Cyber Security Degree Oklahoma – Before We Get Into The Topic , Let’s Learn Some Basic Of This Topic
Oklahoma’s cybersecurity industry is booming, with job chances more than doubling between 2010 and 2014. You’ll need a college education to participate in the expansion. You can jump right to our list of Oklahoma cybersecurity programs, or read on for more information on scholarships, tech communities, and career prospects in Oklahoma.
Studying Cybersecurity in Oklahoma
Oklahomans have five in-state alternatives for bachelor’s and master’s degrees in cybersecurity: Cameron University, Northeastern State University, Oklahoma State University Institute of Technology, Oklahoma State University in Stillwater, and the University of Tulsa. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the National Security Agency (NSA) has named the latter two as National Centers of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense Education and Research. Oklahoma City Community College and Rose State College have both been recognized by the NSA/DHS for their associate degrees and certificates. This is in addition to the credentials available through the state’s tech centers.
Here are some of the state’s cybersecurity academic highlights:
The University of Tulsa’s Institute for Information Security offers a master’s degree in cybersecurity (iSec). Faculty at the University of Tulsa, on the other hand, educate more than only their own graduate students. The Cyber Security Education Consortium, which includes two- and four-year colleges from Oklahoma and seven other states, has chosen the university as its primary trainer.
- The Center for Telecommunications and Network Security is housed at Oklahoma State University, and as of 2017, it was the state’s only cybersecurity distance learning provider.
- The state’s CareerTech system can help high school students and nontraditional students. Cybersecurity curriculum can be transferred to a state college associate degree in the field at Francis Tuttle Technology Center, Oklahoma CareerTech, Tulsa Tech, and Great Plains Technology Center.
- Six certifications are maintained by the Committee on National Security Systems (CNSS), which cover everything from information systems security to risk analysis. Rose State College was the country’s first two-year college to provide all six.
Online Cybersecurity Programs in Oklahoma
With only two programs offered online for cybersecurity learners in Oklahoma, there isn’t much to choose from. Keep a watch on the Online College of Oklahoma for future additions, which offers a catalog of distance learning programs from partner colleges.
Online Master’s Degrees In Cybersecurity
The Master of Science in Information Assurance program at Oklahoma State University is also available online. Because the MSIA is run by the Spears School of Business, you can expect a curriculum chock-full of technical security courses (e.g., applied information systems security, secure information systems administration, and so on) as well as classes on legality and ethics, risk assessment, and defensive practices. Spears is accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business, and OSU is an NSA-CAE institution (AACSB).
Online Certificate Programs In Cybersecurity
The Center for Telecommunications and Network Security at Oklahoma State University provides a 15-credit online Graduate Certificate in Information Assurance. You’ll need a bachelor in an IT discipline to get in. This is because the credential covers advanced telecommunications technical principles as well as managerial education.
Cybersecurity Scholarships in Oklahoma
Oklahoma State University-Main Campus
- Returning students in the Management Information Systems (MIS) program, including those pursuing the Information Assurance option, who have a 3.0 GPA are eligible for the Chesapeake MIS Scholarship.
- ConocoPhillips Freshman Incentive Scholarship: Incoming students in the Department of Management Science and Information Systems, including MIS students, can qualify for one of the ConocoPhillips grants with an ACT score of 27 and a high school GPA of 3.2. Maintain a 3.0 GPA to continue beyond your first year.
- ONEOK MSIS Scholarship: This scholarship is for returning undergrads with a 3.0 GPA and offers not just a monetary reward but also mentoring opportunities.
- Additional Management Science and Information Systems Scholarships: MIS students at all levels can apply for additional rewards. Several take into account financial needs and/or leadership ability.
Rose State College
Scholarships in Business and Information Technology: The Business and Information Technology Division, which includes the Cyber Security/Digital Forensics department, offers a variety of scholarships ranging from partial tuition waivers to full tuition waivers. Between January and March, students can apply for a scholarship by filling out the General Scholarship Application.
Full-time students admitted into the Cyber Security program at Rose State College can apply for this scholarship by maintaining a 3.0 GPA and first taking prerequisites in math, English, and reading. A factor is a financial need.
University Of Tulsa
The benefits of the Cyber Corps Scholarship for Service are obvious: a significant living stipend, free tuition and books, and a paid summer internship for undergraduate upperclassmen and graduate students pursuing a cybersecurity degree. In exchange, recipients undertake to work for two years with a federal agency after graduation.
Cybersecurity Events in Oklahoma
Cybersecurity Meetups & Communities In Oklahoma
- The state’s two largest population areas, Oklahoma City and Tulsa, are primarily home to membership organizations and casual gatherings of cybersecurity specialists. We’ve compiled a list of a handful that are student-friendly:
- Information Systems Security Association (ISSA): The Information Systems Security Association (ISSA) is the leading membership organization for InfoSec professionals. Students who join either the Oklahoma City or Tulsa chapters can attend monthly meetings to conduct chapter business and hear from guest speakers.
- ISACA: The Information Systems Audit and Control Association used to be known as ISACA. Annual student memberships and dues are inexpensive, and they allow you to attend monthly chapter meetings in either Tulsa or Central Oklahoma (OKC), where you can network with IT, governance experts.
- The Irregulars: OKC’s ethical hackers get together once a month for a social gathering and talks. The club also has a virtual lab where members can play hacking games with one another.
Cybersecurity Conferences & Workshops In Oklahoma
If you join one of the organizations listed above, you’ll be among the first to learn about upcoming cybersecurity events, such as the ones listed below:
BSides Oklahoma: The annual BSides Oklahoma event, co-hosted by ISSA and Techlahoma, is part of a global movement of local conferences aimed at showcasing the finest of a community’s cybersecurity scene. Spend the first day of BSides Oklahoma in a paid course of your choice, learning about everything from social engineering to Amazon Web Services logs. Alternatively, you can forego the training and attend the free talks on Day 2.
Infragard: The Information Warfare Summit (IWS) is a professional group that brings together government authorities and cybersecurity stakeholders to secure the nation’s infrastructure. Since 2008, the Oklahoma chapter has held the daylong, multi-track IWS.
Oklahoma State University Cyber Security Conference: This one-day event in OKC aimed at corporate managers and IT professionals is a newcomer to the conference circuit.
The Root66 Information Security Conference is a full-day event for regional IT professionals and managers to learn more about security compliance and emerging risks. It was held as part of the InnoTech Oklahoma conference in 2017.
Cybersecurity Jobs in Oklahoma
Five Fortune 500 firms are headquartered in Oklahoma, all of which are in the energy sector. None of them employs more than a few thousand Oklahomans, but if scholarships are any indicator, several are looking to expand their cybersecurity staff to defend their pipelines and energy infrastructures. Chesapeake, Devon Energy, and ONEOK, as well as Houston-based Phillips66, have their names on information systems honors at Oklahoma State University. Although Atlanta-based SecureWorks (Dell’s InfoSec services wing) maintains a strong presence in Oklahoma City, a quick survey of job sites such as Indeed.com and Glassdoor.com indicates that the oil sector is the main avenue for employment in the cybersecurity field.
Cybersecurity Salaries in Oklahoma
The cybersecurity workforce in Oklahoma is on the lower end of the pay scale. According to the United States Department of State, According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, information security analysts earn an average of $60,000 a year, compared to a national average of $90,000. Other positions in the sector, such as IT security specialists, show a comparable disparity, albeit there aren’t nearly enough cyber specialists in the state to rely on statistical averages.
When evaluating pay possibilities, bear in mind that Oklahoma has the fifth-lowest cost of living in the US, outspending tech centers like California, New York, and Washington, DC in every area.
