Marymount University Online Cybersecurity, M.S.

Marymount University's M.S. in Cybersecurity is a 36-credit master's in Arlington, Virginia, that you can take online or on campus, with optional Data Science and Digital Health tracks and hands-on work in tools like Kali Linux and Wireshark. It fits a working professional near the Washington, D.C. area who wants a designated cyber school and an on-ramp to Marymount's doctorate.

Marymount University is a private Catholic university in Arlington, Virginia. Its Master of Science in Cybersecurity is a 36-credit-hour degree you can complete on campus or online, and the school calls it customizable, with technical or management directions.

The school is designated a Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense Education by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the National Security Agency (NSA). That designation covers the university's cybersecurity education, so it reflects the school's curriculum, not one course.

You earn a Master of Science in Cybersecurity. Ask whether any course aligns with the certification you want.

Federal data shows graduates of Marymount's programs in this field earn a median $129,936, and its 8-year completion rate for transfer-in students is 60.5%. Those figures come from federal data and cover the school's graduates in this field overall, not only online students.

Where this degree can lead: Cybersecurity Degree Jobs.

Who It Fits

• You want to specialize beyond general security. The school offers Data Science and Digital Health tracks.
• You want to build technical skills. The school says coursework uses tools such as Kali Linux and Wireshark.
• You may want a doctorate later. The school gives master's graduates priority to advance to its doctoral program.
• You want flexibility in format. The school offers the degree on campus and online, with Fall, Spring and Summer intake.
• You want an application without extra tests. The school asks for an application, official transcripts and a professional resume.

Who Should Skip It

• You need an online price before you apply. Get the per-credit rate from admissions first.
• You want the lowest cost. A private university's graduate rate tends to be high, and federal data lists a per-credit charge of $1,275.

The degree is 36 credit hours. Courses the school names include Computer Network Defense, Applications of Cryptography, Cybersecurity Risk Management and Human Factors in Cybersecurity. That last one is uncommon, and it signals the program covers how people create and prevent security problems, not only the technology.

The two tracks take the degree in different directions. Data Science fits security analytics work. Digital Health fits protecting health records and devices. Ask how many credits each track uses and which electives you give up to take one.

Courses the School Names

• Computer Network Defense
• Applications of Cryptography
• Cybersecurity Risk Management
• Human Factors in Cybersecurity

Standout Features

• Designated a Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense Education by the Department of Homeland Security and the National Security Agency
• Hands-on coursework with tools such as Kali Linux and Wireshark
• Priority to advance to the doctoral program

Ask admissions for the online per-credit price, the fees and the total for 36 credits.

The federal figure is $1,275 per credit, which is a campus charge and may differ from what online students pay. For comparison, the school's doctoral program in cybersecurity charges $1,388 per credit. Ask about employer tuition assistance too, since it can change the math.

Marymount offers the degree online and on campus, so the format is your choice. Federal data shows 46% of its graduate students study exclusively online, which means a large share of classmates are remote and a large share are in the room.

That mix helps if you want to start online and add an on-campus course near Arlington. It also means online students sit alongside people who can meet in person. Ask whether online sections have the same instructors and lab access as on-campus ones.

The full rubric is on the methodology page.

• You'll need to talk to admissions to get the online rate before you can compare costs.
• Federal data lists a per-credit charge of $1,275, which is high compared with public universities.
• Federal data counts 27 awards in this field, so the graduating class is moderate in size.
• The Data Science and Digital Health tracks narrow your electives.

• What is the per-credit price for online students, and what fees are added?
• Which courses make up the Data Science and Digital Health tracks?
• Can I take courses on campus in Arlington while staying mostly online?
• How do I qualify for priority advancement to the doctoral program?
• Which tools beyond Kali Linux and Wireshark do I use, and in which courses?
• Does the Center of Academic Excellence designation help with federal scholarships or hiring?

A private Catholic university in Arlington, Virginia.

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