Cyber Security Degrees in Tennessee

Getting Started Working in Cyber Security in Tennessee

Tennessee does not have the convenience of completing programs online, but there are plenty of opportunities at any skill level within cyber security to sharpen skills or to jump into the profession. Cities that host CAE-designated institutions include Memphis, Chattanooga, Jackson, and Cookeville.

• Undergraduate Degrees:
  Jackson State Community College offers the Associate of Applied Science with a concentration in Cyber Defense. Required courses in the curriculum include Database Concepts, Unix/Linux Operating Systems, and Digital Forensics. In addition to the core curriculum, there is a communication requirement, one humanities course, one natural science or mathematics course, one social or behavioral science course, and an additional general education course. Students that complete this degree will be prepared for the CompTIA certification exams.

  Tennessee Tech University offers a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science with a Cybersecurity concentration. There are 120 credit hours needed to complete the four-year degree and concentration-specific courses include Information assurance and Cryptography, Statistical Methods, Computer Networks, and IT Security. Students will be learning various systems, computer languages, and other related courses in order to be prepared for entry-level cyber security positions.

• Masters and Continuing Education:
  Students can get a quicker education with a Graduate Certificate in Cybersecurity and Information Assurance at the University of Tennessee Chattanooga. It takes 12 semester credits, or four total courses to complete the program. Required options (two courses) are in Computer Security, Cryptography and Data Security, and Network and Internet Security. The other six credits will be in courses such as Cyber Ethics, Computer Forensics, and Cyber Law. Admission requirements are the same as entering into a Master’s degree.

  The University of Memphis’ Fogelman College also offers a Master of Science within Information Systems. There are elective courses in Enterprise Network and Security, Information Security Management, and Cyber Ethics and IT that relate to cyber security. Students looking to get into the program will need to submit GMAT or GRE scores, transcripts that have at least a 3.0 undergraduate GPA, and an application.

• Cyber Security Employment Options:
  Nashville, Memphis, and Knoxville have plenty of opportunities for cyber security professionals. A government cyber security associate at KPMG works with other clients in order to bring data security solutions to them. Deloitte, another professional solutions service, has numerous positions like an endpoint protection platform administrator, who will respond to any malicious activity reports from their clients and they will develop a knowledge base that makes the service more proficient at handling outside intrusions.

Tennessee Cyber Security Careers

According to CompTIA, Tennessee sits at around the middle of the pack when it comes to technology employment across the United States with the 22nd-most employment (over 174,000). That number is growing with IT services jumping 3.1 percent year-over-year, and continuing improvement telecommunications, internet services, and tech manufacturing. The average information systems and cyber security employee that is in the mid-range portion of their career will make between $82.350 to $104,730 in the state based on Salary.com, with higher paying opportunities Fayetteville, Kelso, and Lynchburg.

Top Cyber Security and Tech Employers and Organizations

FedEx is one of the bigger employers of information security analysts in Memphis. They need network protection for their delivery system in order to effectively ship products around the world. Clearwater Compliance in Nashville focuses on the healthcare industry and analyzes risk when it comes to the distribution of medication and services to patients.