Online Master's in Cybersecurity Degree Programs in California

In California, there are nine schools that offer a total of 12 online master’s in cybersecurity programs. From public universities like California State University, San Bernardino and San Jose State University to private universities like the University of Southern California, these schools offer a wide range of online program options for students interested in building a career in cybersecurity. Specializations available to students who choose to enroll in one of these programs include Cybersecurity Management, Information Security, Cyber Security Operations and Leadership, Cyber Security Engineering, Network Risk Management and Control, and Digital Forensics and Incident Response.

Schools that have earned designation(s) from the National Centers of Academic Excellence in Cybersecurity (NCAE-C) for aligning their curriculum with standards set by the National Security Agency (NSA) and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) are noted in the listings at the bottom of the page. The NCAE-C designates schools and programs in the following categories: Cyber Research (CAE-R), Cyber Defense (CAE-CD), and Cyber Operations (CAE-CO). Furthermore, all institutions included below have received regional accreditation through the WASC Senior College and University Commission (WSCUC).

Schools in California with Online Master’s in Cybersecurity Programs

California State Polytechnic University, Pomona offers an online Master of Science in Information Security through its College of Business Administration. This program consists of 10 courses (31 credits) that students generally complete in two years of study (though more time is allowed). The MS in Information Security combines asynchronous and synchronous instruction to balance course scheduling flexibility with real-time engagement with instructors and classmates. Students in the program take courses on security risk management, digital forensics, IT auditing fundamentals, networks management, IT administration, web application security, information systems security, and cloud infrastructure management. At the end of the program, students must take and pass a comprehensive exam.

California State University, San Bernardino offers an online Master of Science in Cybersecurity and Analytics through its College of Extended and Global Education. This program is composed of 30 credits of coursework covering cybersecurity fundamentals, network security, cybersecurity law and policies, risk assessments and management, cyber analytics, cyber data visualizations, and contemporary cybersecurity issues and best practices. The final graduation requirement for the program is a project wherein students apply what they have learned in the coursework to a concrete deliverable that is relevant to their professional goals.

California State University, San Marcos has an online Master of Science in Cybersecurity through its Extended Learning division. This program requires the completion of 38 units that combine technical and business courses, preparing students to step into organizational leadership roles within the cybersecurity field. Students complete 23 units (seven courses) of technical courses that cover computer network security, security requirements and features for commercial operating systems, secure software development, applied cryptography, offensive security and penetration testing, intrusion detection, incident response, risk assessments, and threat modeling. For the business coursework, students fulfill 10 units (four courses) on organizational behavior and leadership for security management, information systems security supervision, integration of organizational security functions, technology infrastructure assessments, and risk assessment and mitigation. The culminating experience in this program is an internship or project that students complete with faculty guidance.

National University’s School of Technology and Engineering offers three online master’s programs in cybersecurity. The first is an online Master of Science in Cybersecurity with specialization options in Enterprise Cybersecurity Management, Ethical Hacking and Penetration Testing, Digital Forensics and Incident Response, and Cloud Security. Students of this program take nine core courses in cybersecurity technologies and toolkits, network security monitoring, threat modeling, wireless and mobile security, cloud security, and incident response before progressing to four specialization courses in areas such as ethical hacking, cybersecurity governance, cloud security architecture, and network forensics. Students complete a cybersecurity capstone project for their culminating experience.

National University’s other two online master’s programs in cybersecurity are a Master of Science in Information Technology (MSIT) with a specialization in Network Risk Management and Control, and a Master of Science in Technology Management (MSTM) with a specialization in Cybersecurity Management. The MSIT program consists of 10 courses that focus on IT principles, networks and cloud computing, cybersecurity and risk management for IT professionals, systems and IT architecture, and management of IT services and systems. The final graduation requirement for students of this program is the development of a comprehensive IT implementation plan. The MSTM program also requires 10 courses and covers topics in technology governance, finance and planning in technology, technical communication, IT management, and strategic project and team management in the technology space. Students complete an integrative capstone project to graduate.

