Ferris State University Online Master of Science in Information Security and Intelligence

This master's is a flexible, business-leaning security degree from a public university in Michigan, built from three stackable graduate certificates and finished with a thesis or capstone. It has three start dates a year, an internship course and four concentrations, including Incident Response and Project Management.

It is a good fit for a working professional who wants to earn credentials in pieces. The test requirement and a $817 resident rate are the main things to plan around.

Ferris State University is a public university in Big Rapids, Michigan, with 9,959 students and a 91% admission rate. The Master of Science in Information Security and Intelligence can be taken fully online or on campus, and the school's own page for the program describes it as one of the school's online offerings.

Only 34% of Ferris students are enrolled exclusively online, so online learners share the school with a large on-campus population. The degree consists of three stackable certificates and a thesis or capstone. The practical effect is that you can stop after a certificate and still hold a recognized credential, then continue toward the master's.

The school says it is designated by the NSA and the Department of Homeland Security as a Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense, and it cites a U.S. News listing among online information technology master's programs.

Graduate tuition is $817 per credit hour for U.S. residents and Canada, and $1,222 for international students. Ask the department for the full credit count, then multiply it by your rate to get tuition. Federal data shows a campus per-credit charge of $778, which sits close to the online resident rate, so online study does not save you money per credit here.

Where the program can save money is in the stackable certificates, because you can pay for one block at a time and stop when your employer's reimbursement runs out.

Who It Fits

• Working professionals who want to earn a certificate first and commit to the full master's later.
• IT and business staff who want to specialize in incident response, governance and compliance, business intelligence or project management.
• Michigan residents and Canadian students, who pay the lower $817 rate.
• Applicants who want a program with three start dates a year rather than one fall intake.

Who Should Skip It

• Students without a bachelor's GPA of 3.0 or a test score, unless they qualify for a waiver.
• International students on a tight budget, who pay $1,222 per credit hour.
• Anyone who wants a purely hands-on, lab-first curriculum. The listed courses mix technical and management topics.

The notable courses show how the program blends the technical and the managerial: Digital Forensics/Incident Response, Pen Test/Vulnerability Assessment, Governance, Risk and Compliance, and Database Management and Security. Four concentrations let you aim the degree: Business Intelligence, Incident Response, Information Systems Assurance, Strategy and Governance, and Project Management.

The stackable design means each of the three certificates is a complete block, and the thesis or capstone completes the master's. An ISI Internship course is listed among the key courses, which is a rarity in online graduate cybersecurity programs and a chance to gain experience while you study.

The school's bachelor's sibling in the same program area is also offered online, so the same department covers undergraduates who want to continue.

Courses the School Names

• Digital Forensics/Incident Res
• Pen Test/Vulnerability Assess
• Governance, Risk & Compliance
• Database Mgt and Security

Standout Features

• Degree built from stackable graduate certificates
• Designated a Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense by the NSA and DHS
• Ranked #14 nationally and #1 in Michigan in U.S. News online information technology master's programs

The program is offered fully online or on campus, with starts in fall (applications due July 15), spring (October 15) and summer (February 15). Three start dates a year means you rarely wait long to begin.

Ask whether online classes meet live. Because most Ferris students study on campus, online students should ask how advising, career help and internship placement work for them. Federal data shows a 47% overall graduation rate and 64% for transfer students at the university.

You earn a Master of Science in Information Security and Intelligence, plus three stackable graduate certificates along the way. The NSA and DHS Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense designation is a school-level credential that federal hiring programs recognize.

Treat certifications like CISSP as something you pursue separately. Admission asks for a bachelor's degree with a 3.0 GPA and a GMAT of 500 or higher, or a GRE score in the upper 50 percent. The school considers a waiver for applicants who already hold another master's degree or a bachelor's GPA of 3.50 or higher.

Where this degree can lead: Cybersecurity Degree Jobs.

The full rubric is on the methodology page.

• A GMAT or GRE score is expected unless you qualify for a waiver.
• The $817 rate applies to residents and Canada; international students pay $1,222.
• Only 34% of the university's students are exclusively online.
• Online students should ask how advising and internship placement work when most classmates are on campus.

• How many credits is the full master's, and what does the complete tuition come to at my rate?
• Do online classes have scheduled meeting times?
• Which courses make up each of the three stackable certificates?
• Can I be admitted with a GMAT or GRE waiver, and what documents do you need?
• How does the ISI Internship work for someone who is already employed?
• Is the thesis or the capstone the better choice if I plan to stay in industry?

Public university in Big Rapids, Michigan. Its Information Security and Intelligence program offers its bachelor's and master's degrees online or on campus.

• Best Cybersecurity Management Degrees Rank 8 of 10, master's
• Best Digital Forensics Degrees Rank 5 of 10, master's
• Best Information Assurance Degrees Rank 6 of 10, master's
• Best Cybersecurity Policy Degrees Rank 5 of 10, master's
• Best Programs With Internships Rank 2 of 10, master's
• Best Online Programs in Michigan Rank 2 of 5, master's

• Bachelor of Science in Information Security and Intelligence

  B.S., Bachelor's

  Fully Online Score 61.7

Also at Ferris State University, but not counted here because they are not fully online: Information Security and Intelligence (associate, hybrid).

• University of Tulsa

  Master of Science in Cyber Security (Online)

  Oklahoma $884 per credit Score 56.1

• University of Charleston

  Master of Science in Cybersecurity

  West Virginia $446 per credit Score 56.4

• University at Albany

  Master of Science in Cybersecurity and Risk

  New York $634.38 per credit Score 55.8

• California State University, San Bernardino

  Master of Science in Cybersecurity and Analytics (Online)

  California Score 56.5