Mississippi State University Online Bachelor of Applied Science in Cybersecurity

This is a two-year online finish line for people who already hold an Associate of Applied Science (A.A.S.) degree. It turns technical associate credits into a bachelor's, and every online student pays in-state tuition of $452 per credit, wherever they live. It's closed to anyone without an A.A.S. or A.A.T., so check your transcript before anything else.

Mississippi State University is a public research university in Mississippi State, Mississippi, with 23,150 students. Mississippi State Online runs degree completion programs for transfer students, and the Bachelor of Applied Science (B.A.S.) in Cybersecurity is one of them.

The degree is 120 credits, but you don't start from zero. The school accepts up to 86 credit hours from an accredited four-year university and up to 60 from an accredited community college, with a maximum of 45 hours allowed for technical credit. The typical finish is two years, or four semesters.

Only 10% of Mississippi State undergraduates study exclusively online, so this is a campus university with a focused online completion track.

Tuition is $452 per credit hour, and all online students pay the in-state rate regardless of where they live. An Instructional Support Fee of $25 per credit hour applies on top. At 120 credits, the sticker tuition is $54,240, but you won't pay for credits you transfer in.

That's the number to work from: find how many credits remain after your transfer review, then multiply by $452 and add the $25 fee for each. The more credits you bring in, the less you pay at the $452 rate.

120 credits at $452 a credit comes to $54,240 in tuition, before fees.

Who It Fits

• You hold an A.A.S. degree in IT, networking or a related technical field and want a bachelor's that builds on it.
• You live outside Mississippi and want in-state pricing, since all online students pay the in-state rate.
• You want three start dates a year, in fall, spring and summer, instead of one.
• You want a flagship research university name on your bachelor's degree.

Who Should Skip It

• You don't have an Associate of Applied Science degree, because the program accepts only students who do.
• You want a fully asynchronous program, since the courses blend asynchronous and synchronous learning.
• You're starting college from scratch and need a four-year path.

This is a completion degree, so your first two years are the associate degree you already earned. The Mississippi State coursework covers the upper-division cybersecurity work that builds on a technical associate degree. The school lists the courses as delivered in a blended format, combining asynchronous and synchronous learning.

The credit rules are the part to study closely. Technical credit is capped at 45 hours of the up to 60 community college hours that can apply, so a heavily technical A.A.S. may not transfer in full. Ask for a transcript review before you apply, because that review shows your actual remaining credits.

Standout Features

• In-state tuition for every online student, wherever they live
• Open only to students who already hold an Associate of Applied Science degree

The program is fully online and uses a blended format, so some sessions may be live and some self-paced. Mississippi State runs on a semester system, with 16-week terms and fall, spring and summer admission.

Four semesters is the typical finish, which means about two years of steady part-time or full-time work. Ask how often live sessions meet and whether they're recorded, since that decides whether the program fits a shift schedule.

The credential is a Bachelor of Applied Science from a public research university. The B.A.S. is built for graduates of technical associate programs, which regular bachelor's programs often won't fully accept. It's a recognized bachelor's degree for job applications and for graduate school admission, though some graduate programs require extra prerequisites.

If you already hold industry certifications from your A.A.S. coursework, keep them current while you study.

Where this degree can lead: Cybersecurity Degree Jobs.

The full rubric is on the methodology page.

• Admission requires an A.A.S. or Associate of Applied Technology degree confirmed on an official transcript, plus a 2.0 cumulative GPA.
• Technical credit is capped at 45 hours, so a long technical associate degree may not transfer in full.
• The $25 per credit Instructional Support Fee adds to the $452 tuition.
• Blended delivery means some live sessions, which can conflict with work hours.

• How many of my A.A.S. credits will count after the transcript review?
• How many credits will I still need to take at Mississippi State?
• How often are the live sessions held, and are they recorded?
• Which start term is best for my transfer timeline?
• What does the total cost look like with the $25 per credit fee?
• Does the degree prepare me for any industry certification exams?

Public research university in Mississippi State, Mississippi. Mississippi State Online offers degree completion programs for transfer students.

• Best for Career Changers Rank 5 of 5, bachelor's
• Best Degree Completion Programs Rank 8 of 9, bachelor's

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