As high-profile cyber-attacks become more common, the critical need for well-educated security professionals continues to grow. Companies of all sizes are investing heavily in cybersecurity expertise and technologies. Southern New Hampshire University's online Master of Science (MS) in Cyber Security program positions you for in-demand cyber security jobs. Gain the knowledge and skills necessary to develop effective security controls, understand cyber threats and reduce the negative impacts of data breaches. SNHU's affordable, online master's in cyber security combines theory with authentic practice, giving you a competitive edge in this high-growth, well-paying industry.

"The goal is to balance the needs of the organization you're working for with the costs of protecting the confidentiality of customer data, trade secrets, or other types of valuable information," said Jon Kamyck, associate dean of cyber security at Southern New Hampshire University."

Learn how to:

- Understand, evaluate and respond to cyber threats

- Defend against common cyber attacks

- Develop risk management, business continuity, and disaster recovery plans

- Draft information security policies informed by relevant laws and regulations

- Employ leadership strategies for ethical behavior and organizational effectiveness

- Recognize the influences of industry standards and emerging trends on the cyber security profession

- Enhance collaboration and communication skills

Choose the general track or specialize your degree with a concentration in IT management. The 36-credit MS in Cyber Security program is designed for students who want to meet the challenges posed by security threats, learn to protect the confidentiality, availability, and integrity of data, and develop risk management and mitigation strategies.

"The courses are applicable to the real world," said graduate Beth Maldonado '20 '21G. "They are taught by instructors who work in the field that they are teaching. They bring real-world experience and scenarios to the classroom which helps students to better understand topics and remember them."

Ken Girkin '17 '21G echoes that sentiment. "Not only did I learn a lot from the classes and instructors, but I learned from the other students as well," he said. "These classes gave me the foundation I needed to advance my career and get to where I am today."

The master's in cyber security online degree program focuses on 4 key areas of competence:

- Information security governance and management

- Information security incident detection and response

- Information security risk and compliance assessment

- Leadership, collaboration, and communication

"You'll find yourself working on assignments with a mix of theory and hands-on lab-based learning. "I regularly found myself switching between researching or writing papers and completing lab work, typically in the same class," said Mallory Quaintance '21. "Both areas are very important and I am glad that SNHU didn't overlook the importance of understanding what it's like to be actively working on a problem, versus just simply researching and writing about it." "Experiential learning is highly important," Quaintance adds, "so I'm glad that the program ended up being an excellent blend."

Other opportunities to prepare you for your career:

- Cyber security capstone: Combine coursework and experience to understand, evaluate and address difficult challenges associated with leading-edge topics in cyber security.

- Technology competitions: Gain experience by competing in national tech competitions, including the National Cyber League where SNHU fielded the first all-female team and earned multiple Top 10 finishes.

- Technology conferences: Learn, network and discover with our students and alumni at major networking events like the Grace Hopper Celebration, Women in Cyber Security conference, and ACM Richard Tapia Celebration of Diversity in Computing. What's more, SNHU's online master's in cyber security is designed with maximum flexibility, allowing you to accomplish your degree around your own schedule.

"SNHU classes are structured in a way that makes it easy for working adults and parents to fit the courses into their schedule without all the stress," said Maldonado.

"I was able to complete my work from anywhere at any time." Richard Sebastian '21 agrees. "The ability to obtain any degree through online study is a life-changer!" he said. "I work shift work and weekends and holidays. Attending traditional classes in a brick-and-mortar facility just was not an option for me."

" SNHU has been a leader in the online learning space for over 25 years. I have done online learning before at a different university," said Quaintance. "At the time, I found their online programs to be handled more like an afterthought rather than another way of learning. [At SNHU] the professors are engaged, and the work is meaningful without being overbearing or too tedious."

Expanding access to quality higher education means removing the barriers that may stand between you and your degree. That's why you can apply at any time and get a decision within days of submitting all required materials:

- Completed Application

- Undergraduate transcripts, which we can retrieve for you by submitting a Transcript Request Form Acceptance decisions are made on a rolling basis throughout the year for our 5 graduate terms.

$150 Graduation Fee, Course Materials ($ varies by course)