“Cyber-attacks could have the same kinetic effects as bombs using non-kinetic means without the collateral damage.”
-CSI associate director Bill Stegemerten, who focused on cyber matters as a lieutenant-colonel with the U.S. Air Force and Delaware Air National Guard (Delaware Today, 2015).
As the Delaware technology sphere deals with harmful viruses, ransomware, and ever-changing attack vectors, the cybersecurity work force is on the rise. Companies are desperate for highly trained professionals who’ve been groomed in the latest trends in cyber threats and threat mitigation, especially in the wake of the highly publicized national attacks on chains like Target, J.P. Morgan, and Charles Schwab.
- Grand Canyon University - B.S. and M.S. in Cyber Security
- SNHU - B.S and M.S. in Cybersecurity
- Purdue Global - Bachelor of Science in Cybersecurity
- Arizona State University - Online Master of Arts in Global Security
Delaware is in a critical position to play a leading role in the cybersecurity industry, as it is located close to technological hubs in New York and Washington, D.C. The state became a cybersecurity leader early on, thanks to federal grants and a motivated workforce. Here’s what has pushed Delaware’s cybersecurity progress forward:
- In 2012, Delaware became a national leader in cybersecurity education, thanks to a National Science Foundation grant upwards of $400,000 to create a Regional Cybersecurity Education Initiative. The initiative helped fund better tools and more professors for technology programs at area colleges (Press Release, John Carney, 2012).
- In 2013, the Delaware State Bar Association altered its ethic rules to maintain that attorneys must deliver cybersecurity services to their clients.
- In 2014, Governor Jack Markell announced the Delaware Cyber Initiative in an attempt to bring more cybersecurity workers to the state and push cybersecurity education forward.
- In 2016, Delaware offered two cybersecurity seminars from Artemis Global Security, as well as two more public cybersecurity training seminars in April, attended by Elayne Starkey, Delaware’s chief security officer (Delaware Online, 2016).
As the need for cybersecurity analysts continues to climb, cybersecurity job growth in Deleware jumped 92% from 2010-2014, and it is expected to continue climbing as nearly every industry throughout the state develops their own information security task forces. Not only has Delaware proven itself to be a progressive state when dealing with technological advances, but information security analysts in the state can expect to make an average annual wage of $97,750, according to a 2015 report by the US Bureau of Labor Statistics.
With a master’s degree, cybersecurity specialists in Deleware can expect to be qualified for senior positions within security teams and to be prepared with relevant skills for the modern technical workforce. A master’s degree also offers the opportunity to earn a higher wage and pursue faculty positions at Delaware universities. From banking to insurance to healthcare to private security contractors, industries in Deleware have a pressing need for cybersecurity specialists.
Earning a Master’s Degree or Certificate in Cybersecurity in Delaware
Many students and IT professionals seeking advanced cybersecurity training in Delaware choose from one of several NSA and DHS designated online programs hosted by universities throughout the country.
The National Security Agency and Department of Homeland Security offer designations specific to two classifications of schools that offer graduate programs in information security:
- CAE-CDE – National Centers of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense Education (qualifying colleges and universities offering bachelor’s, master’s, and graduate certificates)
- CAE-R – National Centers of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense Research (schools that participate in research initiatives and that integrate a strong research component into the curriculum of bachelor’s and graduate programs)
Highly respected by employers and preferred by working IT professionals, online programs offer standard NSA and DHS approved curriculum through online problem modules, forum discussions with students and professors, and virtual mock cyber threat mitigation and response drills.
Post-bachelor’s certificates are another option for cybersecurity professionals seeking graduate education. A certificate course will train the student in current networking trends, the most recent cyber threats, and relevant programming languages. These programs focus on system and network security, cloud computing, cryptography, and threat intel and management.
Standard Admissions Requirements for Cybersecurity Master’s Programs
In order to apply to a cybersecurity master’s program, students must be prepared with an excellent education history, high GRE scores, and prior knowledge of basic programming languages and applied mathematics.
Minimum requirements include:
- Bachelor’s degree in a related discipline
- One year of calculus and one year of a mathematics course beyond calculus
- A course in data structures
- A course in Java or C++
- A course in computer organization
If the applicant has less than a 3.0 GPA in bachelor’s coursework, the school may require GRE scores. Admissions departments look for the following scores:
- Verbal score of 150 or higher
- Quantitative score of 155 or higher
- Analytical score of 650 or higher
Core Courses, Electives and Program Objectives
NSA and DHS designated schools follow a standard curriculum. Core coursework will typically include:
- Network and System Administration
- Computer Forensics
- Database Management
- Threat Intel and Malware Analysis
- Cyber Policy and Ethics
- Linux Systems
Elective topics may include:
- Cyber Warfare and Terrorism
- Current Trends in Cybersecurity
- Cloud Computing
- Applied Cryptography
- Database Algorithms
Graduates of cybersecurity master’s programs will be prepared for the challenges of the field with a firm understanding of computer and network security, cryptographic protocols, Linux operating systems, and cloud computing. In addition, graduates will be able to architect secure systems, provide intrusion detection, and assure the security of IP communications.
Cybersecurity Boot Camps Get You Primed for a Master’s and Ready for Entry-Level Work
Get hands-on training in defensive and offensive cybersecurity, networking, systems, web technologies, and databases, and benefit from our CompTIA Partnership. Maintain your work or college schedule by studying part-time, only three days a week, with convenient evening and weekend hours. Click for more info:
– Columbia Engineering Cybersecurity Boot Camp
– Georgia Tech Cyber and Network Security Boot Camp
– Penn Cybersecurity Boot Camp
NSA and DHS Designated Research and Education Institutions in Delaware
As of 2018, the following schools have met the rigorous criteria required to earn the NSA/DHS National Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense Education (CAE-CDE) designation for their master’s programs:
University of Delaware, Electrical and Computer Engineering
Wilmington University, College of Technology
Opportunities Available to Master’s-Prepared Cybersecurity Analysts and Specialists in Delaware
Delaware has proven to be a progressive state in terms of advancing cybersecurity education and knowledge. With progressive policy and government offices that are concerned with the security of sensitive data, master’s-prepared cybersecurity professionals have the opportunity to work within the public sector or in private businesses throughout Delaware.
The following job opportunities, sourced in May 2016, are not meant to provide any assurance of employment. They represent the kind of employment opportunities that may be available to cybersecurity specialists in Delaware, and are shown for illustrative purposes only.
Security Solutions Analyst with Turnberry Solutions in Wilmington, DE
Requirements:
- Bachelor’s degree in a related discipline
- Six years’ experience in the cybersecurity field
Responsibilities:
- Perform root cause analysis, risk mitigation, and security assessments for clients
- Analyze security threats, trends and architecture
- Develop cryptographic systems and algorithms for clients
Cyber Intelligence Analyst at Lockheed Martin Industries in Wilmington, DE
Requirements:
- Bachelor’s degree in a related field required; master’s preferred
- Five or more years’ experience in cybersecurity
- Three or more years’ experience with incident response
Responsibilities:
- Create and execute incident response plan, processes and procedures
- Define events versus alert and incidents
- Create incident classification priorities
- Identify and document incident trends
Cybersecurity Event Analyst at M&T Bank in Millsboro, DE
Requirements:
- Bachelor’s degree in a related field required; master’s preferred
- Eight years’ experience in cybersecurity
Responsibilities:
- Monitor cybersecurity events
- Monitor and document security incidents
- Provide advanced-level support services of core security platforms
- Work with other security infrastructure to provide incident response