Illinois colleges recognize the increasing need for cybersecurity specialists, so many offer programs aimed at building student knowledge and skills in cybersecurity fields like computer security and systems management. Students have many degree options to choose from at Illinois schools that specialize in this area of study.
Students when selecting their ideal school should carefully consider its curriculum and reputation. A solid education will equip students for real-life scenarios while adding significant merit to their resumes.
The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign offers several cyber security degrees, both undergraduate and postgraduate, designed to meet industry needs. As a National Center of Excellence for Information Assurance Education (NSA CAE), its programs meet these challenges head on.
In addition, the school offers a graduate pathway scholarship program which provides tuition remission and monthly stipend, in addition to research, teaching, and assessment experience. This initiative seeks to expand outreach efforts among minority students as well as two-year college transfer students.
The university offers programs to prepare graduates for professional certification exams such as CISSP and CompTIA Security+. Many faculty members are experienced industry professionals who can assist students in building new skills to advance in their careers.
Northwestern University
The university offers an interdisciplinary master’s degree program in computer science and cyber security that typically takes two to three years to complete online. It equips students with skills necessary to defend against cyber threats in both private and public sector organizations as well as designing software solutions to address business needs within society.
Northwestern Engineering Professor Todd Fitzgerald hosts an online short course designed to assist professionals in developing and driving cybersecurity initiatives within their organizations. This six-week course, taught online via video streaming, covers techniques for reducing risks to an organization while protecting data; understanding technologies, laws and regulations relevant to cyber threats is also covered as is understanding technology used against them. Furthermore, Northwestern offers several degrees including master’s and doctorate programs within this field.
McHenry County College
Illinois is home to numerous leading corporations such as Boeing, United Airlines and Allstate; all require top-tier cybersecurity professionals in order to safeguard their data and programs against cyber threats.
Undergraduates can earn an associate degree in information technology or computer network security, while graduates may enroll at universities that provide master’s programs in cyber security and information science like University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
Online bachelor’s degrees are also obtainable; one such offering from the University of Illinois System is its online Bachelor of Science with a specialization in information systems security program, offering students a broad overview of security tools and methods before giving them the option of personalizing their curriculum by choosing an area of specialization. In addition, this university also offers a Master’s of Cyber Forensics and Analysis degree program.
College of Lake County
If you want to become a cybersecurity expert, an accredited university will be essential. These schools meet stringent standards and undergo regular reviews to maintain their accreditation; this is particularly crucial if you plan to pursue a degree in this field as employers require top-of-the-line skills and expertise from graduates in this area.
Many community colleges and four-year universities now offer cybersecurity degrees, making these programs ideal for working professionals who must balance career, family and education commitments while earning their degree. Lab work may be included along with online instruction.
The College of Lake County offers an Associate in Applied Science in Information Technology Security program, designed to educate students in computer networking and security fundamentals as well as cover networking protocols, Windows server administration and CISCO certifications.
Moraine Valley Community College
Moraine Valley Community College offers an exciting and innovative cybersecurity degree program – its Scholarship for Service program – that allows students to earn scholarships in exchange for employment with the federal government after graduation.
School also hosts a regional cyber defense competition where college and university students from the Midwest can test their cyber defense expertise. This event takes place in its unique virtualization data center that features 192 servers that can be remotely logged on.
Moraine Valley College provides its students with many internships, workshops and training programs as well as transfer agreements that enable seamless transfer into four-year institutions.