Online Master's in Cybersecurity Degree Programs in Utah

Utah is currently home to two universities that offer online master’s in cybersecurity programs. Southern Utah University (SUU) is a public institution based in Cedar City, while Western Governors University (WGU) is a private, online university that is headquartered in Salt Lake City. SUU offers an online Master of Science (MS) in Cybersecurity with Information Assurance program that has emphases in Cyber Operations, Cybersecurity Strategy, Healthcare Administration, and Management. WGU offers an online MS in Cybersecurity and Information Assurance program. Both MS programs are fully online and can be completed in 12 to 18 months.

SUU and WGU are both regionally accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU). Each university has also earned a Cyber Defense designation (CAE-CD) from the National Centers of Academic Excellence in Cybersecurity (NCAE-C) program. NCAE-C designations are awarded to universities that follow curricular standards developed by the National Security Association (NSA) in collaboration with the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). While pursuing NCAE-C designations is optional, they demonstrate a university’s commitment to ensuring their undergraduate and graduate programs in cybersecurity meet federal guidelines.

To learn more about the schools in Utah offering master’s degree programs in cybersecurity, continue reading below.

• Southern Utah University (Public)
• Western Governors University (Private)

Schools in Utah with Online Master’s in Cybersecurity Programs

Southern Utah University (SUU) offers an online Master of Science (MS) in Cybersecurity with Information Assurance degree program. This program utilizes asynchronous instruction that provides additional flexibility for working professionals. Students who pursue their degree on an accelerated basis can complete the program in as few as 12 months. SUU students choose between four emphases: Cyber Operations, Cybersecurity Strategy, Healthcare Administration, or Management. The Cyber Operations emphasis requires 30 graduate credit hours to graduate and applicants must have a bachelor’s degree in a technology field or at least two years of relevant work experience. For the other three emphases, students who do not have a degree in a technology field must complete 30 credit hours of course work plus an additional three credit hour leveling course, Foundations of Cybersecurity with Information Assurance, for a total of 33 credit hours.

The five core courses (15 credits) are the same for all four emphasis options and include Research and Critical Thinking in Cybersecurity, Network and Cloud Security, Cybersecurity Risk Management, Cyber Law and Investigations, and Cybersecurity Policies and Compliance. Elective courses are specific to the emphasis area and students complete four electives for a total of 12 credit hours. The Cyber Operations emphasis is made up of electives like Cyber Threat Intelligence, Incident Response Preparedness, and Penetration Testing. Students in the Cybersecurity Strategy emphasis choose from electives including Cybersecurity Project Management, Cybersecurity and Enterprise Frameworks, and Cybersecurity Auditing.

Both the Healthcare Administration and Management emphases offer a Business Foundations course as part of the elective options. The Healthcare Administration curriculum features courses such as Introduction to Healthcare Administration and Policy, Law, Ethics, and Regulations, as well as two courses focused on nursing: Ethics in Nursing Leadership or Innovation and Information in Nursing Leadership. The Management emphases offers courses such as Managing People & Organizations, Leadership, Effective Teams, or Authentic Leadership.

Regardless of the emphasis option, students earn their degree by completing either a three credit hour capstone project or internship for their culminating experience. Students may also have the option of completing an additional three credit hour elective course in lieu of a capstone or internship, although prospective students should confirm this option with an admissions advisor or program director at SUU before applying.

Western Governors University (WGU) offers a MS in Cybersecurity and Information Assurance degree that is fully-online and can typically be completed in 18-months. WGU uses a competency-based model that allows students to move through the curriculum at their own pace. Rather than fixed examination periods, students schedule assessments when they are ready, allowing them to move through material they have mastered at an accelerated rate. WGU students choose from courses that are worth different “Competency Units” (CU), and graduate students are expected to enroll in eight CUs per 6-month term. The MS program requires a bachelor’s degree in a STEM field or a business degree with a quantitative focus. Students with other types of bachelor’s degrees may also be eligible for admission if they have related IT coursework or relevant IT certifications.

All students complete ten required courses, beginning with courses in Security Foundations; Secure Network Design; and Secure Software Design. After completing those three courses, students take a Security Operations course and a course on Cloud Security. Typically, students then complete courses on Penetration Testing; and Cybersecurity Architecture and Engineering, before completing the final three courses: Governance, Risk, and Compliance; Cybersecurity Management; and Cybersecurity Graduate Capstone.

The degree program culminates in a capstone project, which allows students to apply what they have learned to addressing a real-world issue in cybersecurity. WGU’s online MS in Cybersecurity and Information Assurance is also designed to prepare students for optional professional IT certifications including (ISC)² Certified in Cybersecurity (CC), CompTIA Cybersecurity Analyst (CySA+), CompTIA Pentest+, CompTIA SecurityX, and ISACA Certified Information Security Manager (CISM) certifications, at no additional cost.