With the cost of cyber crimes exceeding $100 billion each year, the need for knowledgeable cybersecurity specialists has become critical. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, network systems and information security professionals can expect job opportunities to grow by 53 percent through 2018. This is nearly five times the projected 11 percent growth for all industries combined, placing it among the fastest growing occupations in the country. Florida Tech’s new MSIT in Cybersecurity, delivered 100% online,offers a flexible option for working professionals to stand out with advanced credentials in this growing field.
The Obama administration has identified cybersecurity as one of the most serious economic and national security challenges facing the nation, one that we are not prepared to counter with our current workforce. “While billions of dollars are being spent on new technologies to secure the U.S. Government in cyberspace, it is the people with the right knowledge, skills, and abilities to implement those technologies who will determine success. However, there are not enough cybersecurity experts within the Federal Government or private sector.”[1]
Florida Tech’s MSIT in Cybersecurity is designed to meet the demand for higher education programs in the cybersecurity and information assurance field. With a reputation of excellence since 1958, Florida Tech is ranked a Tier 1 Best National University and is recognized within the Top Online Education honor roll by U.S. News & World Report.
An established leader in the field of information technology and security, Florida Tech is one of a select few universities certified by the National Security Agency (NSA) and the Department of Homeland Security as a Center of Academic Excellence in Information Assurance Research. The degree is offered through the Nathan M. Bisk College of Business and was created in partnership with Florida Tech’s Harris Institute for Assured Information. Founded in 2009 by a grant from the Harris Corporation, the Harris Institute brings together computer science, psychology, business and biology to carry out cutting-edge research in computer security.
“Because of the increasing complexity of the threats we face in cyberspace, organizations need qualified professionals with advanced cybersecurity knowledge to address these security challenges,” said Dr. Richard Ford, Director of the Harris Institute for Assured Information at Florida Tech. “We are committed to preparing students to excel in this field. The MSIT in Cybersecurity program online offers the same course rigor and academic excellence that is found in all of Florida Tech’s traditional on-campus degree programs.”
Students can add this respected master’s degree credential to their resume in just 22 months. The 11 three-credit courses that make up the degree program are designed to strengthen both technical and business expertise, preparing students to lead an IT department or oversee the strategic direction of an entire organization. In addition to learning fundamental business applications, students will gain specialized knowledge in cybersecurity, including information security management, project management for IT, host-based security, and security networks and communications. This combination of management and industry-specific principles will provide specialized knowledge that students can rely on now and throughout their professional career.
Florida Tech’s dynamic video-based e-learning platform is powered by University Alliance technology and features downloadable, streaming video lectures that can be accessed conveniently on a computer or mobile device. Full interactive class participation and instructor support are facilitated via online chat rooms and discussion boards.
“We are seeing more students than ever make the decision to earn their degree online,” said Mary Bonhomme, Associate Vice President for Academic Affairs and Dean, Online Learning. “Earning a prestigious master’s degree online is a great option for professionals who work full time or are serving in the military.”
Applications for admission to the MSIT in Cybersecurity program are now available online for a Summer 1 term start date. Florida Tech University Online does not require a GRE or application fee for admission and classes start every eight weeks.
For more information about Florida Tech’s degree programs, visit www.floridatechonline.com.
About Florida Tech
Florida Tech is a regionally accredited university that is world renowned for its distinguished faculty, comprehensive curriculum and unyielding innovation. Florida Tech is ranked a Tier 1 Best National University and recognized within the Top Online Education honor roll by U.S. News & World Report. It is also rated by the Fiske Guide to Colleges and named in Barron’s Best Buys in College Education. Founded in 1958, Florida Tech has more than 50,000 alumni. Its main campus is located on 130 subtropical acres in Melbourne, Florida, on the state’s famous Space Coast.
About University Alliance
The University Alliance (UA) facilitates the promotion and online delivery of associate’s, bachelor’s and master’s degrees as well as professional certificate programs from the nation’s leading traditional universities and institutions. Powered by UA’s technology and support services, its university partners have surpassed 450,000 online enrollments – making UA the largest facilitator of e-learning in the country. University partners include Villanova University, the University of Notre Dame’s Mendoza College of Business, Florida Institute of Technology, Michigan State University, the University of San Francisco, the University of Vermont, The University of Scranton, Jacksonville University, Dominican University, New England College, and Tulane University’s Freeman School of Business.