Cyber Security Programs In Virginia

Cyber Security Programs In Virginia – Before We Get Into The Topic , Let’s Learn Some Basic Of This Topic

Virginia has the highest concentration of cybersecurity professionals per capita of any state. Virginia has undertaken a mission to expand its already considerable position in the defense industry by securing government funds and placing graduates in jobs with defense contractors in Fairfax County. Skip on to our list of Virginia colleges offering cybersecurity programs if you already know all of this. Otherwise, learn more about Virginia’s security situation.

Studying Cyber Security in Virginia

The Pell Center has identified Virginia as one of only three states — the others being Maryland and Michigan — that have a fully integrated Cyber R&D strategy that incorporates education, workforce development, and industry participation. As a result, it’s an ideal place to study because the degrees are excellent, the research is well-funded, and there is employment available for graduates. It’s backed up by the numbers: Ten colleges have been designated as NSA/DHS Centers of Academic Excellence, and five schools offer complete tuition and stipends through the CyberCorps Scholarship for Service, which is financed by the National Science Foundation.

The following are some of the key schools and universities in Virginia’s cyber education scene:

• In a 2014 poll of the finest colleges for cybersecurity, George Mason tied for eighth place. The Army Research Office, Air Force Research Laboratory, and Office of Naval Research, as well as major corporations like Northrop Grumman and MITRE, support the Center for Secure Information Systems.
• In 2016, a team from the University of Virginia took second place in the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency’s (DARPA) inaugural Cyber Grand Challenge, earning a million dollars. It developed an automated approach for detecting and closing security flaws, and the team received praise for discovering a security flaw that DARPA was unaware of.
• The Security and Software Engineering Research Center (S2ERC), a partnership financed by the National Science Foundation, has 11 university members. Researchers at Virginia Tech have access to business and government data as well as the expertise of experts in the subject, in addition to long-term financing.
• Norfolk State University’s Information Assurance – Research, Education and Development Institute (IA-REDI) is leading a coalition of schools in developing a K-20 cybersecurity workforce pipeline, an ambitious effort that aims to integrate cybersecurity ideas into elementary school curricula.
• Professors and students at James Madison University are helping to integrate cybersecurity into public school curricula. At JMU’s Cyber Defense Boot Camp, they train the state’s computer science teachers on how to teach K-12 students cybersecurity every year.

Online Cyber Security Programs in Virginia

A master’s degree or certification in cybersecurity is available via distance learning from several prominent Virginia colleges and universities. However, three private colleges dominate the field, offering more than a dozen degrees and certificates online. Strayer University is a for-profit institution that has jumped on the cybersecurity education bandwagon with bachelor’s and master’s degrees aimed at criminal justice professionals and computer whizzes. The University of Fairfax is an entirely online university that offers one of the field’s few online doctoral degrees. Liberty University is known for its Christian-based curriculum, but it’s also making a name for itself in online cybersecurity, with certificates, bachelor’s degrees, and master’s degrees available.

Online Associate Degrees in Cyber Security

Because a good program will prepare you for professional certifications such as Security+ or Certified Information Privacy Professional, an associate degree is a great place to start for a cybersecurity degree. However, an associate degree is unlikely to be the final destination. According to a 2015 report by Burning Glass Technologies, 84 percent of job openings in the field required candidates to have a bachelor’s degree or higher.

In any case, if you want to get a cybersecurity associate degree in Virginia, you’ll have to do so on campus because, as of 2016, colleges have only begun to offer a few relevant courses online.

Online Bachelor’s Degrees in Cyber Security

In terms of general education requirements and core coursework, baccalaureate programs are more intensive than associate degrees. However, they also assume no prior computer knowledge, so don’t be afraid to start there. At this point, you’ll have to decide how much — and what kind of — cybersecurity coursework you want to take.

To answer this question, consider the type of job you want to get with your degree. The BS in Information Systems with a concentration in Cybersecurity Management from Strayer University suggests what you’ll learn: how to manage cybersecurity threats rather than being the one behind the keyboard. Try its BS in Information Systems – Cybersecurity Management program for that. Take the same degree with a concentration in Digital Forensics Technology if you’re more interested in tracking down cybercriminals than mitigating risks. The BS in Information Systems – Information Assurance program at Liberty University is another option. Keep in mind, however, that you must take general education courses regardless of where you get your degree. This includes three required Christian classes at Liberty.

Online Master’s Degrees in Cyber Security

In 2014, nearly a quarter of cybersecurity job postings required a master’s degree. While this means there are plenty of jobs for people who don’t want to go back to school, a closer look reveals that only 6% of jobs required master’s degrees the year before. As a result, advanced degrees are becoming more common for advanced positions.

If you decide to continue your education, Strayer and Liberty, as well as the University of Fairfax, offers a variety of online master’s degrees. At the graduate level, however, students looking to save money on in-state tuition have public university options, with George Mason University, James Madison University, and Norfolk State University bringing their well-regarded master’s programs to an online platform. Virginia Tech, which offers an online Master of Information Technology, is an “out-of-the-box” option. Courses from the security module can be used to customize the MIT.

