Washington University of Science and Technology Online Master of Science in Cybersecurity

Washington University of Science and Technology (WUST) offers a 54-quarter-credit online master's in cybersecurity with a 50 percent distance education tuition reduction that brings the full program to $12,690. It's a low-cost route for working professionals with a bachelor's degree in any field, as long as you stay fully online and check how the credential fits your goals.

WUST is a private for-profit university in Alexandria, Virginia, with a Global Campus for online programs. The Master of Science in Cybersecurity requires twelve courses and 54 quarter credits. The school runs four 10-week quarters a year, so you can start at several points rather than waiting for a single fall intake.

The same degree is offered fully on the ground and fully online. Admission asks for a bachelor's degree with a minimum 2.4 GPA and a Distance Education Assessment, and the school says no SAT, GRE or GMAT is required. That's a lower bar than many master's programs set, which makes this a realistic option for people whose undergraduate grades weren't strong.

WUST lists graduate tuition at $470 per credit hour. Students enrolled in a 100 percent online program receive Distance Education assistance of 50 percent of tuition, which gives $235 per credit and $12,690 for the 54 credits. Books and supplies are around $1,000, though WUST says free digital course materials replace nearly all textbooks, so your own spend may be lower.

The discount depends on staying fully online. If you take any in-person class, the assistance goes away, so ask for the full-price figure in writing before you enroll. Up to 27 transfer credits are accepted, half the program, which could cut the bill further if you have earlier graduate work.

54 quarter credits at $235 a credit comes to $12,690 in tuition, before fees.

Who It Fits

• Working professionals who want a master's degree while keeping their job, since classes run in 10-week quarters with four starts a year.
• Students watching the total bill. Graduate tuition is $470 per credit hour, and the 50 percent online assistance brings it to $235 per credit and $12,690 for 54 credits.
• Career changers with a bachelor's degree in another field, because the admissions page asks for a bachelor's degree and a 2.4 GPA, with no computer science prerequisite attached.
• Students who already have graduate credits, since WUST accepts up to 27 transfer credits.

Who Should Skip It

• Students who plan to take any class in person. WUST states that online students who take any in-person class lose the distance education tuition assistance.
• Anyone who wants a public university name on the diploma. WUST is a private for-profit school.
• Students who want a thesis or research track. The program ends in a capstone course.

The program page names courses that cover the full range of a security career: Introduction to Cybersecurity, Security Policy and Standards, Forensic and Network Intrusion, Secure Cloud Architecture, Secure Software Development, Security Assessment and Testing, and Cyberlaws and Ethical Hacking. That mix leans toward management and governance as well as technical defense, with policy, law and assessment alongside forensics and cloud.

It ends with the Cybersecurity Capstone (CS 681, 4.5 credits), which you take after ten MSCS courses. With 54 credits across twelve courses, each course is worth about 4.5 credits, so the load per class is heavier than the 3-credit courses at semester schools. Compare credits carefully.

The 54 quarter credits are not the same unit as 54 semester credits, which is why the semester-equivalent price on this page is $352.50 per credit.

Courses the School Names

• Introduction to Cybersecurity
• Security Policy & Standards
• Forensic & Network Intrusion
• Secure Cloud Architecture
• Secure Software Development
• Security Assessment & Testing
• Cyberlaws & Ethical Hacking

Standout Features

• Distance Education assistance of 50% of total tuition for students in a 100% online program
• Free digital course materials replace nearly all textbooks

Courses run in 10-week quarters, and an academic year is divided into four quarters, including final exams. Four starts a year means a missed deadline costs you a few months, not a year. WUST says digital materials replace nearly all textbooks, which removes one recurring cost and the wait for shipping.

Admission includes a Distance Education Assessment, so the school checks that you're ready for online study before you start. Ask how much of the work happens on a fixed schedule and how much you can do on your own time.

WUST is institutionally accredited by ACCSC. Ask whether other universities, employers or doctoral programs you may want later accept that accreditation, because acceptance of credits and degrees varies by institution. Ask which courses, if any, map to a certification exam before you assume the degree prepares you for one. The federal data shows a graduation rate of 63 percent for the school.

Where this degree can lead: Cybersecurity Degree Jobs.

The full rubric is on the methodology page.

• The savings disappear if you take an in-person class, because the Distance Education assistance applies only to students in a 100 percent online program.
• It's a private for-profit school, and ACCSC accreditation may matter to a future employer or graduate program.
• No certification alignment, lab platform or hands-on environment is named on the program page.
• The published course list leans toward policy and assessment, so students wanting deep programming work may want more electives.

• Will you put the $12,690 total in writing, including what I owe if I take one class in person?
• Which transfer credits would count toward the 27-credit limit, and how long does evaluation take?
• Is there a hands-on lab environment for the intrusion, penetration and cloud courses, and is it included in tuition?
• How do ACCSC-accredited credits transfer if I later pursue a doctorate or another master's degree?
• Are classes live at set times, or can I complete assignments on my own schedule within each 10-week quarter?
• What does the Cybersecurity Capstone ask me to produce, and who evaluates it?

Private university in Alexandria, Virginia with a Global Campus for online programs.

• Best Affordable Online Programs Rank 1 of 10, master's
• Best With Multiple Start Dates Rank 10 of 10, master's
• Best Online Programs in Virginia Rank 3 of 6, master's

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