. You'd assess a system or organization the way a security team does, which lines up well with the work of an analyst or consultant.

Confirm the exact credit count with the school before you plan your terms.

Standout Features

• Capitol Technology University is designated a National Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense (school-level designation stated on the page)
• Intensive hands-on labs in malware analysis, vulnerability assessments and penetration testing
• Mapped to the National Security Agency's cybersecurity defense knowledge units

Tuition is $665 per credit, with an Information Technology fee of $55 per credit on top. Active-duty servicemember tuition is $350 per credit and retired servicemember tuition is $550 per credit.

The military discount is the single biggest cost lever here. An active-duty student pays about half of the standard rate, and retired servicemembers pay $550. Check whether you can combine that rate with tuition assistance.

Multiply the rate and fee by the credit count your adviser confirms to get your own total, and ask whether any prior credit can be applied.

Courses are asynchronous and run in 8-week terms, so you work through the material on your own schedule inside weekly deadlines. That works well for shift workers and for servicemembers whose hours change.

About 99% of students at Capitol study exclusively online, so most of your classmates will be remote learners. The school's size matters too: with 1,065 students, class and advising groups are smaller than at a state university.

Asynchronous learning also means you'll need to drive your own pace. Ask how quickly instructors respond to questions in the labs, since you can't walk up to someone after class.

The full rubric is on the methodology page.

• Civilian students pay $665 per credit plus a $55 per credit technology fee.
• Graduates in the field earn a median of $104,008, below the $129,180 field median.
• The federal completion rate for transfer-in students is 46.5%.
• Fully asynchronous learning leaves less live contact with instructors and classmates.
• No thesis, internship or certification outcome is listed.

• How many credits does the degree require, and how many courses can I take in one 8-week term?
• Can I combine the $350 active-duty rate with military tuition assistance?
• Which courses include the malware analysis and penetration testing labs, and what platform do they run on?
• How is the risk assessment capstone graded, and can I use my own employer as the subject?
• How fast do instructors respond to questions in an asynchronous course?
• Which courses map to the NSA knowledge units, and does the school provide that map?

Private STEM university in Laurel, Maryland.

• Best for Military Students Rank 4 of 10, master's
• Best Programs With Certifications Rank 9 of 10, master's
• Best Online Programs in Maryland Rank 6 of 9, master's

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