Last Tuesday, I received a call from my friend Jennifer, who is a nurse manager at a large pediatric hospital. The entire computer network had been taken hostage by ransomware attackers who were demanding $2.3 million! Half of the doctors were left scrambling around with paper charts while IT was working feverishly to get the life-critical systems operational again. In the same week, there was news of hackers selling 47 million stolen credit card numbers from a large retailer that most of us use regularly. This stuff keeps me up at night, not out of paranoia, but rather because I witness the human impact of our cybersecurity talent shortage every day.

Organizations are finding it difficult to locate individuals who truly understand the risk and how to defend against these attacks, rather than merely ticking off compliance checkboxes. If you have been contemplating getting into cybersecurity or alternatively, want to elevate your current IT position, considering a master's degree online might be exactly what you need. I have worked in the industry for 15 years now, and, I will tell you that the environment has changed drastically. You do not have to completely change your life for a campus based program anymore. Some of the brightest cybersecurity professionals that I know have earned their degrees with completely online programs, while working full-time jobs the whole time!

The Reality of the Current Cybersecurity Job Market

Everyone continues to highlight the millions of unfilled cybersecurity jobs, which is only partially true. Companies do not simply want any person with the certification, they are wanting individuals or people who can think three steps ahead of the attack. They're looking for someone that can build security architecture that withstands pressure and can explain to the CEO why a "tiny" vulnerability could shut down their entire operation.

I have seen way too many individuals with computer science degrees struggle in cyber security positions because they have never seen how business risk relates to technical vulnerabilities. How an attack is conducted today is very different from even 10 years ago. When the attacks occur it does not matter what the structure of neat blocks we learned in school. A successful breach may start with a phishing email, leverage a vulnerable web application, move laterally through your internal network, and end up in a various underlying sensitive information stored in the cloud. You need to understand how to view the totality of the attack chain. This is an area where graduate education can provide some good value add.

The shift to online delivery for all degree programs has fundamentally changed the game for working professionals. A colleague, Sarah, was able to earn her master's degree while stationed in Singapore with the military. A friend, Mike, was able to complete his degree while held responsible for a demanding full-time position in the financial services sector and had two kids at home. The geographic barriers that historically limited your choices have almost completely evaporated.

Why Online Learning is Better for Cybersecurity Learning

When I speak about the effectiveness of online learning, most people think I am referring to convenience (and I am, of course). But I think more is happening in this context that makes it especially useful for cybersecurity learning.

Security incidents do not happen when it is convenient for you. They happen at 2 AM on a Saturday, on holiday weekends, when your all your key people are on vacation, etc. When you are guided through an online learning experience and then start dealing with a real security incident at work, you're almost immediately connecting prior learning to the chaos in front of you. That type of learning stays with you in a way traditional classroom conversations about hypothetical situations never could.

The tools you use for online learning—virtual collaboration tools, cloud-based labs, remote access technologies—are the exact tools that cybersecurity practitioners use every day. You are not simply learning cybersecurity content. As an online learner, you are developing the digital-first mindset of how we actually do this work.

Online programs can recruit faculty from the other side of the world. My prior professor teaches from Vermont but consults banks in Singapore. One of my old instructors spent decades in the FBI Cybercrime Unit before moving to academe. This means you're no longer confined to physical locations when it comes to who can teach you.

Spotting What's Worth Your Investment

I have reviewed applications from students who have graduated from dozens of different programs and there's a tremendous range of quality. I have seen students come in with really deep, practical background knowledge. I have seen students come in with high GPAs that couldn't figure out basic troubleshooting in security. The following are what makes a difference for a program that actually prepares students for work:

Living, Breathing Curricula: The best programs update their content continuously. They will teach the foundational concepts like cryptography because those principles do not change, but will incorporate new attack techniques within a few months of having seen those techniques in the wild. In the first question of my first interview, I can often tell immediately if someone's program modified their academic delivery to address emerging threats.

