National American University Online Bachelor of Science in Information Technology, FOCUSED (Cybersecurity Focus Area)

National American University's online B.S. in Information Technology, FOCUSED is a 135-quarter-credit bachelor's with a cybersecurity focus area, priced at $380 per credit and falling as you earn credits. It suits working adults who want a fast, flexible IT degree with a security emphasis, and it comes with weak federal earnings data you should weigh.

National American University is a private for-profit school, and this program is listed under its Rapid City, South Dakota campus. The degree is fully online. It's a Bachelor of Science in Information Technology, not a pure cybersecurity major, and cybersecurity is one of several focus areas you choose.

The school describes a streamlined 30-course structure that reaches the bachelor's in 135 quarter credits instead of 180. Fewer credits and a lower price per credit as you progress are the main reasons people consider it. The tradeoff is that you're getting a general IT degree with a cybersecurity track.

Tuition falls as you earn credits: $380 per credit for 0 to 45 credits, $342 for 46 to 90, and $323 for 91 to 135. There's also a $100 technology fee per course, which adds up across 30 courses, so build it into your plan. Published tuition for the full degree is $51,300 before the fees.

Veterans pay $200 per credit hour, and active-duty military pay $166.66 per credit hour. If you transfer credits in, you skip the most expensive tier first, so ask for a transcript evaluation before you commit.

135 credits at $380 a credit comes to $51,300 in tuition, before fees.

Who It Fits

• You work in IT support or networking and want a bachelor's that moves you toward security without restarting from scratch.
• You're a veteran. The veteran rate is $200 per credit hour, and the active-duty rate is $166.66.
• You'd like to keep options open. Focus areas include Cybersecurity, Network Administration, Cloud Computing, Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning, and a Generalist Path.
• You want a shorter path. The school's 30-course structure replaces the usual 180 quarter credits with 135.

Who Should Skip It

• You want a degree titled Cybersecurity. This one is Information Technology with a focus area, and employers will read the diploma that way.
• You're picky about outcomes data. The federal numbers for this school are weaker than most programs on this list.

The security courses named in the program are Internet Security, Network Security, Cybercrime and Information Systems, and Computer Forensics. Together they cover how attacks work, how networks are defended, the legal and investigative side of computer crime, and how evidence is recovered. That's a workable base for help desk, junior analyst and network roles.

The focus-area structure is the key design choice. You choose Cybersecurity, Network Administration, Cloud Computing, Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning, or a Generalist Path, so part of the 30 courses is shared IT material. Ask for the actual course sequence for the Cybersecurity focus, and ask how many of the 30 courses are security courses and how many are general IT.

Courses the School Names

• Internet Security
• Cybercrime and Information Systems
• Network Security
• Computer Forensics

Standout Features

• 30-course, 135 quarter credit bachelor's pathway instead of 180 credits

The school describes the coursework as fully online, designed for students balancing school, work and family. Federal data shows 100% of National American University undergraduates study exclusively online, so you won't be the odd online student on a campus. Everyone is remote.

That's useful because support services, scheduling and course design are built for distance learners. Ask how many courses you can take at once and when the next term begins.

You earn a Bachelor of Science in Information Technology. The school says select information technology courses incorporate CompTIA and TestOut learning resources, and the listed certification prep is CompTIA A+. A+ is an entry-level IT support certification, not a security credential, so the program doesn't promise Security+ or higher.

Federal data shows a median $58,897 in earnings for graduates of the school's programs in this field, and an 8-year completion rate of 41% for transfer-in students. Those are low next to many programs on this list, so ask about job placement and where graduates actually work.

Where this degree can lead: Cybersecurity Degree Jobs.

The full rubric is on the methodology page.

• Federal earnings data for the school's graduates in this field is $58,897, well below the field figures for stronger programs.
• Completion is 41% for transfer-in students, which means many students don't finish.
• The degree is Information Technology with a cybersecurity focus, not a dedicated cybersecurity major.
• A $100 technology fee per course adds a recurring cost that the per-credit rate hides.
• It's a for-profit school, so compare credit transferability if you may move to another college later.

• How many of the 30 courses belong to the Cybersecurity focus area?
• Will other colleges accept these credits if I transfer later?
• What does the $100 technology fee cover, and can it change?
• Which certifications does the program prepare me for beyond CompTIA A+?
• How many courses can I take at once, and when do terms start?
• What are the outcomes for recent graduates of the Cybersecurity focus?

• Best Cybersecurity and AI Degrees Rank 4 of 4, bachelor's
• Best for Military Students Rank 8 of 9, bachelor's
• Best Online Programs in South Dakota Rank 4 of 4, bachelor's

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