Minnesota State College Southeast Online Cyber and Information Security (A.A.S.)

Minnesota State College Southeast's online A.A.S. in Cyber and Information Security is a 60-credit, fully online associate degree that adds digital forensics and criminal justice to the usual networking and security core. The college estimates tuition and fees at $12,534. It fits someone drawn to investigation and evidence work, while the college's other online security degree leans toward networking and certifications.

Minnesota State College Southeast is a public two-year college in Winona, Minnesota, with about 2,331 students. Its Cyber and Information Security programs are listed on the college's online campus.

This A.A.S. (Associate of Applied Science) needs 60 credits. The college describes it as a blend of networking, cybersecurity and digital forensics with criminal justice coursework on handling evidence and testifying in court.

The college has a sibling degree, Cybersecurity and Network Administration, also 60 credits and also online. That one targets industry certifications and the NSA curriculum; this one targets forensics and the justice system.

The college's cost estimate lists approximate tuition and fees of $12,534 for the full 60 credits, plus about $460 for books and supplies.

The sibling Cybersecurity and Network Administration degree lists approximate tuition and fees of $13,206 plus about $750 for books and supplies. Subtract the two and you can see what the certification-aligned version costs extra.

Who It Fits

• You're interested in forensics, investigation or computer crime and want to work alongside police, courts or corporate investigators.
• You want a public two-year college price near $12,534 for the whole degree.
• You like the idea of learning how to collect evidence and present it in court.
• You'd like to start in an associate program and transfer toward a bachelor's later.

Who Should Skip It

• You want the most certification exam prep; the Cybersecurity and Network Administration degree aligns with 10 industry certifications.
• You want a degree that points to NSA curriculum alignment; the sibling degree is the one designed for that.
• You need a published per-credit rate; the college prints an approximate total for the whole degree instead.

The forensics and law courses stand out. Introduction to Digital Forensics and Electronic Devices Forensics cover how to examine computers and phones. Website and Application Security covers common weaknesses in web software.

Then the criminal justice side shows up. Introduction to Criminology/Criminal Behavior and Crime Victims and Computer Crimes teach how cybercrime affects people and how the justice system responds.

The college says students learn to collect and maintain evidence, write effectively, present and testify in court, and liaise with criminal justice agencies. That's unusual for a cybersecurity associate degree.

The college lists the course titles and the 60-credit total, so ask an advisor for the full sequence and which courses carry the networking skills employers expect.

Courses the School Names

• Introduction to Digital Forensics
• Electronic Devices Forensics
• Website and Application Security
• Introduction to Criminology/Criminal Behavior
• Crime Victims and Computer Crimes

Standout Features

• Blends networking, cybersecurity and digital forensics with criminal justice coursework on evidence handling and testifying in court

The program is listed on the college's online campus and is fully online. Federal data shows about 37% of Southeast's undergraduates study fully online, which is lower than at online-first schools because the college also runs on-campus programs.

Before you enroll, ask an advisor about start dates and whether classes meet at set times. The forensics labs are worth asking about too: find out how virtual machines or remote tools stand in for an on-campus lab.

The NSA CAE-CD designation is a point of difference. The sibling degree is designed to align with the DHS and NSA curriculum for the CAE-CD (Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense) designation. This forensics degree makes no such claim.

The college's federal graduation rate is 47%, a school-wide number across all programs.

Where this degree can lead: Cybersecurity Degree Jobs.

The full rubric is on the methodology page.

• No certification prep is listed for this degree.
• It isn't the version aligned to the NSA CAE-CD curriculum.
• The cost is an approximate total, so your final bill may differ.
• As an A.A.S., it is built for work, so check how credits transfer before aiming at a bachelor's.

• Which of these credits transfer to a Minnesota State bachelor's in cybersecurity?
• Does the forensics coursework prepare me for any certification exam?
• What does the $12,534 estimate include, and what does it leave out?
• How often can I start, and do classes meet at set times?
• Which degree would you pick for a job in digital forensics, this one or Network Administration?
• Which employers in Minnesota hire graduates for forensics or investigator roles?

A public two-year college in Winona, Minnesota, whose Cyber and Information Security programs are listed on an online campus.

• Best Information Assurance Degrees Rank 1 of 3, associate
• Best Online Programs in Minnesota Rank 2 of 2, associate

• Cybersecurity and Network Administration (A.A.S.)

  A.A.S., Associate

  Fully Online Score 56.4

• University of Phoenix

  Associate of Science in Cybersecurity

  Arizona $398 per credit Score 51.4

• Lanier Technical College

  Cybersecurity Degree

  Georgia $214 per credit Score 51.3

• Wilmington University

  Associate of Science in Cybersecurity

  Delaware $439 per credit Score 54.0

• Southern New Hampshire University

  Associate of Science in Cybersecurity

  New Hampshire $354 per credit Score 54.4