Experiential Learning Labs: Understanding buffer overflow attacks in textbooks or online is fundamentally different than exploiting one in a virtual lab, and then understanding how to protect from one. Good programs will find and invest heavily into virtual labs where you can break things, see what was broken, and find a way to remediate those issues. You are not risking production systems in a virtual lab.

Professional Faculty: Your professors should have experience in the cybersecurity space, not just researching it. Try to find professors that are active and have professional certifications, speak at conferences, or have consulting businesses. They will often share contemporary "horror" stories and context that pure academia can't provide. While reputation is important, the cybersecurity industry is a lot smaller than you think.

Connections that lead to jobs: Programs with a reputation for having industry connections typically do more than just talk about "networking". They actually connect students to employers, government agencies, and consulting firms who are actively seeking candidates.

Familiarity with Varied Program Structures

Online education is a lot more than watching recorded lectures and engaging in discussion forums. However, the structure you choose can impact your learning experience and success.

Synchronous programs require you attend scheduled virtual classes and deliverables on a timetable. This allows for real-time engagement with professors and collegium, but it also requires schedule flexibility that many working professionals cannot accommodate. If you are in a job responding to security incidents at odd hours (and most will!), it might be prudent to consider the asynchronous nature of most programs.

Accelerated programs will usually make a 2-year educational program into a 12-15 month program. These work well for people that have substantial amounts of time to devote to their education, and that are highly motivated, but I've also seen students become overwhelmed while they are juggling family and business responsibilities. I watch students burnout trying to do too much, too fast.

Cohort based programs go the opposite direction and complete the entire program in a defined number of weeks. Cohorting will allow you to build amazing relationships with collegium in your cohort through manageable collaborative learning; however, they can limit your potential when you are relying on the group to progress.

Self-paced model allows you to leverage more flexibility of being a student but only if you have stronger self-discipline.

Getting Past the Admissions Gatekeepers

Admission to strong cybersecurity programs involves more than meeting minimum GPA requirements. Admissions committees want to see candidates that demonstrate evidence of genuine commitment and potential success with rigorous graduate study.

Your undergraduate major is probably not nearly as important as you might think; I have worked with many successful cybersecurity professionals who majored in everything from music theory to mechanical engineering. Much more important is evidence of relevant potential—this can be programming skills, networking experience, military experiences in relevant areas, or even expressed interest through certifications or competitions.

Work experience expectations differ substantially depending on the program. Some graduate programs will accept new graduates with high academic performance and relevant internships. Other graduate programs will not admit candidates who do not already have at least a few years of professional-working experience.

Military veterans and service members will often discover that many graduate programs will find your experience quite valuable; particularly if you served in cybersecurity-specific, intelligence, or even communications roles.

GRE general test requirements are a thing of the past— as programs have begun to realize that GRE scores do not adequately predict success in graduate programs in cybersecurity. When standardized tests are required, and not already waived, they carry less weight than the narrative created by the application and your evidence of commitment to the field.

The best candidates have interested themselves beyond the minimum academic requirements. This can mean getting entry-level certifications such as Security+, actively participating in industry competitions such as capture-the-flag, or project-based security via open source repositories in GitHub, or training modules via platforms like Cybrary.

The Money Discussion Nobody Wants to Have

Graduate programs in cybersecurity are often costly ($30,000+ plus ancillary expenses). Typical returns on this kind of investment are worth it—especially today. If you could pay $30,000 for a degree paid off for you with a salary of high-income potential for the rest of your working life, would you?

Public universities (in-state) offer the most affordable tuition for CIS master's programs. Many have developed new online programs which will offer the best serving students if they do not live in the vicinity of the university, but are not exempt for out-of-state.

Private institutions raise prices significantly whereas you will get smaller classes, more personalized instruction and more specialization.

Make sure to factor in technology needs, software licenses, fees for certification exams and any travel for networking events. Some programs require access or use of specific cloud labs or enterprise software somehow beyond the total investment you think you're making.

