Online Master's in Cybersecurity Degree Programs in Tennessee

Tennessee is home to three universities that grant online master’s degrees in cybersecurity and related fields. East Tennessee State University (ETSU) in Johnson City is a public institution with a master’s program in cybersecurity that can be completed entirely online. The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga (UTC) and The University of Tennessee, Knoxville (UTK), both part of the University of Tennessee System, are also public institutions with fully online master’s in cybersecurity programs. Between these three institutions, students can pursue programs in computer science, information systems, and business with specializations in cybersecurity.

Each of these universities is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC). Moreover, UTC and UTK respectively hold designations in Cyber Defense (CAE-CD) and Cyber Research (CAE-R) from the National Centers of Academic Excellence in Cybersecurity (NCAE-C) program. These designations are awarded to schools who meet federal curricular standards in cybersecurity set by the NCAE-C program, which is joint-initiative of the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) and the National Security Agency (NSA).

To learn more about the programs offered by ETSU, UTC, and UTK, continue reading the sections below.

• East Tennessee State University (Public)
• The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga (Public)
• The University of Tennessee, Knoxville (Public)

Schools in Tennessee Offering Online Master’s in Cybersecurity Programs

East Tennessee State University (ETSU) offers an Online Master of Science (MS) in Information Systems (MSIS) with a concentration in Cybersecurity Management. This degree is specifically designed for students interested in technology as it pertains to business and management. The program requires 33 credit hours, which can typically be completed in four semesters by students who enroll full-time or six to eight semesters for students who opt for part-time enrollment. The program utilizes both synchronous and asynchronous instruction, depending on the course. Synchronous sessions are held in the evening to accommodate working students.

Core courses include Software Project Management, Enterprise Information Systems and Research Methods in Computer Science, while the Cybersecurity Management concentration includes classes in Network and Information Security, Cyber Risk Governance, Cybersecurity Analytics, and Information Risk Management. Students also complete two elective courses and choose from one of four capstone options: a master’s thesis, an information systems group project, an independent project, or an additional coursework option. All students must present their capstone project and complete a computing exit exam in order to graduate.

The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga (UTC) offers an MS in Computer Science with a concentration in Cyber Security. Students in the program have the option of completing 33 credit hours of graduate courses and a thesis or 36 credit hours of courses and a final project. All students gain a strong foundation in computer science by completing 15 credits (five courses) of core computer science courses. Then depending on whether students choose the thesis or project option, they complete 12 to 18 credits (four to six courses) of cybersecurity core and elective courses.

For the cybersecurity concentration, students are required to take courses in Advanced Computer Networks, Computer Network Security, and Computer Forensics. Cybersecurity electives feature courses such as Advanced Biometrics and Cryptography, Advanced Database and Database Security, Advanced Information Security Management, and System Vulnerability Analysis and Auditing. Core computer science courses are focused on programming languages, algorithms, and computer architectures and networks. For the thesis option, students complete original research over the course of two semesters and must defend their thesis before graduating. The project option is completed over one semester and students must write-up and present their project in order to graduate.

The University of Tennessee, Knoxville (UTK) has two master’s in cybersecurity programs that students may want to consider. The Haslam College of Business offers an online Master of Science in Business Cybersecurity program. This is a 30-credit program that can be completed in as few as twelve months of full-time enrollment. Students who choose part-time enrollment can complete the program in 24 months, but have up to six years to earn their degree. All students in the program complete the same set curriculum, with courses including Foundations of Business Cybersecurity, Security Governance and Ethics, Business Communication and Network Security, Risk Management and Business Continuity, and Organizational Security Management. The program culminates with a final capstone project course.

UTK’s Tickle College of Engineering also offers a MS in Computer Science with a concentration in Cybersecurity. This 30-credit program can be completed in as few as 18 months of full-time study. Students also have the option to pursue their degree through part-time enrollment and graduate in 24 months or longer. Cybersecurity students take two required core courses, Computer Systems Organization and Software Security, as well as a minimum of four courses chosen from cybersecurity focused courses. Options for focused courses include Network Security, Applied Cryptography, Secure and Trustworthy Computer Hardware Design, Mobile and Embedded Systems Security, Operating Systems: Design and Implementation, and more. Students then complete the curriculum by selecting four additional courses from the cybersecurity focused courses or computer science electives in subjects like machine learning and artificial intelligence, data engineering and databases, data visualization, and software engineering.