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What is Cybersecurity?
Enemy nations, criminals, and other bad actors seek to infiltrate computer systems to disrupt national security, steal classified information, and otherwise wreak havoc. Cybersecurity involves the strategies and technologies used to defend against these hazards. Information security analysts and other cybersecurity professionals are responsible for providing homeland security as well as safeguarding corporate data and systems.
Growth of Cybersecurity
Increasing cyber threats have led to growth in spending on information security, according to the technology research firm Gartner, Inc. The organization predicts that spending on cybersecurity, including integrated risk management and network security management, will reach more than $215 billion in 2024. At the same time, there is a shortage of more than 3 million cybersecurity professionals around the world, according to the National Institute of Science and Technology. Organizations are seeking key skills in cloud computing security, cyberattack intelligence, and malware analysis.
Virtually all organizations need some level of cybersecurity to protect their online assets. More than 70% of security leaders recently surveyed said demand for cybersecurity individual contributors will climb in the next year, with employers seeking hard skills in identity and access management, cloud computing, data protection, and incident response as well as soft skills such as critical thinking, communication, problem-solving, and teamwork.
Cyber Defense for the Nation
Military services and government agencies are seeking cybersecurity professionals to defend critical infrastructure. In 2023, the FBI director testified before Congress that the number of overseas hackers outnumbers FBI cyber personnel by 50 to one. On the heels of this report, members of Congress sounded the alarm that there is a critical need to fill cybersecurity jobs aimed at protecting information assets for the nation.
Amid growing cyber attacks, the Department of Defense is among the agencies taking decisive action to build its information technology workforce. The agency created a strategic program of recruiting cybersecurity professionals needed to ensure the nation's security. Likewise, the National Security Agency has an elite team of cybersecurity specialists who defend against cyber attacks and is planning for a surge in this workforce. The Department of Homeland Security also launched a talent management system to hire top cybersecurity professionals.
Why Earn your Cybersecurity Degree Online?
- Build important connections with your peers. Students in our online cybersecurity degree program are working in the military and civilian workforce in many capacities. This means you have the opportunity to gain insights from highly experienced cybersecurity professionals working in the military and corporate world across the country. You may find a study partner or group, network with fellow students, or join one of our many student-led clubs.
- Work around your mission. A 100% online cybersecurity degree program is ideal for busy working professionals. Our flexible delivery format means you can take classes from anywhere with an internet connection, and, for those in the military, even earn your degree while deployed.
- Learn at your own pace. With new classes starting every month, you can log in anytime to meet your weekly course due dates.
Why Earn your Degree in Cybersecurity at American Military University
High academic standards. Our associate, bachelor’s degree, and master’s degree programs in cybersecurity earned National Center of Academic Excellence designation for our commitment to producing cybersecurity graduates who will help protect the nation’s infrastructure. This means the programs have met rigorous standards set forth by the National Security Agency.
At the forefront of cybersecurity. The cybersecurity field is changing rapidly. Through our Industry Advisory Committee and Center for Cyber Defense, we partner with cybersecurity experts who drive the necessary curriculum updates so our cybersecurity students gain the latest knowledge about this ever-evolving field.
Military friendly. As a top higher education provider for the U.S. military and the #1 choice for veterans using their GI Bill® benefit*, we have 5,000+ active members of the Student Veterans of America chapter.
When you enroll at American Military University, you’re supported by a community committed to your success. Our military education managers provide guidance to active-duty servicemembers and spouses stationed at bases around the country and are available virtually for those stationed overseas. They are there to support you every step of the way, from making the most of your military benefits through achieving your educational and career goals. We also offer academic and career resources through the Department of Defense’s Military Spouse Employment Partnership.
Affordability. We believe you shouldn’t have to break the bank to go to college. We offer affordable degree programs, and we don’t charge for application fees or ebooks for undergraduate programs. American Military University also offers up to 90 transfer credits toward a bachelor’s degree for:
- Previous academic coursework
- Professional training and certification
- Credit by examination
- Government or public safety training
- Real-world experience (evaluated through prior learning assessment)
- Military service or training
We also offer a completion option, which allows associate of science or associate of arts degree-holding students to transfer in a minimum of 60 semester hours of credit to complete their degree more quickly.
Visit our website to learn about branch-specific program credits and admission requirements.
