This program is designed to help prepare you for a career in the cybersecurity and information assurance field in areas such as network and internet security, intrusion detection and prevention, cryptology, cyber law, and software assurance.
Professional Science Master's Degree
This program has received a special designation as Professional Science Master’s Degree program through the Council of Graduate Schools.
Professional Science Master's (PSM) programs are designed for students who are seeking a graduate degree in science or mathematics and understand the need for developing workplace skills valued by top employers.
You are expected to have some familiarity with Microsoft Excel. You are also expected to have some background in information technology and programming. Strong writing skills are also encouraged.
For some of the upper-level cybersecurity and IT courses in this program, you will need equipment that meets the following specifications. Courses in graphics- or computing-intensive disciplines may require a higher processing speed, more RAM, and/or better screen resolution.
Choose one of the following:
The Computing Club provides a dynamic environment where members can work collaboratively, share innovative ideas, enhance their career-readiness, and gain marketable experience in their respective fields. It is available to graduate or undergraduate students, alumni, faculty, and staff members. Students and alumni can join the Computing Club group on CareerQuest.
The Cyber Competition Team represents UMGC at various cybersecurity events and tournaments nationwide. Being a member of the team gives students an opportunity to develop their cybersecurity skills and network with other students. The team is open to undergraduate and graduate students and alumni through a tryout process. Email jesse.varsalone@umgc.edu or visit the team webpage to learn more.
Upsilon Pi Epsilon, the international honor society for the computing and IT disciplines, is designed to promote the computing and information sciences and to encourage the enhancement of knowledge in the field. Upsilon Pi Epsilon is open to both undergraduate and graduate students who are pursuing a degree in the computing and information science disciplines. Membership is by invitation only.
Undergraduate membership is open to students majoring in one of the computing disciplines who have completed at least 45 credit hours towards their degree, including 30 or more credits at UMGC (in graded coursework) and at least 15 credits from information technology and computer science courses. Undergraduate students need to have a cumulative GPA of a 3.5 or higher and a GPA of 3.5 or higher in all coursework taken from the information technology and computer science courses.
Graduate student membership is open to students pursuing a master's degree in cloud computing systems, cyber operations, cybersecurity management and policy, cybersecurity technology, data analytics, or digital forensics and cyber investigation; a master's degree in information technology with a specialization in database systems technology, informatics, information assurance, software engineering, or systems engineering; or a legacy master's degree in cybersecurity. Graduate students must have completed at least 18 resident credits towards their degree at UMGC, with a cumulative GPA of a 3.5 or higher.
For more information, please email upe@umgc.edu.
You are expected to have some familiarity with Microsoft Excel. You are also expected to have some background in information technology and programming. Strong writing skills are also encouraged.
For some of the upper-level cybersecurity and IT courses in this program, you will need equipment that meets the following specifications. Courses in graphics- or computing-intensive disciplines may require a higher processing speed, more RAM, and/or better screen resolution.
Choose one of the following:
The Computing Club provides a dynamic environment where members can work collaboratively, share innovative ideas, enhance their career-readiness, and gain marketable experience in their respective fields. It is available to graduate or undergraduate students, alumni, faculty, and staff members. Students and alumni can join the Computing Club group on CareerQuest.
The Cyber Competition Team represents UMGC at various cybersecurity events and tournaments nationwide. Being a member of the team gives students an opportunity to develop their cybersecurity skills and network with other students. The team is open to undergraduate and graduate students and alumni through a tryout process. Email jesse.varsalone@umgc.edu or visit the team webpage to learn more.
Upsilon Pi Epsilon, the international honor society for the computing and IT disciplines, is designed to promote the computing and information sciences and to encourage the enhancement of knowledge in the field. Upsilon Pi Epsilon is open to both undergraduate and graduate students who are pursuing a degree in the computing and information science disciplines. Membership is by invitation only.
Undergraduate membership is open to students majoring in one of the computing disciplines who have completed at least 45 credit hours towards their degree, including 30 or more credits at UMGC (in graded coursework) and at least 15 credits from information technology and computer science courses. Undergraduate students need to have a cumulative GPA of a 3.5 or higher and a GPA of 3.5 or higher in all coursework taken from the information technology and computer science courses.
Graduate student membership is open to students pursuing a master's degree in cloud computing systems, cyber operations, cybersecurity management and policy, cybersecurity technology, data analytics, or digital forensics and cyber investigation; a master's degree in information technology with a specialization in database systems technology, informatics, information assurance, software engineering, or systems engineering; or a legacy master's degree in cybersecurity. Graduate students must have completed at least 18 resident credits towards their degree at UMGC, with a cumulative GPA of a 3.5 or higher.
For more information, please email upe@umgc.edu.
An online master’s degree in information technology with an information assurance specialization can provide an advanced yet practical understanding of protecting data, cybersecurity, and computer forensics. UMGC’s online master’s degree in information technology with an information assurance specialization is a 36-credit program that also covers cryptology, systems analysis, and project management.
UMGC's online master’s degree in information technology with an information assurance specialization is a 36-credit program with courses offered year-round. You can expect to finish the program in about two years or less, depending on how many credits you complete each term and the number of credits you may be able to transfer. Plus, if you completed an undergraduate degree at UMGC with coursework in management information systems, you may be eligible for an accelerated pathway between UMGC's undergraduate and graduate programs that can reduce your coursework by up to 6 credits, saving you time and money.
UMGC is committed to keeping our tuition and fees as affordable as possible. The online master’s degree in information technology with an information assurance specialization follows the standard graduate program tuition rates, which appear at the top of this webpage. We also offer scholarships for eligible students, an interest-free monthly payment plan, and no-cost digital materials in place of most textbooks to help make your education more affordable.
You don't need to have majored in a specific area to be successful in the online master’s degree in information technology with an information assurance specialization program at UMGC, but we do recommend that you have some familiarity with Microsoft Excel, and some background in information technology and programming. Strong writing skills are also encouraged.
You don't need any certifications to begin or complete the online master’s degree in information technology with an information assurance specialization program at UMGC.