Managers with some IT experience should consider George Mason’s MS in Applied Information Technology – Cyber Security. They’ll learn how to lead teams that are tasked with reducing cyber threats or dealing with crises. The MS in Computer Science – Information Security from James Madison University is much more hands-on, making it the ideal follow-up for those with a baccalaureate cybersecurity credential who want to advance their knowledge. The MS in Cybersecurity at Norfolk State University is similar, but it focuses on government jobs rather than corporate jobs in the field.

Online Certificate Programs in Cyber Security

Typically, cybersecurity certificates serve one of two purposes. They can first give undergrads a taste of the curriculum, which they can then apply to a bachelor’s or associate’s degree. Second, they can allow graduate students to gain new skills in less time than it takes to earn a master’s degree — and without having to pursue a concentration.

• Liberty University and the University of Fairfax, two major online cybersecurity players, both offer certificate programs at the undergraduate and graduate levels, respectively. They’re joined by a trio of public colleges that only offer certificate-level online cybersecurity programs. Northern Virginia Community College, Old Dominion University, and the University of Virginia are the schools in question.
• The undergraduate certificate in Cyber Security offered by NOVA is geared primarily toward networking professionals who can then sit for the Security+ and/or CISSP exams.
• The Cyber Security Management Certificate from UVa is essentially a business program, and graduates should be able to develop security policies and evaluate their effectiveness.
• Old Dominion University offers two online graduate certificates in cybersecurity and cyber systems security, which may appear to be the same at first glance. The first is for computer science majors who want to work in the field, while the second is an interdisciplinary engineering degree.

Finally, the online graduate certificate in Information Security and Analytics offered by Virginia Tech may be of interest. This course will provide you with a solid foundation in security fundamentals (such as networks, infrastructure, and so on) as well as instruction on how to engineer and protect critical systems. It will also introduce you to BI and analytics software.

Cyber Security Scholarships in Virginia

Governor Terry McAuliffe of Virginia is a big proponent of more cybersecurity education, and he signed a budget in 2016 that included $1 million for the new Cybersecurity Public Service Scholarship Program. Receivers agree to work for the Commonwealth after graduation in exchange for a $20,000 scholarship to enroll in an eligible program.

Scholarships for cybersecurity students aren’t just available from the state government. Funds are also distributed by school departments and colleges, as well as related foundations. Here are a few that are relevant to students of cybersecurity:

James Madison University

Computer Science Department Scholarship: Computer Science majors, including those pursuing the Information Security certificate track, should apply directly to the department to receive a scholarship.

JMU is one of five Virginia universities that will offer the CyberCorps Scholarship for Service, which is funded by the National Science Foundation. Juniors in the Information Security certification track are eligible for a full scholarship plus a $20,000 stipend for the final two years of their studies, after which they will begin a two-year federal government job.

Walter and Martha Curt Computer Science Scholarship: The Curt family awards scholarships to undergraduate Computer Science majors and students in the Information Security certificate track who should apply.

Marymount University

Marymount University’s CyberCorps Scholarship for Service is open to students in any of the school’s four cybersecurity bachelor’s and master’s programs. If they are accepted, they will receive free tuition, waived academic fees, and a generous living stipend. They’ll be asked to commit to a two- to a three-year job working in security for a federal agency after they finish their degree.

Norfolk State University

Marymount University’s CyberCorps Scholarship for Service is open to students in any of the school’s four cybersecurity bachelor’s and master’s programs. If they are accepted, they will receive free tuition, waived academic fees, and a generous living stipend. They’ll be asked to commit to a two- to a three-year job working in security for a federal agency after they finish their degree.

Virginia Tech

Virginia Tech’s CyberCorps Scholarship for Service is for undergrads who minor in Cyber Security and then apply to the school’s accelerated BS/MS programs in Computer Science or Electrical and Computer Engineering. They’ll get a free ride and tens of thousands of dollars in stipends in return. In exchange, they will work for one to three years after graduation, completing summer internships with federal agencies.

Cyber Security Events in Virginia

Cyber Security Meetups & Communities in Virginia

Young professionals, seasoned employees, and college students abound in Northern Virginia. All of them have ongoing meetups:

• The Cybersecurity Innovation Forum meets regularly at George Mason University to hear brief case studies and participate in panel discussions with local experts. The event is the world’s second-largest cybersecurity gathering.
• D.C. Professionals in Cyber Security: This is the world’s largest cybersecurity meetup, with events attracting crowds of up to 100 people. Events include pen-testing workshops and demonstrations from local experts. The majority of events are held in Arlington, despite the name.
• Free Cyber Security Training: The organizer, NormShield’s chief technical officer, warns that the sessions are “highly technical,” and that those without a CS or IT background may get lost after the introductions. However, it is a good place to get free training in areas such as pen testing, log management, network defense, and others. On alternate Wednesdays, the group meets in Reston.
• Instead of spending your free time attending presentations, grab a drink with a comrade at the NovaInfosec.com Meetup. That’s what the IT professionals at NovaInfoSec in Northern Virginia do after work a couple of times a month.
• Women working in or studying information security should join the Women’s Society of Cyberjutsu and start meeting their 700+ peers. It’s so active, in fact, that in a single week, it hosts a variety of events across Northern Virginia, ranging from technical workshops to Toastmasters meetings.

