Norwich University Online Bachelor of Science in Cybersecurity

Norwich is a strong pick if you already have training, military experience or college credit and want to turn it into a bachelor's degree quickly. You can transfer up to 90 credits, and the Hack The Box partnership puts real penetration-testing practice and certifications inside the degree. The price per credit is not the lowest, so the transfer credit you bring matters a lot.

Norwich University is a private university in Northfield, Vermont. Norwich University Online delivers its bachelor's, master's and certificate programs fully online, and this 120-credit Bachelor of Science in Cybersecurity is one of them.

The program has a strong defense orientation. It is one of the first universities designated a Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense Education by the NSA and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS). The curriculum also lines up hands-on practice with Department of Defense job roles through the Hack The Box partnership.

The degree has two concentrations, so you choose a direction. One goes toward computer forensics and vulnerability management. The other goes toward information warfare and security management.

The full rubric is on the methodology page.

Tuition is $415 per credit. Over 120 credits that comes to $49,800 if you take every credit at Norwich. Book charges, shipping and handling costs, and applicable taxes are paid separately, and military and other discounts are offered.

Transfer credit is the lever that changes this number. Norwich accepts the equivalent of up to 90 semester credits for training and prior learning that meet specific course requirements. ACE-reviewed military or professional training, other reviewed training and CLEP scores can earn credit. If you arrive with a full 90, you pay for far fewer than 120 credits.

Ask for a written transfer evaluation before you enroll, so you know your real bill.

120 credits at $415 a credit comes to $49,800 in tuition, before fees.

Who It Fits

• Military members and veterans with ACE-reviewed training who want it to count toward a degree
• Working IT professionals with prior college credit, since up to 90 credits can transfer in
• Students who want penetration-testing practice and are comfortable learning on a hands-on platform
• Adults who need multiple start dates per year instead of waiting for a fall semester

Who Should Skip It

• Students starting from zero credits who want the lowest total cost, since the full 120 credits at $415 comes to $49,800
• Anyone who prefers a mostly campus-like cohort, since only 19% of Norwich undergraduates study exclusively online
• Learners who want a broad computer science degree rather than a security-specific one

The degree requires at least 120 semester credits, including transfer credits. You pick one of two concentrations: Computer Forensics and Vulnerability Management, or Information Warfare and Security Management.

The first leans technical and investigative. Forensics teaches you how to collect and analyze evidence from systems after an incident, and vulnerability management teaches you how to find and fix weaknesses before an attacker does. The second leans toward information warfare and the management of security programs. Choosing between them early helps you pick electives that fit.

The hands-on part comes from a partnership with Hack The Box (HTB). Students practice on its platform, and its certifications are aligned to Department of Defense job roles.

Standout Features

• Hack The Box partnership: hands-on platform and certifications aligned to DoD job roles
• One of the first universities designated a Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense Education by the NSA and DHS
• Transfer up to 90 credits with multiple start dates per year

Courses are completed entirely online. The school reports an average time to completion of 18 months, which assumes you bring substantial credit with you. It starts new students multiple times per year, so you can begin when your schedule allows.

Federal data shows 19% of Norwich undergraduates enroll exclusively online, and the campus in Northfield is rural, so most of the student body is on campus. Online students are a smaller group within a campus-based university.

Hack The Box is a hands-on platform, so plan time to work through exercises on your own, since that practice is where the skills come from.

Norwich is institutionally accredited by the New England Commission of Higher Education (NECHE). The certification list for this program is unusual because it comes from Hack The Box instead of the usual CompTIA lineup.

The listed certifications are Certified Junior Cybersecurity Associate (CJCA), Certified Defensive Security Analyst (CDSA), Certified Penetration Testing Specialist (CPTS), Certified Web Exploitation Specialist (CWES), Certified Web Exploitation Expert (CWEE), Certified Active Directory Pentesting Expert (CAPE) and Certified Wi-Fi Pentesting Expert (CWPE).

These are practical, lab-based credentials. If an employer asks for Security+, ask Norwich how the program prepares you for it, since it is not on this list.

Where this degree can lead: Cybersecurity Degree Jobs.

• Without transfer credit, the full 120 credits at $415 comes to $49,800, and book charges, shipping and taxes are extra.
• Only 19% of Norwich undergraduates study exclusively online, so the online community is small next to the campus.
• Federal earnings data shows a median of $90,628 for Norwich graduates in this field, a figure to weigh against the tuition.
• The certification list is specialized, so confirm it matches the certifications employers in your area ask for.

• Can you give me a written transfer evaluation of my military, work and college credit before I enroll?
• How many Hack The Box certification attempts are included, and who pays for retakes?
• Which concentration do most graduates choose, and what jobs do they take?
• How does the program prepare me for CompTIA Security+ or other certifications that job postings in my area ask for?
• What start dates are coming up, and how many courses can I take at once?
• What are the typical book charges per course, and are any military or other discounts available to me?

Private university in Northfield, Vermont. Norwich University Online delivers its bachelor's, master's and certificate programs fully online.

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