Experience or education? Why not both? While it is extremely difficult to have relevant experience to your dream job while having relevant education, being in the military can help alleviate and close that gap.
Military Intelligence, while not exactly Cyber Security, can help prepare you for the civilian transition for cybersecurity. I will further explain further in detail in another post, but for now, I want to share my plan and my reasoning as to why I chose University of Maryland’s Cybersecurity Master’s program.
University of Maryland Global Campus (UMGC) Master’s in Cyber Operations
When I first looked for a online Master’s programs, there was a wide array of schools programs available. Most schools that I saw only had “Cybersecurity” Master’s Program in general – meaning there was just one category, encompassing all of cyber security. Cyber security, with my understanding at the time, has a wide array of concentration or focus. When I came across UMGC Cyber Program, they had a wide array of concentration:
- Cloud Computing Systems
- Cyber Operations
- CyberAccounting
- Cybersecurity Management & Policy
- Cybersecurity Technology
- Digital Forensics & Cyber Investigation
- Information Technology: Information Assurance
Looking at the list above, it gave me a sense that I am able to pick and chose what interests me the most, and not be forced to take a class that doesn’t really interest me yet. I decided to take the Cyber Operations Master’s program, for I (eventually) want to become a penetration tester (like many aspiring cybersecurity professionals) in the future.
Required Courses
The program requires 36 credit hours to obtain your Master’s degree. Each class is 6 credit hours. You can only take one class per semester, and there are four semesters per year. If you take one class per semester, then you can finish the course within 18 months.
Decisive Thinking, Communicating, and Leading in Technology Fields
Foundations of Cyber Operations
Cybersecurity Defense
Cyber Law and Digital Forensics
Secure Software
Cyber Operations Capstone
You have to take each course sequentially and you cannot earn a grade lower than “B”.
What I like the most about this program
So far, I have enjoyed the classes I have taken. Again, this is just an overview. I will be breaking down step by step as I go, so you, the reader, can also benefit from it. There were times that I had a bad professor, but that didn’t stop me. If I can do it, you can, too!
Is having a Master’s degree enough?
Probably not enough. Like I mentioned earlier, you will also need experience. “But how can you gain experience if you are just starting to get into the field?” That’s a great question! That is when research, networking, and being creative can help you with this problem set.