Cybersecurity Bachelor’s Degree in Ohio

According to GO Concepts, an IT consulting firm in Lebanon, Ohio, a new ransomware attack occurs somewhere in the world every 14 seconds. Forty-three percent of all cyberattacks target small businesses. Yet data breaches can take more than six months to be detected. It is estimated that over $1 trillion will be spent on cybersecurity worldwide by the end of 2021. As of 2019, the average cost of a cyberattack was estimated to be over $1.6 million. These are staggering statistics, and could be an impetus for Ohioans seeking to become educated in cybersecurity.

CyberOhio was launched by Ohio’s Governor Mike DeWine in September 2016, when DeWine was the state’s Attorney General. It is a collection of cybersecurity initiatives that are designed to help Ohio businesses better fight cyberattacks. Its advisory committee contains representatives of the cybersecurity industry from Cardinal Health, The Wendy’s Company, XLN Systems, the Ohio State University, and the Cleveland Marshall College of Law. Ohio businesses may use CyberOhio as a resource for help when setting up their cybersecurity measures. They are also available for presentations and have made publications available for the public.

Fortune 500 companies are certainly concerned with protecting their data through cybersecurity. According to the 2019 Fortune 500 list, 24 Fortune 500 have corporate headquarters based in Ohio. Some of them include:

  • Cardinal Health – Dublin
  • Kroger – Cincinnati
  • Procter & Gamble — Cincinnati
  • Nationwide – Columbus
  • Progressive – Mayfield
  • Goodyear Tire & Rubber – Akron
  • FirstEnergy Corp. – Akron
  • Fifth Third Bancorp – Cincinnati
  • American Financial Group – Cincinnati
  • Owens Corning – Toledo

If you are interested in working in cybersecurity in Ohio within one of these companies or elsewhere, getting a bachelor’s degree is your first step.

Cybersecurity Law in Ohio

On March 20, 2019, the Ohio Data Protection Act went into effect. It grants an affirmative defense against any data breach tort claims brought by a business, as long as that business’ cybersecurity foundation and framework is up to industry standards.  In order to be able to utilize the defense in case of a data breach, a business must have:

  • Developed a written cybersecurity plan
  • Implemented technical, physical and administrative safeguards of public information
  • Conducted risk assessments for internal and external threats
  • Address vulnerabilities based on these risk assessments
  • Establish, maintain and implement a written incident response plan in recovering from a cybersecurity event
  • Report all cybersecurity events to the Ohio Department of Insurance

Pursuing Cybersecurity Education in Ohio

Would you like to work in cybersecurity in Ohio? If so, your first step is to get a bachelor’s degree. There are many great schools to choose from, with acclaimed programs available on-campus and online. Programs range from accelerated to five-year bachelor’s degree programs. With a cybersecurity bachelor’s degree in hand, you will be eligible for job titles such as the following in Ohio:

  • Career Vulnerability Researcher – Battelle, Columbus
  • Cybersecurity Control Assessor II – Bon Secours Mercy Health, Cincinnati
  • Digital Forensics Investigator – Amazing Products, Ltd., Wapakoneta
  • Cybersecurity Engineer- Threat Intelligence – Cleveland Clinic, Beachwood
  • Cyber Security Operations Manager- Hexion, Inc., Columbus

Cybersecurity Undergraduate Degrees in Ohio

Bachelor’s degrees in the cybersecurity arena can be called many things, depending upon your college or university. In Ohio, these include (but aren’t limited to):

  • Bachelor of Science in Cybersecurity
  • Bachelor of Science in Computer Science & Engineering – Information & Computation Assurance
  • Bachelor of Science in Cyber Operations
  • Bachelor of Science in Information Technology – Cybersecurity Concentration
  • Bachelor of Science in Digital Forensic Science

Bachelor’s in Cybersecurity Degree Courses in Ohio

You can expect to take courses with names like the following in a typical undergraduate cybersecurity degree program in Ohio:

  • Systems I and II
  • Foundations I and II
  • Software I and II
  • Systems Networking
  • Software Databases
  • Information Security
  • Network Security

Accreditation for Cybersecurity Bachelor’s Degree Programs in Ohio

Bachelor’s cybersecurity degree programs are not usually accredited like master’s degree cybersecurity programs. You should always, however, look for a bachelor’s degree cybersecurity program at an institution in Ohio that is accredited by an agency recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA).

