Cybersecurity Management & Policy

Develop skills required to prepare for career growth in this nationally recognized program.

Prepare to become a leader in the protection of data with an online bachelor’s degree in cybersecurity management and policy from UMGC. This innovative program uses a multidisciplinary approach, drawing from fields such as management, law, science, business, technology, and psychology. Designed with input from employers, industry experts, and scholars, the curriculum combines theories with real-world applications to provide you with skills for protecting critical cyber infrastructure.

1. Courses
2. Requirements
3. Sequence

Total Credits Required: 120

Required Major Courses: 33 Credits

• Cybersecurity for Leaders and Managers (3 Credits, CSIA 300)
• Ethics in Information Technology (3 Credits, IFSM 304)
• Fundamentals of Networking (3 Credits, CMIT 265)
• Network Security (3 Credits, CMIT 320)
• Cybersecurity Processes and Technologies (3 Credits, CSIA 310)
• Cybersecurity in Business and Industry (3 Credits, CSIA 350)
• Cybersecurity in Government Organizations (3 Credits, CSIA 360)
• Cybersecurity Policy, Plans, and Programs (3 Credits, CSIA 413)
• Evaluating Emerging Technologies (3 Credits, CSIA 459)
• Advanced Information Systems Security (3 Credits, CMIT 425)
• Cyber Management and Policy Capstone (3 Credits, CSIA 485)

General Education Courses: 41 Credits

Review the options available to fulfill the 41 credits of general education coursework for bachelor's degrees.

Minor and Elective Courses: 46 Credits

Review a list of available academic minors or see the course catalog or Schedule of Classes to help you select elective courses.

This is our recommended course sequence to progress through this program. You may take multiple courses simultaneously, up to your course load limit. You cannot take a prerequisite with its subsequent course during the same session. Your plan will be unique and dependent on multiple factors, including the number of credits you transfer to this program. Contact an advisor if you have any questions about this plan, course alternatives, or your course load limit.

Total Credits Required: 120

Required Major Courses: 33 Credits

• Cybersecurity for Leaders and Managers (3 Credits, CSIA 300)
• Ethics in Information Technology (3 Credits, IFSM 304)
• Fundamentals of Networking (3 Credits, CMIT 265)
• Network Security (3 Credits, CMIT 320)
• Cybersecurity Processes and Technologies (3 Credits, CSIA 310)
• Cybersecurity in Business and Industry (3 Credits, CSIA 350)
• Cybersecurity in Government Organizations (3 Credits, CSIA 360)
• Cybersecurity Policy, Plans, and Programs (3 Credits, CSIA 413)
• Evaluating Emerging Technologies (3 Credits, CSIA 459)
• Advanced Information Systems Security (3 Credits, CMIT 425)
• Cyber Management and Policy Capstone (3 Credits, CSIA 485)

General Education Courses: 41 Credits

Review the options available to fulfill the 41 credits of general education coursework for bachelor's degrees.

Minor and Elective Courses: 46 Credits

Review a list of available academic minors or see the course catalog or Schedule of Classes to help you select elective courses.

This is our recommended course sequence to progress through this program. You may take multiple courses simultaneously, up to your course load limit. You cannot take a prerequisite with its subsequent course during the same session. Your plan will be unique and dependent on multiple factors, including the number of credits you transfer to this program. Contact an advisor if you have any questions about this plan, course alternatives, or your course load limit.

Search Course Catalog

These requirements are for students who enroll in the 2024–2025 academic year. For prior year requirements, visit our catalog archive.

Bachelor’s Degree Requirements

In addition to the specific course requirements outlined on each bachelor’s degree webpage, UMGC maintains certain requirements for all bachelor’s degrees.

Program Highlights

Develop skills and gain knowledge through coursework that draws from the expertise and experience of our respected faculty.

Integrate cybersecurity best practices and guidance to formulate protection strategies for an organization’s critical information and assets.

Evaluate the applicability of laws, regulations, standards, and frameworks to improve organizational resilience and governance of cybersecurity capabilities.

Apply business analysis principles to identify, assess, and mitigate organizational risk, including acquisition and supply chain risk, arising from diverse sources.