What can you expect back in terms of your financial commitment? It can be quite substantial, especially if you consider starting salary levels for a master's degree (often, for entry level, similar to levels that a bachelor's degree might take years to reach). Equally important, many senior positions, especially in management or specialized technical roles, truly require or strongly prefer continuing education for salary advancement or promotion.

There are many more options for financial aid than in the past. Federal agencies have begun funding scholarships, grants, and other financial aid specifically for students of cybersecurity. Many employers offer reimbursement for tuition and will see help to their security posture.

Making a Specialization in Cybersecurity Decision

Cybersecurity spans many different specializations. The phrase that best describes the best programs is concentration and whether or not they are mapped to a career path. Most commonly:

Digital Forensics and Incident Response teaches you how to investigate cyber crimes and lead response efforts when an attack is successful. You will learn about forensic methodologies, procedures, and advanced analysis techniques when it comes to investigation - the entire investigative process! After training, career opportunities must include a law enforcement agency, a consultant, and a corporate incident response team.

Risk Management and Compliance is about compliance and risk in business. The program details risk assessment frameworks, compliance requirements, and business continuity plans. That can lead you toward risk analyst roles, various compliance duties, and consulting.

Penetration Testing and Ethical Hacking provides education and hands-on experience in identifying and exploiting vulnerabilities under controlled testing. You will learn to execute various attack techniques on your own devices, software applications, and environments and use various tools to assess vulnerability. Most graduates will become either penetration testers, security consultants or vulnerability researchers.

Cybersecurity Architecture and Cloud Security are two programs that will focus on the demand for cloud workers, where security and compliance are paramount to obtaining a cloud security expert. In these programs you will dive into cloud service models, security architect principles and cloud compliance obligations. Once you have completed the programs there are a number of career possibilities - including a cloud security architect, consultant, or cloud security specializations.

Cybersecurity Leadership and Management is better suited to taking on a role at the executive level, looking for people that will develop and execute organizational strategy from planning, budgeting, executive interactions and in tandem, have the technical competency to remain relevant and informed when executing management and leadership responsibilities.

Technology Infrastructure in Action

There is a significant amount of technology involved with online cybersecurity education. Effective programs will help you move beyond video calls and document-sharing inclusiveness.

The core of quality education is virtual laboratories, cloud-based environments of which you will apply configure firewalls, conduct malware analysis, penetration tests, and simulate investigations of incidents, quality programs replicate professional-grade tools used in the industry (don't worry about buying expensive hardware, just ensure you have a reliable internet connection).

There are also partner programs with technology vendors that allowed you to access advanced enterprise technologies which are often managed on aesthetic, costly technology. You could also potentially gain hands-on experience working with world's leading products from Cisco, Palo Alto Networks, Splunk, or others. These partnerships may be accompanied with certification pathways to add value beyond your degree.

Simulation platforms create situations that promote realism while learning about, and practicing, incident response procedures, but also allows you to see the consequences of your decisions. Similar to case studies, these experiential and immersive learning opportunities help move you from the classroom theory alternative, to actually applying or practice what you have learned.

Faculty Quality: What Do You Care About?

Faculty quality and availability is the most important variable in determining whether the program you are completing to further your career is a positive benefit or a waste of time - it is especially important in the quickly evolving world of cybersecurity. The best online programs will ensure instructors from a variety of academia, government, and private industry.

You want professors who are actively engaged in cybersecurity work: formerly NSA analysts, corporate CISOs, security consultants, law enforcement investigators, and academic researchers. Many programs hire adjunct instructors, who are industry practitioners, to supplement full-time faculty in teaching courses on very specific topics. Yes, an adjunct instructor is usually teaching because they are doing cybersecurity for a living, and will usually provide valuable networking content and practical perspectives that represent action compared to the theory in the course material.

