University of Missouri-St. Louis Online Cybersecurity M.S. (Computer Science and Information Systems Emphases)

UMSL's M.S. in Cybersecurity is a 30-credit master's from a public university with an NSA and DHS Center of Academic Excellence designation, and you pick a computer science or an information systems emphasis. It suits Missouri residents who want a technical master's at a public price, and the tuition gap for out-of-state students is large.

The University of Missouri-St. Louis is a public research university in St. Louis, Missouri. Its bulletin says it's the only National Security Agency cyber defense designated institution in the St. Louis region, and that it holds the National Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense Education designation granted by the NSA and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.

The degree is a joint program between computer science and information systems. You choose an emphasis, and the choice changes who the program is for. UMSL also lists a separate bachelor's in cybersecurity; this page is about the master's, which is the graduate path for someone who already has an undergraduate degree.

You earn a Master of Science in Cybersecurity. The NSA and DHS designation applies to the university's cyber defense education, and the bulletin adds a Security Policy Development and Compliance focus area designation. That second designation points to the policy courses and the Information Systems emphasis.

Certification exams aren't built into the program, so any exam is your own add-on. Federal data shows an 8-year completion rate of 59.5% for transfer-in students and a graduation rate of 57% for the university.

Where this degree can lead: Cybersecurity Degree Jobs.

Who It Fits

• You have a computer science background and want deeper security work. The Computer Science emphasis is the more technical route.
• You come from information systems or business technology. The Information Systems emphasis is built for that path, and it's the one with the stated minimum 3.0 GPA.
• You want the option of a thesis. A student may complete three credit hours of Master's Thesis (CMP SCI 6900) in place of the Cybersecurity Capstone (CMP SCI 5888).
• You live in Missouri. Public resident tuition is far below the out-of-state rate.

Who Should Skip It

• You live outside Missouri and want the lowest cost. The non-resident rate is much higher, and other public schools may charge less.
• You want a program built for fully asynchronous learning. UMSL says the program can be completed in the evening or online, so ask how much of your emphasis is actually available online.

The course list is technical. Cyber Threats and Defense and Advanced Information Security form the security core, Cryptography for Computer Security covers the math behind encryption, and Computer Forensics teaches evidence recovery. Software Assurance covers how vulnerabilities get written into code to begin with.

The two emphases split the program. The Computer Science emphasis is housed in the Arts and Sciences college, and the Information Systems emphasis in the business college. The capstone is CMP SCI 5888, and the thesis option gives you a research route if you want one. Ask which courses differ between the emphases and which are shared.

Courses the School Names

• Cyber Threats and Defense
• Cryptography for Computer Security
• Advanced Information Security
• Computer Forensics
• Software Assurance

Standout Features

• NSA and DHS National Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense Education designation, plus a Security Policy Development and Compliance focus area designation

UMSL uses simplified tuition, a flat per-credit rate by college that's the same online or in person. For 2026-27 graduate students in the College of Arts and Sciences, the M.S. rate is $697 per credit for residents and $1,658 for non-residents. In the Ed G. Smith College of Business, the M.S. rate is $872 for residents and $1,833 for non-residents.

The program is 30 credits, so multiply the rate for your emphasis by 30 to see your tuition. The gap is the story: a resident in the Computer Science emphasis pays far less than a non-resident. Ask which college bills your emphasis and what fees apply.

The program can be taken part-time or full-time, in the evening or online, which means it was built for working students. Ask admissions about start dates and whether your specific courses meet live.

Federal data shows that 32% of UMSL graduate students study exclusively online. That's a smaller online share than at schools built for remote learners, so you'll often share classes with students who attend in the evening. For some people that's a plus because you get more campus contact. For others it means the online experience is a second thought.

The full rubric is on the methodology page.

• Non-resident tuition is more than double the resident rate in the Arts and Sciences college, so out-of-state students should compare carefully.
• The online share of graduate students is 32%, so don't expect a campus-free experience.
• Typical length depends on whether you go part-time or full-time, so plan your pace with an advisor.
• A bachelor's in cybersecurity, computer science or a related field is preferred, so career changers may need to explain their background.

• Which emphasis fits my background, and which college bills my tuition?
• Which courses are offered online each term, and which require evening campus attendance?
• How does the thesis option work, and who advises it?
• What does the GPA requirement mean for the emphasis I want?
• How does the GRE assistantship requirement work if I want funding?
• How does the Security Policy Development and Compliance focus show up in my courses?

A public research university in St. Louis, Missouri, and the only National Security Agency cyber defense designated institution in the St. Louis region according to its bulletin.

• Best Thesis Option Programs Rank 7 of 9, master's
• Best Online Programs in Missouri Rank 2 of 3, master's

• Cybersecurity B.S. (Computer Science and Information Systems Emphases)

  B.S., Bachelor's

  Fully Online Score 37.4

• University of Dallas

  Master of Science in Cybersecurity

  Texas $1,300 per credit Score 43.7

• Missouri State University

  Master of Science in Cybersecurity

  Missouri Score 42.7

• University of Michigan-Dearborn

  Cybersecurity and Information Assurance, MS

  Michigan Score 42.7

• Minnesota State University, Mankato

  Information Security & Risk Management (PSM)

  Minnesota $1,103 per credit Score 43.9