Apply risk management frameworks to identify cybersecurity needs and integrate best practices to improve cybersecurity positions for municipal, state, federal, and international government agencies and organizations.

Integrate continuous monitoring and real-time security solutions to improve situational awareness and deployment of countermeasures within an organization.

Evaluate technology applications to support the cybersecurity goals and objectives of an organization.

Apply the principles of professional communications and technical writing to effectively communicate about cybersecurity in organizational settings.

Industry Snapshot

This program is designed to help you develop skills to manage the people and technologies required to protect information, information systems, and infrastructures including the nation's critical cyber infrastructures. It is ideal for students who want to leverage previous work experience to move into a leadership or management role within a corporate organization or government agency.

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Industry Certification Exams

This program is designed to help prepare you for the following certification exams:

• Certified in Governance, Risk and Compliance (CGRC)
• Certified Information Privacy Professional/US (CIPP/US)
• Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP)
• CompTIA Network+
• CompTIA Security+
• EC-Council Certified Chief Information Security Officer (CCISO)
• EC-Council Certified Incident Handler (ECIH)
• EC-Council Certified Secure Computer User (CSCU)
• EC-Council Certified Threat Intelligence Analyst (CTIA)
• PMI Professional in Business Analysis (PMI-PBA)

1. Student Organizations
2. Technology Requirements

Cyber Competition Team

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.

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.

Hardware Requirements

• 64-bit processor, Intel Core i5 (7th generation or higher), or equivalent (e.g., AMD, M1)
• Processor speed: 1.5 GHz or higher (2 GHz recommended)
• Storage: At least 250 GB (SSD [preferred] or HD), with at least 30 percent free space
• RAM: At least 4 GB (8 GB recommended)
• Display/monitor: Minimum 13”
• Screen resolution: Minimum 1280 px x 1024 px
• Keyboard and mouse/trackpad
• High-speed Internet connection (Ethernet or Wi-Fi)
• 32-bit video card

Operating System

Choose one of the following:

• Windows 10 (recommended; version 1909 or higher required for any course using Adobe Creative Cloud)
• Mac OS X 10.15 or higher
• Ubuntu 18.04+ (or other Linux LTS)

Software

• Microsoft Office 2019 or later (Office 365 Education is available for free with your student email address.)
• Most recent version/update of a web browser (Firefox, Safari, or Chrome)
• Antivirus software
• Adobe Acrobat PDF Reader

Additional Recommendations

• Built-in camera (or USB port for a webcam)
• Built-in microphone and speakers (or USB ports for external audio devices)

Cyber Competition Team

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.

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.

Hardware Requirements

• 64-bit processor, Intel Core i5 (7th generation or higher), or equivalent (e.g., AMD, M1)
• Processor speed: 1.5 GHz or higher (2 GHz recommended)
• Storage: At least 250 GB (SSD [preferred] or HD), with at least 30 percent free space
• RAM: At least 4 GB (8 GB recommended)
• Display/monitor: Minimum 13”
• Screen resolution: Minimum 1280 px x 1024 px
• Keyboard and mouse/trackpad
• High-speed Internet connection (Ethernet or Wi-Fi)
• 32-bit video card

Operating System

Choose one of the following:

• Windows 10 (recommended; version 1909 or higher required for any course using Adobe Creative Cloud)
• Mac OS X 10.15 or higher
• Ubuntu 18.04+ (or other Linux LTS)

Software

• Microsoft Office 2019 or later (Office 365 Education is available for free with your student email address.)
• Most recent version/update of a web browser (Firefox, Safari, or Chrome)
• Antivirus software
• Adobe Acrobat PDF Reader

Additional Recommendations

• Built-in camera (or USB port for a webcam)
• Built-in microphone and speakers (or USB ports for external audio devices)

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FAQs

An online bachelor’s degree in cybersecurity management & policy is a college degree students can earn online that can help them prepare to become leaders in the protection of data. UMGC’s innovative 120-credit program uses a multidisciplinary approach, drawing from fields such as management, law, science, business, technology, and psychology. Designed with input from employers, industry experts, and scholars, the curriculum combines theories with real-world applications to provide you with skills for protecting critical cyber infrastructure in both the private and public sectors.