Cybersecurity Program Questionnaire

This Master of Science in Cybersecurity program presents a comprehensive, multidisciplinary curriculum that prepares students to advance their careers and pursue their academic ambitions through leadership and management positions within the cybersecurity field. The program will equip students with the skills needed to effectively develop, implement and maintain a security strategy within diverse organizations and industry sectors. Core courses provide students with a solid foundation in data and network security, compliance, strategic planning, program design and management, legal and ethical issues in cybersecurity, cryptography, risk management and technical communications.

This degree program is offered in a traditional online format. Students use a learning management system called Canvas to access the course syllabus, materials, exams/quizzes, and discussion board. There is no set time required to log in and participate in online classes, which makes them quite flexible, but there are deadlines and due dates. Learn more about online learning.

The Master of Science in Cybersecurity curriculum is comprised of 12 courses, for a total of 34 credits. As a student in the program, you will take seven core courses and three concentration courses in your track of study. These tracks are Digital Forensics, Cyber Response, Governance & Leadership, and Security Architecture. You will also complete a one-credit capstone preparation course and a final project-based capstone course. You may choose to complete one or more tracks. Click here for more detailed information on the curriculum and tracks.

The Virtual Lab provides students with a personal virtual desktop that includes a wide range of software they need through their time in the program. Most tools are available with one log-in credential, saving students time and resources without the need to purchase, download, and install required technology. There are a couple of resources that will be easily accessed from your personal computer outside the Virtual Lab.

Most students in this program tend to take 1-2 courses per semester, however, each individual student is welcome to take a part-time or full-time course load. The length of time to degree completion varies on a student’s course load completion each semester. The time needed weekly to dedicate towards this program will depend on your knowledge of the material, but on average you want to plan for at least 10-20 hours per week per course.

Throughout the program students have access to faculty, an Academic Director (AD), an online writing lab, as well as a Student Success Coach (SSC), who is here to offer support throughout the course of the program. After a student is admitted into the program, the SSC can assist with things like course registrations, acquiring textbooks, and general support.

The Cybersecurity Master’s Degree program is a collaboration of the University of Wisconsin Extended Campus and eight University of Wisconsin institutions: UW-Green Bay, UW-La Crosse, UW-Oshkosh, UW-Parkside, UW-Platteville, UW-River Falls, UW-Stevens Point, and UW-Superior bringing you the best and brightest cybersecurity instructors from across the UW System.

Although you will take courses taught by faculty from all eight partner campuses and complete your program entirely online, you will be asked to apply to a “home” campus. Your home campus is the institution from which you will receive financial aid (if you qualify), advising, career services, and ultimately, your diploma.

Tuition for this program is a flat fee of $850 per credit. This does not include the cost for textbooks. The tuition is the same whether you live in Wisconsin, out of state, or out of the country. All courses are three credits, and there are no additional course or program fees. As this is an online program, students do not pay segregated fees – fees in addition to tuition that cover the costs of student-organized activities, facility maintenance, and operations on a campus.

Financial aid is available to those who qualify, and is awarded by the home campus a student chooses. Anyone looking at veteran’s benefits would work with the campus VCO (Veteran’s Certifying Official) through the home campus.

This program is approved by the University of Wisconsin Board of Regents and is regionally accredited through the Higher Learning Commission.

New students are able to enroll in the spring, summer, or fall, on the traditional semester calendar. As a general rule, it is best to apply at least two weeks prior to the start of classes to allow processing time for the admissions departments. You should submit your eApplication in advance of that deadline in order to allow time to submit all other application materials, such as official transcripts, resume, and letters of recommendation.

Below are the admission guidelines for this program.

• Bachelor’s degree from a regionally or nationally accredited institution with a GPA of 3.0 or higher. There are provisional admission guidelines for students with a 2.5 - 2.9 GPA.
• There are two prerequisite courses for this program: Intro to Computer Science (should show evidence of programming) and either Calculus or Statistics. These prerequisite courses must be completed prior to being admitted in the program. The academic directors at each of the campuses have the opportunity to waive prerequisites on a case-by-case basis for students with significant work experience.
• A personal statement of up to 1,000 words, describing your decision to pursue this degree and what you will bring to the cybersecurity field. This is to be written in the app statement section within the eApplication.
• Professional resume.
• Two letters of recommendation (professional or academic).
• All applicants whose native language is not English are required to submit current TOEFL or IELTS scores.
• Please note: There are no required aptitude tests (e.g., GRE, GMAT).

If you meet the above admission guidelines and are interested in moving further, please click here for a list of the application steps.

If you have questions regarding home campus selection, please reach out to an Enrollment Adviser (608-800-6762 or learn@uwex.edu).

Transcripts from institutions attended outside of the United States will likely need to be translated into U.S. credits. More guidance on these requirements will be provided from the campus after an application is submitted.

We recommend that all application items be submitted at least two weeks prior to the start of the semester. This includes having your online application submitted as well as any other materials on file with the campus admissions office (e.g. application processing fee and official college transcript(s)).

Please click the submit button below when finished. An Enrollment Adviser will follow up with you on your submitted questions and provide guidance on next steps.