Don't be fooled by academic credentials alone. A professor with an Ivy League PhD might be a superstar in research that takes many years to publish, but struggle through teaching practical skills. In contrast, an instructor who has spent years conducting penetration tests probably never published their research but provides extremely valuable real-world perspectives. The best programs will find a way to have instructors at either extreme.

What Students Actually Go Through

Marketing materials tell you what programs want you to think. Current students and recent students tell you what happens.

Jennifer, a network administrator in Seattle, completed her degree while working full time and raising two teenagers. "The flexibility was very important," she told me. "But it required an incredible amount of discipline. Nobody checks on you! If you are behind on assignments, unless you seek out help, you can fall behind with little recourse! You need to be self-motivated and disciplined!"

That is a common theme with successful online students—you create accountability and your own structure. In traditional classes, just showing up is half the battle. Others can join you as you engage with other learners and the content, in an online course, you are learning content and engaging with others at the same time, and you have no idea if they are actually doing it, or what a joke it is.

David completed his program while deployed in Afghanistan with the Army National Guard. Internet connectivity was not always available, when connectivity was available he quickly learned to download everything from the course while he had a window with enough bandwidth to do so; work offline, and upload work whenever he could connect. "It was sometimes frustrating," he remembers. "But more importantly, it taught me all the problem solving skills I use now as a cybersecurity pro.

Both Jennifer and David point out the benefits of career advancement despite the confusion it sometimes brought up in reality. Jennifer took a job as a cybersecurity analyst with a 40% salary bump after only six months after graduation. David took his degree and military experience to an overseas senior consultant role with a major defense contractor.

Networking Professionally Without Having Campus Life

Traditional programs have built-in networking opportunities due to physical proximity and common experiences and interests. Online programs must create networking opportunities intentionally through virtual events, group work and connecting alumni with students.

Interestingly, the nature of online students actually leads to unique networking opportunities. As opposed to campus programs, where students often come from similar geographic profiles, online students come from different geographic areas, career levels, and companies and industries.

Maria, a healthcare IT professional in Phoenix, described how her co-learners came from banking, manufacturing, government and startup backgrounds. "Working in groups became a lesson in how different industries approach cybersecurity," she said. "I learned just as much about industry views from my group members as I did from individual curriculum."

Professional development workshops, guest speakers, and recruiting initiatives like virtual career fairs help students build professional connections and identify firms that they might connect with, while access to alumni networks becomes increasingly fruitful for students as they develop their career and liflearning views.

Closing the Skills Gap

The issue of skills shortage in cybersecurity represents more than unfilled positions; it indicates a disconnect between education and employment in the field. Online master's degree programs can help bridge that gap.

Consistently, professionals have emphasized the idea that cybersecurity must be done by blending technical skills with an understanding of business, communication skills, and strategic thinking. Online master's programs can help incorporate this business perspective more easily by having guest speakers, using case studies, and hiring practitioners to teach core courses.

Additionally, technology changes much faster than the pace of traditional education. Online master's programs are able to react much more quickly and update their materials immediately. While most higher education institutions have set periodic series of updates, many times students are unable to review current events or emerging threats that intimidate and stop our businesses while not complying with our legal certifications of security education.

Some programs exist that create partnerships with employers to assist students in theory-mode and provide integration of their learning to real security issues as a result of projects or part-time positions.

Emerging Trends Reshaping the Field

Several trends are reshaping cybersecurity education to meet future demands on the workforce.

Programs are using combinations of artificial intelligence and machine learning (ML) to develop curriculum. Students will need exposure to the ways that AI can enhance security operations, while also learning to identify what new vulnerabilities, if any, the systems may be introducing.

Cloud-first architectures are now the standard regardless of industry, and programs must include cloud security as ongoing discussion topics instead of a specialty course.

A new generation of global privacy regulations like GDPR are on the rise and driving demand for professionals who understand the cybersecurity and privacy compliance audience.

Quantum computing may be an opportunity or risk; contemporary quantum algorithms can compromise all current encryption and have enabled several new forms of security technologies.

