Online Master of Science in Cybersecurity

Absolutely! Pursuing a degree online is very similar to attending classes in person. In our cybersecurity program, all the resources you need to complete your degree and further your education experience are in an easy-to-use student portal. Classes are conducted live via Zoom, allowing you to interact with your instructor and fellow students at least once a week. Outside of the live class, you can email your instructor any time to ask assignments or course questions. Many of your assignments can be completed directly in the student portal, and all assignments are submitted through the portal. Class discussion forums further enhance your learning experience by encouraging students to interact with each other either one-on-one or in a group.

In addition to the student portal and live classes, UNR has an extensive digital library of resources to help you complete your assignments and enhance your knowledge and learning experience. These include digital books, articles, research papers, and links to resources outside the University. There is also a research help hub and guides to assist you in completing your research. There are also Discord groups and rooms where you can interact with other students pursuing similar studies and degrees, as well as over 350 databases where you can find extensive data on various topics.

Cybersecurity is one of the fastest-growing fields in the world. The need for cybersecurity professionals will only grow as the world continues to embrace and move to the digital world. According to a recently published study by ISC2¹, an estimated 4.8 million cybersecurity positions are under or unfilled around the globe. This represents a 19% increase year over year.

Attaining an online degree is absolutely worth the time and effort you put into it.  Earning an advanced degree in cybersecurity gives you a competitive advantage in the job market. In fact, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics², earning a master’s degree in cybersecurity means you will earn between 18% and 26% more annually, on average, than a person holding a bachelor’s degree.

Attending a fully accredited University with a quality cybersecurity curriculum, such as UNR’s, gives you the knowledge you need to succeed in the field. Our program covers critical cybersecurity topics such as network security, cryptography, risk management, law and ethics, digital forensics, internet security, and other topics. Such a well-rounded curriculum gives potential employers the assurance they seek in a highly qualified candidate.

Yes, they do! Today, enterprises conduct much of their business via online platforms such as Zoom, WebEx, customer portals, e-commerce websites, and more. The COVID-19 pandemic helped accelerate employers’ and educators’ acceptance of online learning. Most universities’ online programs are identical to those held on campus. Employers value programs that align with industry standards, such as those mapped to frameworks like NIST and ISO or aligned with certifications like CompTIA Security+.

Employers consider the reputation of the University over whether the degree was earned online or in person. Degrees from reputable, accredited universities are viewed favorably. Accreditation ensures the program meets academic and industry standards.

Artificial intelligence is in its infancy. Tools like ChatGPT, Copilot, and others can be used to help with some research while you pursue your degree. However, like a young child learning new things, many of these tools have proven to produce less than reliable answers. They are only marginally effective at solving complex problems or providing reliable results when producing output, such as application coding, computer programming, or theoretical summations. Like any other Internet resource, the results produced by any AI platform should be taken with a grain of salt and verified by different sources.

These tools are not meant to be a substitute, in any way, for a fully accredited university cybersecurity curriculum. While they may assist you in your pursuit of your degree, they are only one tool in a vast toolbox accessible to you to help you gain the knowledge and experience that only a quality curriculum delivered by expert, experienced, and qualified instructors at an accredited university such as UNR.

While experience is always helpful in any endeavor you pursue, our program does not require you to have previous professional experience in the field to obtain your degree. Our program is designed to help students of all levels of expertise succeed in getting their degrees. If you have limited experience in the field, our program provides some basic courses to help you gain foundational knowledge of the concepts before jumping into the primary curriculum. Additionally, the large pool of resources available throughout the program will help you learn, understand, and apply all of the knowledge you learn in practical application. In fact, many of the classes provide you with hands-on training, allowing you to interact with the technologies and applications you will use throughout your career in cybersecurity.

Many of the instructors in the program have real-world, hands-on experience, both past and current, in the subjects you will be learning. This allows you to learn from that experience regardless of your background.