* Based on FY 2019 Department of Defense tuition assistance data, as reported by Military Times, 2020, and Veterans Administration student enrollment data of students using the GI Bill® as of March 23, 2023.
GI Bill® is a registered trademark of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). More information about education benefits offered by VA is available at the official U.S. government website at https://www.benefits.va.gov/gibill.
Gain Experience in a Cyber Range
Our immersive cybersecurity program is very lab focused. Using a cyber range, you’ll gain the real-world skills to combat cyber warfare in a failsafe way. Cyber ranges are cloud service models that prepare you to:
- Inject malware
- Perform vulnerability assessments
- Conduct penetration testing
- Apply security principles
- Harden operating systems
Using a Kali Linux machine, you’ll learn how hackers operate and attack target systems, and then practice with threat detection techniques needed to protect the target system. In this gamified space, you’ll gain the tools to thwart cyber criminals.
There’s no special software to use the cyber range. All you need is a web browser and an internet connection.
Cybersecurity Program Highlights
Cybersecurity jobs require a combination of technical and communication skills as well as the vision to build an effective defense strategy. This highly interactive cybersecurity bachelor’s degree program teaches the security fundamentals to develop and execute plans to protect information assets, an understanding of the ethics behind network defense, as well as the soft skills to relay these ideas. Through the program, you’ll gain the analytical and problem-solving skills to stay ahead of hackers.
The program is designed to prepare you to be a member of the cybersecurity community and gain the know-how to seek opportunities in a range of environments, such as a corporation, government agency, public or private organization, or consulting firm.
Faculty Highlights
Due to the ever-changing nature of the field, our cybersecurity major is taught by highly skilled practitioners who provide direct exposure to what’s happening today in cyber defense. Our faculty has included subject matter experts who have been recognized for their contributions to cybersecurity. This includes professionals who have served as chief of staff, cyber warfare/intelligence analysts, forensics consultants, cyber data scientists, cybersecurity planners, cyber security operations analysts, and related roles at the U.S. Department of Defense, U.S. Air Force, U.S. Navy, U.S. Marines, as well as throughout the corporate world.
Our cybersecurity faculty has included:
- Chief of staff for a cyber brigade
- Head of cybersecurity for a new military aircraft
- Security director for a $100 million cybersecurity portfolio
Cybersecurity Bachelor’s Degree Concentrations
Although the field of cybersecurity changes daily, there are overarching subjects that are expected to remain. Through our cybersecurity degree program, you can immerse yourself in one of these areas of concentration.
Become a Certified Ethical Hacker
After completing the cybersecurity bachelor's degree program, we encourage graduates to complete a five-day certification bootcamp to demonstrate your understanding of cyber defense, including conducting vulnerability assessments and responding to cyber threats.
This certification through the EC-Council validates your comprehension of ethical hacking techniques, encryption, threat analysis, and incident response. Taught by ethical hackers themselves, the certification is an important way to demonstrate your critical thinking skills and real-world knowledge of computer science, security risks, and security architecture.
Note: This bachelor of science in cybersecurity does not award any professional certifications but may be helpful in preparing to earn such certifications.
Our cybersecurity degree courses provide a solid understanding of computer science, including how operating systems, software, and virtual and physical systems work together. You’ll gain firsthand experience with a wide range of information technology tools, including:
- Computer networking devices and simulation tools like Cisco Packet Tracer
- Computer programming and scripting languages like Python, Linux Shells, and MS PowerShell
- Industry-standard operating systems like Windows and Linux
- Security software such as OpenVAS, Snort, Kali Linux, and Metasploit
This knowledge will help prepare you with sought-after skills in the cybersecurity field.
How to Pay for your Degree in Cybersecurity
We offer a Preferred Military Rate to servicemembers, National Guard members, Reservists, and their families.* In addition to an affordable degree program, we provide access to many grant and scholarship opportunities, including:
- Everyday Heroes Grant—An AMU-sponsored program, it provides a 10% grant for bachelor's degree and master's degree programs for public safety professionals and their families
- Army Scholarship Foundation—Covers an annual sum for undergraduate studies at accredited universities
- Air Force Association—Covers a specified sum toward education for the Air Force and Space Force communities
- Hope for the Warriors—Provides funding for various associate degree, bachelor's degree, master's degree, or doctoral programs for spouses and caregivers of post-9/11 veterans
- Military Officers Association of America (MOAA) Scholarship Fund—Covers grants as well as interest-free loans for children of MOAA members
- National Family Military Association—Covers scholarships for military spouses
- Pat Tillman Foundation—Covers undergraduate, graduate, and professional education for active-duty servicemembers and veterans as well as military spouses
- The National Association of Institutions for Military Education Services—Covers scholarships for active-duty personnel, veterans, and active-duty military spouses from all service branches
Additional scholarships are available through Military.com.