Making a Program Choice

Enrolling in an online master's program in cybersecurity has a different level of specificity for applicants when determining a list of programs that meet your goals, situation, and the requirements of the program.

Accreditation means that you have a trying quality responsibility and accountability, but is most critical for employment and contractor positions for any federal agency. You may find regional accreditation will provide more value than programmatic accreditation.

Career services - the programs may vary significantly in the level of free or paid services offered. However, strong programs will have included in their price, resume reviews, interviews, job searches, and networking with employers when available. Placing students in positions of employment and reviewing their success as alumni in a program may assist in determining program success.

Technology requirements - as well as the quality of services supporting your academic success, is significant for your overall learning experience. Be clear about what computing hardware and software are required, the type of technical support, and if any additional costs are associated with tools you're required to get for your program.

Program flexibility should also be evident in a format that works for your personal and career matters, as some students prefer a more traditional formal experience in a cohort-style, while others need maximum flexibility due to the pressures of unpredictable working hours.

Your Next Step

Enrolling in an online master's degree in cybersecurity education is more than simply a choice in education; it is a valuable investment in a career in potentially one of the most important fields in existence today. The increased sophistication of cyber risks will raise the bar to hire skilled professionals in the workplace. The delivery of online programs has levelled the capacity to access quality cybersecurity education regardless of where students are located and allows there to be more flexibility, when appropriate, in the scheduling to fit into students' lives.

The best programs combine rigorous academics with practical applications, industry connections, and innovative technology. Success requires discipline, time management skills, and genuine passion for the field. Students who approach their studies seriously, engage actively with faculty and peers, and seek additional learning opportunities achieve the best results.

Cybersecurity provides unique opportunities for professionals to make a meaningful contribution to an organization's security, contribute to national defense, and help improve public safety. Couple these opportunities with the strong compensation, and potential for advancement, it is easy to see why so many talented, motivated professionals are looking into cybersecurity as a second career, especially since most online degree programs take 100 percent of the guesswork out of acquiring the advanced education.

Your journey on the cybersecurity education path begins with selecting the right educational program. For many professionals, online master's programs offer the best combination of accessibility, quality and career applicability. If you do thorough research, thoughtfully choose a program, and commit to applying your efforts, a master's program may greatly assist you in not only molding your career, but also, offering you access to opportunities that were never previously viable.

The Additionally Necessary Reality

Online Cybersecurity Programs are not miracle workers. They will not make you an elite hacker overnight nor guarantee you a $100,000 salary one hour before graduation. Online programs will provide you with structured learning - assuming you are willing to put in an immense amount of work.

The biggest misconception about cybersecurity is that it is only technical. Sure, you need to understand systems and vulnerabilities, but professionals that excel in this industry combine those technical skills with strategic thinking, executive-level oral and written communications, as well as the ability to adapt quickly to evolving threats. Online cybersecurity programs shape those larger capacities through self-direction and resourcefulness.

Cybersecurity has a steep learning curve that never flatten outs. Technology continues to change every day, new vulnerabilities emerge every day, and individuals are developing new attack techniques every year. Your master's degree is not an endpoint — it is a step toward developing a career-long mindset of lifelong learning.

Program Reputation vs. Rankings

Online Cybersecurity programs operate in a relatively new industry where your program's reputation typically outweighs its published ranking. Often, programs that continuously have successful graduates do not have a razzle-dazzle web site nor have a prominent Google search presence. In this cybersecurity industry, your reputation based on word of mouth carries a lot of weight. Recommendations by professionals you respect are worth more than any ranking.

Similarly, constant positive feedback from hiring managers about the graduates of a program means the education quality is real.

Industry partners provide another lens by which to assess a program. When university programs are deeply involved with, or partner with, major employers, state agencies or security vendors, there is evidence that the institution is fulfilling current industry needs. These partnerships enhance placement that translates into appropriate court curriculum, and expanded networking opportunities.

