University of Wisconsin-River Falls Online Master of Science in Cybersecurity

This is the River Falls version of the shared Universities of Wisconsin online cybersecurity master's. It is 11 courses and 31 credits at $850 per credit, or $26,350 in tuition, with the same rate for residents and non-residents.

Choose it if you like River Falls as the campus on your diploma and can meet the 3.0 GPA and programming prerequisites. Nothing in the coursework itself sets it apart from the other campuses.

The University of Wisconsin-River Falls is a public university in River Falls, Wisconsin, with 5,243 students. It is a partner in the Universities of Wisconsin collaborative that offers one online Master of Science in Cybersecurity across eight campuses.

River Falls describes the degree in one line: one master's degree, two tracks, 100% online. The curriculum is made of 11 courses totaling 31 credits, and you finish with a one-credit capstone preparation course followed by a final project-based capstone course.

If you read the Green Bay page on this site, the courses and tracks will look familiar, because they are the same collaborative program. The difference is the campus that admits you and awards the degree. River Falls is a smaller campus than Green Bay, so expect a different feel from the admissions and advising offices.

Tuition is $850 per credit for all cybersecurity classes, regardless of where you live. For 31 credits that is $26,350. Textbooks are bought separately and are not part of tuition.

Because the rate is the same at every collaborative campus, price is not a reason to prefer River Falls over its partners. It is, however, a reason to prefer this program over many public master's programs that charge nonresidents more. The federal data lists a $1,034 per credit charge for River Falls, which is higher than the online rate.

Budget for books each semester and ask whether any courses need paid software or lab access.

31 credits at $850 a credit comes to $26,350 in tuition, before fees.

Who It Fits

• You want the Universities of Wisconsin name and a smaller campus, since River Falls enrolls 5,243 students.
• You live anywhere in the country. The tuition is $850 per credit regardless of where you live.
• You want the choice between Digital Forensics and Security Management and Secure Systems Design.
• You hold a bachelor's with a 3.0 GPA and have taken introductory computer science with programming.

Who Should Skip It

• You need a master's with no math or programming prerequisites. River Falls requires introductory computer science with programming and calculus or statistics.
• You are looking for a program unique to one campus. The curriculum is shared, so River Falls will not give you different courses than its partners.
• You want a low-cost master's. Tuition is $26,350 before textbooks.

The program page names five courses that stand out: Advanced Cryptography, Digital Forensics, IT Security Risk Management, Network Security and Security Architecture. Together with the rest of the 11 courses, they cover how to protect networks, investigate incidents and manage security risk at an organization level.

You choose between two tracks. Digital Forensics and Security Management suits someone who wants to investigate incidents and run a security program, for example an IT manager who wants the policy and risk side. Secure Systems Design suits someone who builds or maintains systems and wants to know how to make them hard to attack.

The one-credit capstone preparation course comes first. It exists so you arrive at the final project-based capstone with a topic and a plan. Ask how projects get chosen and whether a workplace problem can qualify.

Courses the School Names

• Advanced Cryptography
• Digital Forensics
• IT Security Risk Management
• Network Security
• Security Architecture

Standout Features

• Collaborative program offered through the Universities of Wisconsin
• Two tracks of study: Digital Forensics and Security Management, or Secure Systems Design

The program is 100% online. Federal data shows 44% of River Falls graduate students study exclusively online, which means the campus already serves a lot of remote learners.

Ask whether courses run on a set schedule or on your own time, and how many times a year you can start. Also ask what advising or coaching you get as a collaborative student.

You earn a Master of Science in Cybersecurity from the University of Wisconsin-River Falls. The GRE, GMAT and similar aptitude tests are not required. Admission asks for a bachelor's degree with at least a 3.0 GPA, a resume and a statement of intent.

The university's federal graduation rate is 57%, and 65% of transfer-in students earn an award within eight years. Those figures cover the whole campus, so use them as background.

Where this degree can lead: Cybersecurity Degree Jobs.

The full rubric is on the methodology page.

• At $26,350 in tuition, the degree is a significant investment, and textbooks cost extra.
• The prerequisites include programming and calculus or statistics, which can add time before you start.
• Because the curriculum is shared, River Falls offers no unique courses.
• Admissions asks for a resume and a statement of intent, so the application takes more preparation than a form.

• Do I need to finish the programming and math prerequisites before I apply, or can I take them after admission?
• How do River Falls students get advising and support in the collaborative?
• Which track fits someone moving from IT support into security?
• How does the capstone preparation course work, and when do I take it?
• How many start dates are there each year?
• Are textbooks required for every course, and what do they cost?

Public university in River Falls, Wisconsin, and a partner in the Universities of Wisconsin online cybersecurity master's.

• Best Online Programs in Wisconsin Rank 4 of 6, master's

• Brown University

  Master of Science in Cybersecurity

  Rhode Island Score 47.0

• University of Wisconsin-Green Bay

  Master of Science in Cybersecurity

  Wisconsin $850 per credit Score 47.1

• Walden University

  MS in Cybersecurity

  Minnesota $575 per quarter credit Score 46.9

• City University of Seattle

  Master of Science in Cybersecurity

  Washington $775 per credit Score 46.8