University of North Dakota Online Master of Science in Cyber Security

The University of North Dakota's online M.S. in Cyber Security is built around stackable certificate tracks, which makes it the most modular master's you'll find in this field. You choose a required analyst track plus two of three specialties, pay $917.55 per credit whether you live in North Dakota or not, and study at a school designated a National Center of Academic Excellence in Cybersecurity in Cyber Research.

It isn't the cheapest master's and has a few scheduling details to confirm.

The University of North Dakota is a public research university in Grand Forks, accredited by the Higher Learning Commission. This master's is a 36-credit program that UND says you can finish 100% online, with no on-campus requirement. The estimated completion time is two years.

The degree carries ABET accreditation through its Computing Accreditation Commission, which is the accreditor most computing faculty look for. Students also get access to UND's Center for Cyber Security Research and its Artificial Intelligence Research Center, so the program sits inside an active research environment rather than standing alone.

The program is accredited by ABET's Computing Accreditation Commission, and UND is institutionally accredited by the Higher Learning Commission. UND is also designated a National Center of Academic Excellence in Cybersecurity (NCAE-C) in Cyber Research. That designation is about research strength, so it tells you the school's faculty are active in the field more than it tells you how the coursework is graded.

UND says the program prepares you to sit for industry certification exams. Ask which exams line up with each track, since the answer can change which two tracks you choose.

Where this degree can lead: Cybersecurity Degree Jobs.

Who It Fits

• Working professionals who want a credential in pieces. Each certificate track is a self-contained block, so you can see progress before you reach the full degree.
• Out-of-state students. Online students pay the same tuition rate regardless of residency, so there's no penalty for living far from North Dakota.
• Anyone who wants to specialize on purpose. The three optional tracks let you point your degree at ethical hacking, forensics or network security instead of taking a general survey.
• People who care about program-level accreditation. ABET review of the program itself is a stronger signal than school-wide accreditation alone.

Who Should Skip It

• Students on a tight budget who are comparing price per credit alone. At $917.55 per credit, this is a mid-priced to expensive option, and fees are extra.
• Anyone who needs a published start schedule or a part-time pace spelled out before applying. Ask admissions for both.
• People who want a thesis or a required internship. Neither is described on the program page.

The structure is the distinctive part. Every student completes the Cyber Security Analyst certificate track, then picks two of three more: Ethical Hacking, Computer Hacking Forensics or Secure Networks. That means roughly half your specialization is fixed and half is yours, which is a useful balance if you want a defender's foundation with an offensive or investigative edge.

Named courses include Secure Software Engineering, Vulnerability Assessment, Ethical Hacking and Emerging Threats and Defenses. Secure Software Engineering is the one to notice if you write code or work with developers, because it treats security as part of building software instead of something added afterward. Vulnerability Assessment and Ethical Hacking cover finding weaknesses the way an attacker would.

The forensics track suits you if you'd rather investigate incidents after the fact. The Secure Networks track suits you if you'd rather design and harden the systems that carry traffic. Pick the pair that matches the job posting you actually want.

Courses the School Names

• Secure Software Engineering
• Vulnerability Assessment
• Ethical Hacking
• Emerging Threats and Defenses

Standout Features

• Access to the Center for Cyber Security Research and the Artificial Intelligence Research Center
• Program accredited by the Computing Accreditation Commission of ABET
• Stackable certificate tracks
• UND is designated a National Center of Academic Excellence in Cybersecurity (NCAE-C) in Cyber Research

Tuition is $917.55 per credit for all online students. Across 36 credits, that works out to $33,031.80 in tuition before fees. UND lists student fees of $79.59 for 2026/2027, so check whether they're charged per term or per course and add them to your estimate.

The flat rate matters for out-of-state students, who often pay far more at public universities. Here, a student in Oregon and a student in North Dakota pay the same. The stackable tracks also let you pace spending, since you can budget one track at a time.

36 credits at $917.55 a credit comes to $33,032 in tuition, before fees.

UND says you can complete the master's entirely online, with no campus visit. The typical timeline is two years. Confirm with admissions whether courses are live or asynchronous, how long each term runs and how many start dates there are each year before you plan around work shifts.

What you do get is access to UND's research centers, which can matter if you want to work on a research project or talk with faculty who are publishing in the field.

The full rubric is on the methodology page.

• The $917.55 per credit rate is higher than several other online master's options in this field, and student fees come on top.
• Live-session expectations, term length and start dates are worth confirming with admissions before you apply.
• The industry certification exams aren't named, so you can't match tracks to specific credentials without asking.
• The NCAE-C designation is for cyber research, which may matter less if you want pure hands-on defense work.

• Which industry certification exams does each certificate track prepare me for?
• Are classes live or asynchronous, and how long is each term?
• How many start dates are there each year, and can I take one course at a time?
• Can I take the three certificate tracks without finishing the whole degree?
• Do the student fees of $79.59 repeat each term, or are they charged once?
• Can I work with the Center for Cyber Security Research as an online student?

Public research university in Grand Forks, North Dakota.

• Best Digital Forensics Degrees Rank 8 of 10, master's
• Best Cybersecurity Engineering Degrees Rank 7 of 8, master's
• Best Cyber Defense Degrees Rank 10 of 10, master's
• Best ABET Accredited Programs Rank 1 of 1, master's

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