University of the Cumberlands Master of Science in Information Systems Security (Online)

This is a low-priced master's with a direct line to the CISSP exam. The curriculum is aligned with the (ISC)2 CISSP Common Body of Knowledge, and the full 31 credits come to $11,005 in tuition. It is written for people who already work in IT, so it fits an experienced technician better than a career changer starting from scratch.

University of the Cumberlands is a private university in Williamsburg, Kentucky, named a National Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense (CAE-CD) by the NSA and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS). The Master of Science in Information Systems Security is a 31-credit program delivered fully online.

The admission standard is a baccalaureate degree, and the program is intended for those already working in information technology. That is a useful signal about who your classmates are, and it means the program can spend its time on security instead of IT basics.

Cumberlands also offers a Master of Science in Cyber Engineering at the same 31 credits and the same price per credit. The two degrees cover different ground, and choosing between them is the main decision you face.

The full rubric is on the methodology page.

Tuition is $355 per credit hour for 31 credit hours, which comes to $11,005. The school's Cyber Engineering master's carries the same per-credit rate and the same credit count, so price will not decide between the two.

Federal data lists a $355 per-credit charge for the university, matching the program rate. The figure above is tuition. Ask the school about technology fees, any resource charges and the cost of the CISSP exam. Confirm whether any exam cost is included.

31 credits at $355 a credit comes to $11,005 in tuition, before fees.

Who It Fits

• IT professionals who want a master's tied to CISSP exam preparation
• Network and systems administrators moving toward security architecture or management roles
• Students watching tuition, since the program is priced at $355 per credit
• Working adults who want a fully online degree with a capstone project instead of a thesis

Who Should Skip It

• Career changers with no IT experience, because the program is intended for those already working in information technology
• Students whose interests lean toward engineering, robotics or artificial intelligence, who should look at Cumberlands' Cyber Engineering master's
• Anyone who wants a thesis, since the program ends in a project instead

Named courses include Access Control, Cryptography, Security Architecture and Design, Operations Security, and Business Continuity Planning and Disaster Recovery Planning. The program ends with the ISOL 699 Info Security Project.

Those course titles match the structure of the (ISC)2 CISSP Common Body of Knowledge, which is what the school says the program is aligned with. Access control covers who gets into what. Cryptography covers how data is protected. Operations security and business continuity cover keeping systems running during an incident. Security Architecture and Design is the course that ties the others together.

The program is also mapped directly to DHS and NSA cyber security education standards.

The Cyber Engineering master's, by contrast, draws on electrical engineering and computer engineering. It covers network system engineering, robotics system engineering and artificial intelligence. This one is a security-practice degree, not an engineering degree.

Courses the School Names

• Access Control
• Cryptography
• Security Architecture and Design
• Operations Security
• Business Continuity Planning and Disaster Recovery Planning

Standout Features

• Program mapped to DHS and NSA cyber security education standards and aligned with the (ISC)2 CISSP Common Body of Knowledge
• University of the Cumberlands is a National Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense (CAE-CD) designated by the NSA and DHS

The program is fully online. Federal data shows 60% of graduate students at Cumberlands study exclusively online, a majority, so online is a core part of the school's work and not a side offering. The university enrolls 22,120 students, which makes it a large operation with the infrastructure that goes with it.

The university admits almost everyone who applies, at a 99% admit rate, so a baccalaureate degree and IT experience are the real filters. The capstone is a project, ISOL 699, not a thesis.

Because the school is large and admits widely, expect to carry your own motivation. Ask how responsive faculty are in the security courses.

The program is aligned with the (ISC)2 CISSP Common Body of Knowledge, and the school says earning the degree will equip you to take the CISSP certification exam. CISSP is a widely recognized credential for security managers and architects, and the exam body sets its own eligibility rules, so check (ISC)2's requirements before you plan around it.

The university holds the NSA and DHS CAE-CD designation, and the program is mapped to their education standards. The degree is the school's, and the CISSP is a separate exam you sit afterward. Federal data shows a graduation rate of 50% and a completion rate of 55.5% for students who transfer in.

Where this degree can lead: Cybersecurity Degree Jobs.

• The program is intended for those already working in IT, so it is a poor fit for a first step into the field.
• With a 99% admit rate at the university, the baccalaureate and your IT experience are the real filters, so judge your own readiness honestly.
• The school's graduation rate is 50%, so a plan for finishing matters.
• The CISSP exam and its experience requirement are separate from the degree.

• Which courses map to which domains of the CISSP Common Body of Knowledge?
• How many courses can I take per term, and what is the realistic pace for someone working full time?
• What does the ISOL 699 Info Security Project involve, and can it draw on my employer's environment?
• Are there technology fees or resource charges on top of $355 per credit?
• How does this degree differ from the Cyber Engineering master's in the work I will do?
• Are the courses taught live or on my own schedule, and how quickly do instructors respond?

Private university in Williamsburg, Kentucky, named a National Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense by the NSA and DHS.

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