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Cybersecurity teams face a mounting number of challenges—new threats, deceptive tactics and an ongoing talent shortage across all industries. The University of Missouri-St. Louis’s online bachelor of science in cybersecurity with an emphasis in information systems and technology not only equips you to enter this in-demand field but excel. Course work illuminates two potential career paths—the technical and managerial sides of identifying vulnerabilities and protecting an organization against outside and internal attacks.
So far, no challenge has yet to deter you. With a bachelor’s in cybersecurity emphasizing business and management principles alongside technical competencies, you’re ready to guard against and pursue cyber threats and lead teams through the latest obstacles. Guiding you with UMSL’s interdisciplinary approach, our cybersecurity program is a multidisciplinary effort combining the talent, knowledge and vision of the College of Business Administration’s Department of Information Systems and Technology and the College of Arts and Sciences’ Department of Computer Science. Through theory exposure and learned skills in a hands-on virtual environment, you’ll develop a security mindset and understand where such principles overlap with and enrich business operations.
Our faculty foster growth in the classroom, imparting their knowledge on the latest theories and tactics. Our faculty strive to instruct, while also continuing to drive the field forward through transformative research. Curriculum for the information systems and technology emphasis involves hands-on practice. To further refine your skills, we encourage you to participate in UMSL’s Cybersecurity and Information Technology Innovation Lab offering in-person and virtual environments for tackling cyber threats.
Supporting UMSL’s efforts to address the cybersecurity talent gap, the National Security Agency and Department of Homeland Security designated UMSL as a National Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense Education.
Quick facts
Official name
Bachelor of science in cybersecurity with an emphasis in information systems and technologyCampus
Program type
Bachelor's degreeAcademic home
College of Business Administration | Department of Information Systems and TechnologyDelivery mode
100% onlineAccreditation
Higher Learning CommissionCredit hours
123Estimated cost
$66,543.00Transfer credit hours
60Transfer estimated cost
$32,460.00*This cost is for illustrative purposes only. Your hours and costs will differ, depending on your transfer hours, your course choices and your academic progress. See more about tuition and financial aid.
Careers
Effective managers and leaders bring a multifaceted set of skills. In cybersecurity, a leader not only knows the field’s intricacies and tactics but also their broader applications in business or a government organization. As a third factor, leaders encourage collaboration, gathering a team to purposefully strive toward a single goal.
Career prospects
The online bachelor’s in cybersecurity with an emphasis in information systems and technology weaves each aspect into the curriculum. You’ll begin with a multifaceted computer science foundation before cultivating your knowledge of systems, databases, networking, application development, information security and project management techniques. You’ll learn how to:
- Examine and identify vulnerability issues and formulate solutions through cybersecurity and business principles.
- Establish, implement and evaluate a cybersecurity plan based on a business’s or organizations requirements and specific threats.
- Speak to cybersecurity issues in technical and general business contexts to convince professionals about a threat’s urgency or to adapt to the latest breaching tactics.
- Succeed as both a member of a cybersecurity team and as a leader within a business or government organization.
- Acknowledge, adapt to and base decisions on industry laws and ethics.
- Help strengthen a business’s network security against current and future cyber threats.
Potential careers
Demand for cybersecurity specialists has ramped up over the past decade and continues to climb. Anticipating growth for technical and team-leading roles, the Bureau of Labor Statistics expects 31% more positions for information security analysts to open up between 2019 and 2029.
Job titles based on technical and project management responsibilities include:
- Cybersecurity specialist
- Cyber defense analyst
- Cloud security specialist
- Information security analyst
- IT/security auditor
- Security architect
- Information systems security manager
Program structure
Advance toward your desired outcome through a 123 credit–hour program. Outside of general education requirements, your major involves 108 total credit hours. UMSL’s holistic approach is reflected through required courses (33 credit hours) and your emphasis area (75 credit hours), which are split among traditional business competencies (48 credit hours) and technical, programming-specific classes (27 credit hours).
You’ll acquire skills in business and technical writing, computing, programming, data structures, computer organization and architecture, Linux environments, information security, identifying and defending cyber threats, software development, risk management, cryptography and computer forensics.
The bachelor of science in cybersecurity is a fully online degree program—no on-campus visits are required. Students may attend full or part time and have the option of taking summer courses. To hone your skills and expand your résumé before you graduate, we encourage you to participate in experiential learning opportunities, including internships, projects, labs and cybersecurity competitions.
Course work covers
Courses for your emphasis area continue to grow your knowledge in line with existing cybersecurity techniques and vulnerabilities. You’ll learn about and practice skills involving the following:
- Modern information technology infrastructure.
- Data networking and security.
- Object-oriented programming and design.
- Web application development with Java and JavaScript.
- Database management and usage.
- Information security principles.
- Project management techniques.
Delivery
100% onlineCalendar system
SemesterTypical program length
3 yearsTypical course load
1-2 classes per semesterAccreditation
The University of Missouri-St. Louis is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission, one of six regional institutional accreditors in the United States.
Faculty spotlight
Dr. Mirchandai’s research contributes to the field of information systems in three primary areas, which include information systems planning practices in organizations, implementation of large scale information systems and adoption of electronic commerce and electronic government. His research has been published in academic journals such as Communications of the ACM, International Journal of Electronic Commerce, Journal of Organizational Computing and Electronic Commerce, Journal of Global Information Management, Information & Management, Information Systems Journal, and Omega.
Dr. Khan is currently developing cybersecurity programs at the University of Missouri-Saint Louis and teaches data networking and information security. Dr. Khan has published in journals, such as the Journal of Business Research, Journal of Strategic Information Systems, Journal of Information Technology and more. He has also presented papers at national academic conferences, authored book chapters and produced practitioner oriented research and industry reports.
His research interests include offshoring of business services, innovation and entrepreneurship and management of information technology and information security in high-reliability environments.