Colorado Christian University Online Master of Science in Cyber Security

Colorado Christian University's online M.S. in Cyber Security is a 30-credit, fully online master's at $628 per credit that you take one course at a time in five-week or seven-week blocks. It's built for experienced IT professionals who want virtual lab work, courses in digital forensics and ethical hacking, and a Christian perspective on cyber crime and cyber warfare.

Colorado Christian University is a private nonprofit Christian university in Lakewood, Colorado, and the master's is delivered through its College of Adult and Graduate Studies. Federal data shows 88% of its graduate students study exclusively online, and its federal graduation rate is 64%. The Higher Learning Commission accredits the university.

This isn't a program for career changers starting from zero. CCU expects introductory coursework in networking, programming, business and information security before you begin, and it expects about five years of professional experience or the equivalent. In return you get a compact degree aimed at people already working in technology.

Tuition is $628 per credit hour for 30 credits, which is $18,840 in tuition. Fees come on top of that: a $51 technology fee per credit hour and $20 per credit hour for textbooks and materials. Those two charges add up over 30 credits, so ask for a full estimate.

Active duty, reserve and National Guard members and their dependents pay $350 per credit hour instead, which is a meaningful cut.

30 credits at $628 a credit comes to $18,840 in tuition, before fees.

Who It Fits

• You already work in IT and want a master's to move into security. The admissions profile assumes you've completed introductory courses in networking, programming, business and information security.
• You want to attack and investigate, not only defend. Courses include Ethical Hacking and Cyber Kill Chain, Malware Analysis and Vulnerability Assessment, and Digital Forensics.
• You value a faith-informed approach. CCU teaches cyber warfare and cyber crime from a Christian perspective, and Cyber Criminology is part of the course list.
• You serve or have served. Active duty, reserve and National Guard members and their dependents pay $350 per credit hour.

Who Should Skip It

• You're new to technology. Prior coursework in networking, programming, business and information security is required, along with a minimum 2.5 undergraduate GPA.
• You want several start dates. The data shows one start per year, so a missed deadline can mean a long wait.
• You prefer to juggle several classes at once. CCU has you take courses one at a time.

The notable courses give the best picture of the degree. Cyber Criminology studies cyber crime itself. Digital Forensics covers investigating incidents after the fact. Ethical Hacking and Cyber Kill Chain teaches the stages of an attack, and Malware Analysis and Vulnerability Assessment covers taking malicious software apart and finding weaknesses. Security Policy and Governance covers the management side.

The capstone is CYS 655, Capstone: Special Topics in Cyber Security. You also complete lab-based exercises in a virtual laboratory environment to reinforce the concepts, so you practice on systems instead of only reading about them.

CCU says graduate students can complete a cyber security certificate alongside the master's, which is a way to add a credential without a second degree.

Courses the School Names

• Cyber Criminology
• Digital Forensics
• Ethical Hacking and Cyber Kill Chain
• Security Policy and Governance
• Malware Analysis and Vulnerability Assessment

Standout Features

• Christian perspective on cyber security, including cyber warfare and cyber crime
• Graduate certificates in cyber security can be completed alongside the master's
• Lab-based exercises in a virtual laboratory environment

The program is 100% online. You take courses one at a time, and each runs in a five-week or seven-week block, so you focus on a single subject at a time. CCU says you can finish in as little as 15 months of consecutive coursework.

That pace is good if you work full time, because you only have one class's deadlines to track. The tradeoff is intensity: five weeks goes fast, and falling behind in a block costs you a lot. With one start per year, ask when the next one begins and how much time you'll need to enroll.

CCU is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission. The topics line up with work in forensics, malware analysis and policy, so ask an advisor which certifications fit your path.

The optional graduate certificate in cyber security can be earned alongside the master's. For context, the median pay for graduates in this field on the federal data we use is $129,180.

Where this degree can lead: Cybersecurity Degree Jobs.

The full rubric is on the methodology page.

• One start per year limits when you can begin.
• Admission expects a 2.5 GPA, a resume, prior technical coursework and about five years of experience, which screens out many career changers.
• Fees of $51 per credit hour for technology and $20 per credit hour for materials add to the $18,840 tuition.
• The Christian perspective is part of how the material is taught, which some students will want and others won't.

• When is the next start date, and what is the application deadline?
• Which introductory courses count toward the networking, programming, business and information security requirement?
• What would my total cost be with the technology fee and materials charge included?
• How does the virtual laboratory work, and which tools do I use in it?
• How is the Christian perspective built into courses like Cyber Criminology?
• Which graduate certificate would pair best with my master's, and what does it add?
• If I fall behind in a five-week block, what are my options?

Christian university in Lakewood, Colorado with an online College of Adult and Graduate Studies.

• Best for Military Students Rank 8 of 10, master's
• Best Online Programs in Colorado Rank 1 of 2, master's

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