Centers of Academic Excellence (CAE)

The National Security Agency (NSA) and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) have designated certain bachelor’s level cybersecurity programs as National Centers of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense (CAE-CD) and National Centers of Academic Excellence in Cyber Operations (CAE-CO). Programs must meet fundamental knowledge standards in the following areas in order to be so designated:

  • Cyber defense
  • Cyber threats
  • Data analysis
  • Information assurance fundamentals
  • Information technology systems
  • Intro to cryptography
  • Policy, ethics, law, compliance

Bachelor’s Degree Centers of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense Education in Ohio

Three Ohio schools host bachelor’s degree programs that have been designated CAE in CD Education (CAE-CDE):

201 S. Grant Ave.

Columbus, OH 43215

CAE- Cyber Defense Education- Accredited through 2024

(614) 797-4700; [email protected] 

  • The Ohio State University

– Bachelor of Science in Computer Science & Engineering – Information & Computation Assurance (also ABET-accredited – see below)

–Bachelor of Science in Computer & Information Science- Information & Computation Assurance

Department of Computer Science and Engineering

395 Dreese Laboratories

2015 Neil Ave.

Columbus, OH 43210-1277

CAE- Cyber Defense Education- Accredited through 2020

(614) 292-5813;

College of Education, Criminal Justice & Human Services

2600 Clifton Ave.

Cincinnati, OH 45221

CAE- Cyber Defense Education- Accredited through 2021

(513) 556-6308; [email protected]  

Bachelor’s Degree Centers of Academic Excellence in Cyber Operations in Ohio

One school in Ohio has been designated a Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Operations (CAE-CO) and offers a bachelor’s degree:

School of Engineering and Computer Science

251 N. Main St.

Cedarville, OH 45314

CAE- Cyber Operations- Accredited through 2023

Seth Hamman, Ph.D., Director, Center for the Advancement of Cybersecurity

(937) 766-7686; email  

ABET-Accredited Bachelor’s Degree Cybersecurity Programs in Ohio

The Computing Accreditation Commission of ABET (the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology, Inc.) accredits some cybersecurity bachelor’s degree programs. In Ohio, the following programs are currently accredited by the Computing Accreditation Commission (and are also listed above, as they are CAE-CDEs or CAE-COs as well): 

School of Engineering and Computer Science

251 N. Main St.

Cedarville, OH 45314

ABET accredited through 2024

Seth Hamman, Ph.D., Director, Center for the Advancement of Cybersecurity

(937) 766-7686; email  

Department of Computer Science and Engineering

395 Dreese Laboratories

2015 Neil Ave.

Columbus, OH 43210-1277

CAE- Cyber Defense Education- Accredited through 2020

(614) 292-5813;

Other Notable Cybersecurity Bachelor’s Degree Programs in Ohio

Cybersecurity programs in Ohio that are not ABET-accredited nor CAEs but are still applicable include:

Accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC)

Computer Science & Engineering Department

275 Eastland Road

Berea, OH 44017

Andrew Watkins, Chair

(440) 826-2396; [email protected]

Accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC)

Science & Mathematics Dept.

701 N. Clinton St.

Defiance, OH 43512

(419) 784-4010

Accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC)

College of Arts & Sciences

241 Mathematical Sciences Bldg.

Kent, OH 44242-0001

(330) 672-9980; [email protected]

  • Tiffin University

—Bachelor of Criminal Justice in Digital Forensics

—Bachelor of Arts in Cyber Security

Accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC)

155 Miami St.

Tiffin, OH 44883

(800) 968-6446

  • The University of Akron

—Bachelor of Science in Computer Information Systems, Cybersecurity Option

—Bachelor of Arts in Computer Information Systems, Digital Forensics Option

Accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC)

Department of Business & Information Technology

Akron, OH 44325

Stanley Smith, Chair

(330) 972-6950; [email protected]

Accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC)

100 N. Main St.

Findlay, OH 45840

(800) 472-9502

Accredited by the Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges (ACCSC)

8700 Brookpark Road

Cleveland, OH 44129

(888)-979-9579

Accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU)

(866)-903-0108

Accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC)

College of Computer Science & Engineering

3640 Colonel Glenn Hwy.

Dayton, OH 45435

(937) 775-5131; [email protected]

Accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC)

Division of Arts & Humanities

4545 College Road

South Euclid, OH 44121

216-381-1680

Cybersecurity seems to have a very bright future ahead in Ohio. Unfortunately, cybercrimes continue to grow worldwide, and companies are in need of educated individuals to help fight them. A recent article in Columbus CEO noted that cybersecurity professionals are in high demand in Ohio, but are still hard to find. What better time to get your bachelor’s degree in cybersecurity in Ohio, and become well-prepared to help companies fight cyber threats?