Illinois Cybersecurity Degree Programs

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Illinois Cybersecurity Degrees Overview

In the state of Illinois, there are 12 institutions that have been designated with the majority of them being in cyber defense and two-year curricula.

Only the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign is through cyber research and there are no cyber operation designations. Some of the more popular universities on this list along with the flagship Urbana-Champaign location includes DePaul University and Illinois State University.

Jump to list of campus and online Illinois cybersecurity degrees.

Are there NSA CAE designated cyber security degrees in Illinois?

Yes. Here is a list of Illinois universities that are NSA CAE Designated Institutions and have a cybersecurity degree.

College of DuPage
Illinois Institute of Technology
John A Logan College
Lincoln Land Community College
Rock Valley College
Roosevelt University

Why consider NSA CAE designated institutions for cyber security in Illinois

The National Security Agency (NSA) endorses cybersecurity programs in higher education by designating them as one of the National Centers of Academic Excellence (CAE). With the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), many of these institutions will fall under Cyber Defense, either setting an education (CAE CDE) or research (CAE-R) standard.

There is a separate designation for two-year degrees, which are generally reserved for community or specialized school. A handful of colleges have been designated as a CAE in Cyber Operations (CAE-CO).

Online Cyber Security Programs in Illinois

Pursuing an online program is an easier way to complete a cybersecurity degree in higher education, and Pennsylvania has many institutions that offer certifications, undergraduate, and graduate programs.

Courses can be offered in a synchronous format, where students can watch lectures remotely and take part in a virtual classroom, or watch videos of lectures recorded on demand. Coursework is typically completed at any time of the day, either at the students' own pace, or in order to keep up with the rest of the class, they will have to meet weekly deadlines. All interaction is done through a content management system either created by the university or with a third-party service, such as Blackboard.

Online BS in Information Systems Security at the University of Illinois Springfield

The University of Illinois at Springfield has an online Bachelor of Science in Information Systems Security through the Department of Computer Science. 36 credit hours are needed to complete the curriculum, which does not include an entrance and exit assessment taken at the beginning and end of the program.

Courses that students are required to take are Foundations of Network Security and Information Assurance, Systems Programming Languages, Windows Network Administration, and Systems Security and Information Assurance capstone project. Three electives are needed from the computer science department and give the ability for students to customize their degree.

List of the best cyber security degrees in Illinois

Undergraduate Cybersecurity Degrees

Click to view all online Associate and Bachelor in Cyber Security degrees that are taking applications.

Illinois Graduate Cybersecurity Degrees

Click to view all online Graduate level Cyber Security degrees (Master and Doctorate) that are taking applications.

Master’s in Cyber Security Degrees in Illinois

Due to the complicated nature of information technology and network security, it is recommended that those who are looking to get into engineering or managerial roles should consider a Master’s program. This provides the education needed to advance along in a specific career, or make the switch into cybersecurity for those working in a different segment of the IT sector. In order to gain entry into a Master’s program, students will typically need to have an undergraduate degree with a 3.0 cumulative GPA, prior coursework in computer science and mathematics, and they will need to submit official transcripts, an updated resume, letters of recommendation, and a personal statement declaring why they are pursuing this degree.

The Armour College of Engineering at the Illinois Institute of Technology offers a Master of Cybersecurity Engineering, which explores theories behind data privacy and the methods in which we protect sensitive information, and implements regulatory classes with a focus on e-commerce, social networks, and forensics. Up to 13 credit hours are needed in various computer engineering classes, like Object-Oriented Programming and Computer Simulation, Digital Communication Principles, and Statistical Pattern Recognition. At least 30 credit hours are needed to complete the program, and this will prepare graduates for roles as a cybersecurity systems engineer or specialist.

Getting Started Working in Cyber Security in Illinois

Regardless of background in computer science, there is a pathway for anyone interested in a cybersecurity career. Illinois provides a dozen schools that offer certifications and undergraduate or graduate programs for those that have no experience and are looking for entry-level positions, or gaining advanced knowledge to further their career into a managerial or executive position. Many opportunities in the cybersecurity field are in the state’s biggest city, Chicago.

• Undergraduate Degrees:
  There are multiple specializations for the Associate in Applied Science that is distributed by John A. Logan College. One of them designated by the NSA is toward a degree in Cyber Security and Information Assurance. This program takes 65 credit hours to complete and is typically completed within two years. The first semester goes over basics in the college itself, computers, and network systems. After that, students will become comfortable working with various operating systems, cloud networks, hacking, penetration testing, and with Cisco services. Another specialization under the AAS umbrella is Computer Forensics, which requires 71 credit hours and provides a similar curriculum with an emphasis in criminal justice, cyber criminal activity, and how to investigate intrusions.

DePaul’s College of Computing and Digital Media has a Bachelor of Science in Cybersecurity that has an emphasis in learning on Cisco equipment at the on-campus CDM Security Lab. There is also a student group, Security Daemons, that actively meet for activities and competitions at collegiate cyber defense events. There is some flexibility in the curriculum with online courses – all lectures are recorded and can be viewed on-demand, and many courses will have supplemental material on the school’s learning management system.

• Masters and Continuing Education:
  Lewis University provides an online Master of Science in Computer Science with multiple concentrations, including Cyber Security. 33 total credits are needed to fulfill the program requirements, and it is broken down into six concentration courses, three electives, a research course that everyone takes in the MSCS program, and a thesis that culminates the program. Students will learn to perform risk analysis, gain an understanding of how cyber attacks can greatly affect an organization, and how to create software and to eliminate intrusions from outside sources and other unauthorized access.

  Illinois State University offers graduate certification in Information Assurance and Security that is geared for IT professionals that looking to gain further information in the tools needed to create and maintain a secure information system. This is also a certification available at Illinois Tech, and this meets the requirements for training with the Information Systems Security Professionals and Systems Certifiers for the United States government. Topics covered typically include database management, network security, and cryptography.

• Cyber Security Employment Options:
  Chicago holds the biggest variety of cybersecurity positions regardless of education and experience level. Two of the most popular companies are part of the Big Four accounting firms, Deloitte and KPMG. Other companies that are actively hiring include Accenture, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Allstate, and Amazon. At KPMG, an IAM Specialist (Identity and Access Management) within cybersecurity uses those services to monitor sensitive identification information and also perform auditing and reporting procedures.

Illinois Cyber Security Careers

The metropolis area of Chicago, Naperville, and Elgin within the states of Illinois, Indiana, and Wisconsin, has one of the highest levels of employment for information systems analysts according to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics. Over 3,220 employees work in the profession, which is only lower than Washington, DC, New York City, and Dallas-Fort Worth. Average salary sits at just over $99,400 on an annual basis. According to CompTIA, Illinois hires the fifth-most tech professionals in the United States and continues to add them at a generous rate.

Illinois Cyber Security and Tech Employers and Organizations

Crowe is a technology and consulting firm that offers security solutions for organizations. Some of their services include risk analysis, penetration testing, data privacy, and cyber resilience – the latter is the ability to respond to current attacks to minimize damage, prevent further data exploitation, and get back on track with quick disaster recovery efforts. The company offers consistent job opportunities in the Chicago and Oak Brook areas in Illinois.