Tuition assistance is also available through:
* All U.S. active-duty servicemembers, National Guard members, Reservists, and military families (parents, spouses, legal partners, siblings, and dependents) are eligible for the Preferred Military Rate of $250/credit for undergraduate courses. The Preferred Military Rate, which is applied automatically, supersedes all other university grants and special rates, and cannot be combined with any other special promotions.
Military personnel—often trained to figure out threats—have many inherent skills to work in cybersecurity. As a cybersecurity student at American Miltitary University, you’ll receive the support to make a smooth transition from military or professional life. We invest in academic advising to ensure the success of our students.
Our experienced advisors offer guidance in:
- Choosing a degree path
- Balancing your course load
- Accessing study tools and other resources
- Getting academic support
- Working with professors
- Preparing for graduation
Our partners at Uwill and TalkCampus offer 24/7 mental health support in 25 different languages. In addition, our University chaplain is here to support servicemembers who have experienced post-traumatic stress disorder.
Frequently Asked Questions
A cybersecurity degree prepares you with skills in digital forensics, incident response, risk management, and information security. These talents can be applied in a range of exciting fields, such as homeland security.
The level of degree you choose depends on your area of interest and career goals.
- An associate degree teaches security fundamentals, including information security. Students gain hands-on technical skills in enacting security policies and protecting sensitive data. An associate’s degree is often the minimum requirement for jobs such as cybersecurity technicians, network administrators, IT support specialists, and junior security analysts.
- A bachelor’s degree provides broader exposure to cybersecurity, with a focus on advanced network security, ethical hacking, and security measures. Graduates of cybersecurity bachelor’s programs will have an understanding of online threats as well as strategies to combat them. Usually responsibilities related to cybersecurity analysts, security engineers, information security analysts, IT project managers, and risk managers require a bachelor’s degree in cybersecurity or other appropriate field.
- A master’s degree offers a deeper dive into topics such as threat analysis and digital forensics. These programs prepare students to be leaders in cybersecurity, with a focus on strategic planning and policy development involved with protecting information assets. A master’s degree is typically required of those in roles such as senior cybersecurity consultants, chief information security officers, cybersecurity architects, and policy advisors.
Absolutely. Our bachelor’s degree in cybersecurity is 100% online. You will have weekly readings and assignments to complete but these can be done on your own time. This makes earning an online degree ideal for anyone with service, professional, or family obligations.
Joining an online degree program also expands access to a wide network of peers and faculty who may provide important connections in the profession.
Like most disciplines, cybersecurity is a skill that can be gained with the right time investment. Having a keen interest in problem solving and technology is the best foundation for those looking to take core cybersecurity courses. A basic understanding of computer science principles is also helpful for those starting out.
Not all cybersecurity jobs require industry certifications, though they can be beneficial, depending on the role you’re interested in. After completing their bachelor’s degree in cybersecurity, many students go on earn industry certifications such as:
- Certified Ethical Hacker® (CEH®)—Demonstrates an understanding of penetration testing, incident response, and incident prevention
- Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP®)—Demonstrates experience in information technology security and ability to design and implement a cybersecurity program
- Certified Information Systems Auditor® (CISA®)—Demonstrates expertise in conducting vulnerability assessments, designing controls, and providing compliance reporting
- Certified Information Security Manager (CISM®)—Demonstrates experience on the management side of information security, such as governance, program development, and risk management.
CompTIA Security+®—Demonstrates ability to assess an organization's security; monitor and secure cloud, mobile, and IoT environments; and provide incident response.
Certified Ethical Hacker® and CEH® are registered trademarks of EC-Council.
Certified Information Systems Auditor®, CISA®, and CISM® are registered trademarks of Information Systems Audit and Controls Association.
CompTIA Security+® is a registered trademark of the Computing Technology Industry Association.
CISSP® is a registered trademark of International Information Systems Security Certification Consortium, Inc.
PMP® is a registered trademark of Project Management Institute. Inc.