Cyber Security Conferences & Workshops in Virginia

The quality and frequency of opportunities to listen to expert speakers are some of the benefits of being so close to DC. One such opportunity is the Practical Privacy Series presented by the International Association of Privacy Professionals. For something hipper, try Security BSides, a movement of locally run cybersecurity events harnessing the ingenuity of local innovators and entrepreneurs in the field. BSides NoVa in Reston and Security B-Sides DC hold annual conferences. Outside of the DC metro, the SANS Institute regularly hosts events and extended pieces of training in Virginia Beach and Richmond.

The state’s heavy ties to national defense mean more events are popping up all the time. In 2016, for example, the inaugural CyCon U.S., part of the International Conference on Cyber Conflict, took off in DC. So did the National Conference of Minority Cybersecurity Professionals. Here are six other annual events worth attending:

• AFCEA Annual Cybersecurity Summit: The DC chapter of the Armed Forces Communications and Electronics Association runs this two-day event for civilians and military in the federal government. It’s got the standard discussion panels and breakout sessions, but the fun part is when entrepreneurs compete for grant money a la “Shark Tank.”
• Digital Government Institute’s Cyber Security Conference: A free one-day expo for government staff, this DC-based event is a convenient opportunity to keep up to date with industry trends and earn continuing education credits.
• FireEye Cyber Defense Summit: FireEye brings in big-name government officials and expert panels for its three-day conference at the Washington Hilton. One neat feature is the multiple tracks participants can choose from depending on their position, including management and incident response.
• ShmooCon: If the name sounds silly, that’s because it’s put on by a group of hackers who refuse “to take anything about the internet seriously.” This may be the most fun event DC hosts, with three days of tech demonstrations and discussions on both hardware and software, as well as hacker faves like a lockpick village.
• SINET Showcase: Security Innovation Network (SINET) holds a two-day workshop series in the nation’s capital with heavy hitters from the private and government sector. SINET members receive a discount, as do government employees.
• Threat Intelligence Conference: Don’t want to shell out half a grand for a seat at SINET’s table? The Threat Intelligence Conference in DC is free. “Analysts and operational defenders” will benefit from the information.

Cyber Security Jobs in Virginia

According to research conducted by Burning Glass Technologies, Virginia is second only to California in terms of the size of its cybersecurity workforce, with over 20,000 job openings in 2014. The majority of them are concentrated in the Washington, DC metropolitan area, which includes parts of Maryland and Arlington (home to the Pentagon and government contractors). Job growth between 2010 and 2014 ranged from 38 to 40%, depending on how you count the numbers. That sounds good, but it’s half the rate of growth in California, which puts it in the bottom five states in terms of growth. I’m not sure why. Virginia has 300 percent more cybersecurity professionals than the national average, compared to other states. This number rises to 525 percent when looking at the greater DC area, where the majority of these professionals work.

The state government, unsurprisingly, has a different perspective. It depicts a situation where there are more job openings than qualified candidates to fill them. And there’s reason to believe that the sector’s growth hasn’t slowed: the state continues to invest in workforce development. For example, Norfolk State is working on a K-20 pipeline, a cybersecurity apprenticeship program for businesses and state agencies looking to hire cybersecurity graduates, and a “cyber range” for students from across the state to practice their skills in a simulated real-world environment.

What benefits might these programs provide to Virginia students? They might be able to find work at one of the state’s many Fortune 500 companies, which hire security professionals to keep their data — and the data of their clients — safe. The federal government is often the primary customer of these businesses. General Dynamics, Northrop Grumman, and Computer Sciences Corporation are all defense contractors based in Falls Church.

Are you looking for something that isn’t government-related? It’s a little more difficult to track down, but it’s not impossible. Graduates can apply to work at Capital One Financial in McLean or Genworth Financial in Richmond, where they will keep hackers out of investors’ money. Six of the world’s top 100 cybersecurity companies are based in the Commonwealth, with one more in Washington, DC, according to Cybersecurity Ventures.

Cyber Security Salaries in Virginia

According to Indeed.com, after adjusting for the cost of living, cybersecurity specialist salaries in DC and Arlington are both outside the top ten, implying that “government IT security jobs are significantly less lucrative than those in the private sector.” This is true, but only if the salary is the only factor. Consider the benefits package before dismissing government employment. The federal government is one of the few employers that has continued to provide pensions to employees.

Take into account the relationship between your degree and your earning potential, as some degrees are more highly valued by employers than others. A Virginia Tech computer science degree (which includes the Cybersecurity minor) is highly valued in the Commonwealth, ranking among the top 30 in the country for return on investment. Depending on their financial aid package, graduates can earn between $950,000 and $1 million over 20 years.