The Naval Postgraduate School (NPS) offers an online Master of Applied Computing with a Certificate in Cybersecurity Fundamentals through its Cyber and Information Systems division. This program is comprised of 44 graduate course credits that are derived from three graduate certificates that the school offers. To earn the master’s degree, students must complete the Cybersecurity Fundamentals Certificate along with two more graduate certificates from the following three options: Artificial Intelligence for Military Use Certificate, Robotics Engineering Certificate, or a Data Science Certificate. For the Cybersecurity Fundamentals Certificate, students must complete either an introductory course on cybersecurity or a course on systems security fundamentals, before completing courses that cover secure systems management, and information security within networks. Students do not have to complete a thesis or capstone project for this program. Note: While the NPS is mainly for members of the armed forces, it does accept civilians who are associated with the military.

San Jose State University’s School of Information offers an online Master of Science in Informatics that has a Pathway in Cybersecurity and Privacy. This program is delivered 100% online through mostly asynchronous instruction, though some courses include a synchronous component. The curriculum requires students to take courses on informatics fundamentals, communication technology fundamentals, information security, network security, big data analytics, human-centered design, electronic records, digital assets management, information assurance, and project management. From there, they take courses in network security and digital forensics, along with a lab course that allows them to work with advanced security tools. The final graduation requirement for the program is a culminating project through which students demonstrate their mastery of key concepts and skills they have learned in their coursework. For their culminating project, students can choose between completing a consulting deliverable that tackles an informatics challenge for a real-world organization, or an e-portfolio that illustrates their fulfillment of the program’s core competencies.

University of California, Berkeley (UC Berkeley) offers an online Master of Information and Cybersecurity through its School of Information. This interdisciplinary program combines courses on information security technologies, tools, and tactics with classes that explore the socioeconomic, political, and ethical implications of cybersecurity threats and protections. The curriculum includes nine courses that cover network and software security, operating systems security, cyber risk management, government and national security, privacy engineering, cryptography, cybersecurity in public policy, machine learning in security contexts, security operations, and usability for privacy and security functions. For their final graduation requirement, students must complete a practicum and a capstone course that includes an applied team project. In addition, they must attend at least one two-to-three-day immersion on UC Berkeley’s campus, where they can meet instructors and classmates while engaging in workshops and professional networking events.

University of San Diego (USD) has two online master’s in cybersecurity programs. The first is an online Master of Science (MS) in Cyber Security Operations and Leadership, which is offered through USD’s Professional and Continuing Education division, while the second is a Master of Science (MS) in Cyber Security Engineering that is available through USD’s Shiley-Marcos School of Engineering. The MS in Cyber Security Operations and Leadership is a tactically focused program that prepares students to protect organizations and consumers from complex cybersecurity threats using the latest security technologies and tools. Students take 30 credits of courses on cyber threat intelligence, applied cryptography, secure enterprise architecture, cyber incident response, computer network forensics, risk assessments, cybersecurity governance, blue team operations, and software security design and deployment. Completion of a capstone project is the final graduation requirement for the program.

The MS in Cyber Security Engineering equips students with the foundational and advanced knowledge to engineer and oversee the performance of software and hardware security systems for organizations. The 30-credit curriculum includes courses on cybersecurity concepts and tools, network defense, the lifecycle of security systems, secure network engineering, security testing, incident detection and response, and cryptography for cybersecurity engineers. The program culminates with two cyber engineering research courses that introduce students to an international company in need of a comprehensive information systems security plan. Students work in groups to develop and implement a security plan that they present to the company and to program instructors. Through this culminating experience, students learn how to design, update, and support comprehensive security systems for an organization.

University of Southern California offers an online Master of Science in Cyber Security Engineering through its Viterbi School of Engineering. The program requires the completion of 28 credits, divided across four core courses, two emphasis courses, and one elective. The core courses cover security systems design and development, information security policy, computer systems assurance, applied cryptography, authentication and authorization, and the social impact of information privacy. After completing the core coursework, students choose two emphasis courses that cover more advanced topics in areas such as innovative defense software development, the design and analysis of trusted systems, computer forensics, secure systems administration, biomedical data privacy, and advanced digital forensics and incident response. The electives that students choose to complete their credit requirements can come from USC’s Data Science Department or from its Computer Science Department. Throughout their courses, students engage in labs and hands-on projects that give them a preview of preventing and addressing real information security challenges.