A look inside Oregon State’s cybersecurity online certificate and computer science bachelor’s degree
The exponential rise of technology across industries has produced incredible innovations worldwide. It has also paved the way for new and nefarious means of cybercrime.
Now more than ever, cybersecurity professionals are needed.
Oregon State University offers two online options for people interested in a cybersecurity career. They include an Undergraduate Certificate in Cybersecurity and a cybersecurity applied option within a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science.
Here’s what you should know if you’re considering a career in this growing field.
Why are positions in cybersecurity so important and valuable at this time?
Technology risks continue to rise, putting businesses, individuals and communities at risk. Artificial intelligence tools increase the danger, as modern tools allow people to discover vulnerabilities and launch attacks at scale.
Cybersecurity professionals are our needed, front-line defense to thwart these attacks. The demand for professionals in this field continues to increase. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects a 21% increase in the number of jobs in this field between 2025 and 2035.
How will students benefit from earning a certificate in cybersecurity online from Oregon State?
The Undergraduate Certificate in Cybersecurity consists of 28 credits including electives in topics like information systems security, open source software and mobile software development to help you to customize your education to meet your career goals.
Students who complete the certificate program will be able to:
- Describe the common threats to system security and explain their mechanisms of action
- Assess system requirements pertaining to confidentiality, integrity and availability of data and functionality to users
- Implement secure solutions to common threats by selecting and applying appropriate principles, protocols and techniques
- Evaluate system designs, implementations and protocols to identify and ameliorate weaknesses
How will students benefit from earning a computer science bachelor’s degree online from Oregon State?
Oregon State’s Bachelor of Science in Computer Science online program includes a cybersecurity option. Students who choose this path gain foundational knowledge that can help them to secure data on behalf of the companies and clients they work with.
Oregon State offers computer science students a unique opportunity to practice their skills in real time through ORTSOC: Oregon State’s student-powered security operations center. Under the guidance of staff, senior computer science students monitor, test and defend the networks of ORTSOC clients, which include cities, counties, schools and nonprofits. The organizations get robust protection while the students gain real experience.
Students who complete the cybersecurity option of the bachelor’s degree will be able to:
- Analyze complex computing problems and apply principles of cybersecurity to identify solutions
- Design, implement and evaluate solutions to meet a given set of requirements
- Recognize professional responsibilities and make informed judgments based on legal and ethical principles
- Function effectively as a member or leader of a team engaged in activities in cybersecurity
- Apply computer science theory and to produce cybersecurity solutions
What opportunities will an education in cybersecurity provide?
After studying cybersecurity online, individuals will be prepared to serve a variety of security roles as well as perform web and IT jobs more competently. And students will walk away with competency and in-demand skills that employers need. Those skills include:
- Securing communication between a client and a server
- Detecting when communication is compromised
- Reasoning about the extent to which a system design is prone to cyberattacks
- Finding and exploiting security flaws in existing systems
- Investigating a cyber intrusion and understand how it happened
The bachelor’s degree program is designed for students who want to explore computer science broadly, with an ability to focus on cybersecurity as an option. The certificate program is meant for students who already have a computer science degree and need another layer of training to solidify their skillset or advance in their cybersecurity career.
What are three helpful tips for becoming a cybersecurity professional?
No matter what option you choose, it’s wise to prepare for the career ahead of you. These suggestions may help:
- Get a broad view of cybersecurity by taking classes online so you can find a specific subarea where your passion lies.
- Do a capstone project as part of a cybersecurity online program, overlapping that subarea so you can build competence and demonstrate your passion to potential employers.
- Keep your eyes open as you progress through your career for narrower certificates relevant to your very specific career track. These additional certificates can be useful for documenting your expertise in really deep and specialized skills.
How can I get started?
Request information about the cybersecurity online options and receive support from our dedicated enrollment services specialists.
