How would you like to enter a field that is expected to grow no less than 37 percent in terms of total U.S. employment within the next few years? That’s not an exaggeration; the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics expects information security analysts, the core job functionality for cybersecurity graduates, to be one of the fastest-growing fields in the United States.
The Ever-Present (and Growing) Hacking Problem
We’ve all come across the much-publicized hacking scandals of the last few years. From the 2016 Presidential Election to Yahoo’s billion-user fiasco, major global entities have suffered drastically from an increasing number of hacks and cyber attacks that threaten their integrity and bottom line.
But you might not know that the problem is far more widespread; in fact, 14 million small businesses in the United States have suffered from a digital security breach in the past 12 months. Given that 60 percent of small businesses that have been hacked are forced out of business within six months after the breach, it wouldn’t be an exaggeration to state that cyber security is one of the core problems facing companies of all sizes today.
Which brings us back to the need for experts. Even entities as large as Target have been proven to be vulnerable, emphasizing cybersecurity expertise as a core competency in IT departments across the country. Unfortunately, not enough experts exist to fill that immediate need – which brings us back to the MS in Information Technology Degree.
The Value of an MSIT With Cyber Security Concentration
Until just a few years ago, degrees in cyber security simply did not exist. That means countless IT professionals work in the United States and around the world today who do not have the capability or knowledge to address potential vulnerabilities and cyber attacks.
For these professionals, adding these skills can be vital to maintaining a positive career arc. For new bachelor’s degree graduates, the same skills can be the much-needed door into a lucrative career. In 2014, professionals in the field with less than 5 years experience earned an average $92,600 per year.
That’s what makes an IT master’s degree with a cyber security specialization so valuable. Courses are specifically designed to fit this emerging need, with classes specifically designed to help emerging IT professionals respond to cyber attacks, understand cyber war, taking a security leadership role, and how to take effective countermeasures.
Skills that Can Enhance Your Career
The skills in our particular Master of Science in Information Technology Degree are designed with these emerging needs in mind. As a result, you will learn and apply a variety of related fields that modern companies need from their IT departments and security specialists:
- Understand current cyber laws
- Building a secure data infrastructure
- Preventing cyber attacks before they happen
- Fast response and countermeasures to data breaches
- Cyber forensics to detect traces of attacks
- Understanding the training and staff needed for cyber security
- Developing a cyber security budget
- Finding and implementing the right security tools
- and much more.
The program is specifically designed to prepare students for this emerging need. As a result, graduates are ideally prepared to become cyber security experts as soon as they walk the stage at commencement.
Interested in pursuing a degree?
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Multiple Delivery Options to Fit Your Needs
Cyber security is a unique field in that it is so new that existing professionals will benefit from the skills and experience gained in a relevant MSIT as much as students who have yet to start their career. That’s why we offer our program both on campus and online, helping professionals at any career stage optimize their skills for the future of IT.
Are you ready to enter a field that is currently facing a talent shortage? As far as career moves go, it’s close to a safe bet. To learn more about our Master’s Degree in Information Technology with a cyber security concentration, contact us.
