University of Michigan-Dearborn Online Cybersecurity and Information Assurance, MS

This is a technical master's in cybersecurity from a public University of Michigan campus, built for working adults with evening scheduling and three concentrations to choose from. It's the right fit if you already hold a STEM bachelor's and can show prior coursework in programming, statistics and calculus. If you don't have that background, this program will ask you to fill the gaps before you start.

The University of Michigan-Dearborn is a public university in Dearborn, Michigan, with 8,104 students in the federal enrollment data. Its Cybersecurity and Information Assurance M.S. is a 30-credit program that can be completed entirely on campus, entirely online, or through a mix of both.

That flexibility is the first thing to understand. The online version isn't a separate degree. It's the same program, which students can combine with on-campus courses if they live nearby and want to, and the university schedules all courses in late afternoons or evenings so people can study part time while working.

Information assurance is the older term for managing the risks around data and the systems that hold it. Here it sits alongside cybersecurity, so expect coursework on defending systems as well as on policy and risk. Michigan-Dearborn has one cybersecurity degree on this site, so there's no sibling program to compare.

You'd earn a Master of Science in Cybersecurity and Information Assurance from a public University of Michigan campus. Ask which accreditor covers the program and whether the university holds a national cybersecurity designation, because some government and defense employers look for one.

Federal data shows a 60.5% eight-year completion rate for students who transfer in, and a school-wide graduation rate of 58%. Both cover all programs at the university, so they are context rather than a forecast for this degree. The admit rate of 56% suggests moderate selectivity overall, and this program's prerequisites mean admission depends on your academic record and course history.

The GRE is not required.

Where this degree can lead: Cybersecurity Degree Jobs.

Who It Fits

• You hold a bachelor's degree in a STEM field with a B average or better and want a technical master's in security.
• You've already taken programming, probability and statistics, and calculus II, which are the prerequisite courses the program asks for.
• You're working full time and want evening classes, with the option to mix online and on-campus courses.
• You'd like to choose a focus: Network & System Security, Data & Application Security, or Software Security.
• You want the choice between a coursework, project or thesis option, including a thesis if research or a doctoral program is in your plans.

Who Should Skip It

• Your bachelor's is outside science, technology, engineering and mathematics. The program asks for a STEM degree, so a career changer from business or the humanities would need a different path first.
• You haven't taken programming, probability and statistics, or calculus II. Each is a listed prerequisite, and the program requires programming background.
• You want a short, low-friction program with no math prerequisites. This one is aimed at students with a technical foundation.

The program is organized around a required concentration. You pick one of three: Network & System Security, Data & Application Security, or Software Security. Each points at a different kind of job. Network and system security is about protecting the infrastructure itself, such as servers and the traffic between them.

Data and application security is about protecting the information and the programs that handle it. Software security is the engineering side, where you learn how code gets written and how flaws get found before attackers do.

Because the prerequisites include programming, probability and statistics, and calculus II, the courses can assume a technical base. Expect to write code and work with quantitative reasoning, not just read about threats.

You also choose how to finish: a coursework option, a project, or a thesis. A thesis is a research paper that you defend, and it's the best preparation if you might pursue a doctorate. A project suits someone who wants a portfolio piece for employers. Ask which option most online students pick.

Standout Features

• All courses are scheduled during late afternoons or evenings for part-time study while working
• Can be completed entirely on campus, entirely online, or through a mix of both

Ask Michigan-Dearborn for the current graduate tuition schedule for online students. Graduate tuition at public universities often varies by residency, credit load and school, so get the quote from the registrar or your advisor in writing.

For context only, the federal data lists a campus per-credit charge of $1,721 for this university. Campus charges can be well above, or different from, a school's online rate, so don't treat that number as your price. It's a reason to get the real figure before you budget.

With 30 credits, the total is your per-credit rate times 30, plus fees. Ask for fees line by line, and ask whether in-state and out-of-state students pay differently for online courses.

You can complete the whole program online, entirely on campus, or through a mix. All courses are scheduled in late afternoons or evenings, which is a signal that the program was designed for people with day jobs. If you live near Dearborn, you can attend some classes in person and take others online.

Federal data shows 47% of the university's students are enrolled exclusively online, so online learning is common here. The university also describes internship, research and study abroad programs as hands-on experiences. Ask which of those are open to online students and how you'd arrange an internship from a distance.

Ask whether evening online courses meet live at a set time or are recorded. Live evening sessions mean a firm commitment on specific nights, while recorded ones leave you more room.

The full rubric is on the methodology page.

• The prerequisites are real: a STEM bachelor's with a B average or better, plus courses in probability and statistics, programming and calculus II.
• Budget only after you have a written per-credit quote and a fee list for online students.
• The federal campus charge of $1,721 per credit is a reason to get your actual online rate before you compare this program with others.
• Evening scheduling suits workers, but it can mean live commitments on weeknights.

• What is the exact per-credit tuition for online students, and does it differ for out-of-state residents?
• Can I take the missing prerequisite, such as calculus II, at another school before I start?
• Do evening online classes meet live or are they recorded?
• Which concentration do most online students choose, and how do they differ in career outcomes?
• How do the coursework, project and thesis options differ in time and cost?
• Can online students complete the internship, and how do they find one?
• Which accreditor covers the program?

A public university in Dearborn, Michigan.

• Best Information Assurance Degrees Rank 9 of 10, master's
• Best Part-Time Programs Rank 6 of 6, master's
• Best Thesis Option Programs Rank 8 of 9, master's
• Best Programs With Internships Rank 9 of 10, master's
• Best Online Programs in Michigan Rank 4 of 5, master's

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