Faculty are important, but not always in the same way you think. Depending on the faculty member, someone highly accomplished with no hands on or practical training experience but plenty of research credentials will be a great researcher but may struggle to comprehend why a student doesn't know how to perform a basic technical task. However, a practitioner with extensive experience performing penetration testing may not have great research credentials but understands the practical world to a much greater extent than the academics. The most effective programs will have a balance between both.

The Psychology of Online Success

After interviewing literally dozens of online cybersecurity students and graduates, I have identified several traits that would universally predict success in online security programs. Knowing this pattern can help evaluate whether online education is appropriate for them and how to improve their likelihood of success.

It appears that the most important constituent is self-regulation. Successful students in online security programs develop personal accountability methods—hence daily study schedules, use of study groups with other students in their cohort, or using dedicated productivity tracking tools and apps. For students who struggle with self-discipline, the autonomy and freedom that attracted them to online learning now becomes their biggest liability.

Comfortableness with ambiguity and uncertainty is also a significant factor. Unlike traditional face to face classroom and seminar learning experiences, where your instructor is constantly leading the way, online learning involves many processes that do not include hand-holding. For example, you may experience technical problems or be immersed in a lab for several days before your instructor is available to give you feedback about your work, or to give you feedback you need to delve deeper into unfamiliar problems on your own. Those who thrive in online learning environments perceive many obstacles as opportunities to learn something, rather than as impediments to learning.

Engagement (versus participation) personally separates the exceptional online learning experience from the mediocre one. If you are a passive student, who only watches lectures and does the assigned assessment tool for completion--you are missing the majority of what the entire program has to offer. Students who actively participate in forums, seek out additional resources, and create connections, reap far more value from the investment.

Because successful online students acquire "digital confidence"—that is, comfort with technology platforms, basic troubleshooting skills, and how to quickly learn and get started with new technology when called for. The fact that cybersecurity work increasingly includes remote collaboration and cloud tools means that digital proficiency becomes a professional asset that extends well beyond success in school.

Certifications and Degrees: Allies or Enemies?

The relationship between cybersecurity degrees and industry certifications can be confusing for students interested in pursuing a career in the field. Should you obtain certifications before, while, or after completing your degree? The answer will vary depending on career goals and experience level.

For those looking for a career change or who are new to cybersecurity, entry-level certifications like CompTIA Security+ can provide foundational knowledge and show your commitment to becoming part of the field. Many degree programs also provide credit towards certifications, or embed review of certification material in the degree curriculum.

Advanced security certifications such as CISSP, CISM or CEH call for substantial pre-requisite work experience before being attainable so these becoming mid-career aspirations instead of short-term considerations; however, understanding certification frameworks can assist you to assess how degree programs align with industry certifications and standards.

As well, targeted certifications can significantly enhance certain concentrations. Digital forensics students can achieve CCE or GCFA certification and students enrolled in a Cloud Security concentrations programs can collaborate with vendor certifying authorities associated with courses from AWS, Microsoft or Google.

Certifications and degrees have different relevance towards students' intended careers. Certifications are a validation of specific technical competencies and the current state of that knowledge. Degrees data analytical thinking, research skills, and theoretical frameworks relevant to that career for the rest of their working life. Some successful professionals pursue both certifications and degrees together, recognizing them as distinct but complementary credentials.

Geographic Limits and Market Access

Online attendance in programs opens up access to opportunities far beyond the immediate geographic region. This is especially important for professionals who reside in geographic areas without a robust cybersecurity job market.

Certainly, major metropolitan areas like Washington D.C., the San Francisco Bay Area, New York City, and Austin have the highest densities of cybersecurity job opportunities. However, remote work has become commonplace in security positions, thus providing potential access to these opportunities wherever there is virtual access.

University dependent online programs generally have strong alumni networks in large labor markets regardless of the location of any campus. Thus, while a program is based in Ohio, graduates of that program may have the same opportunity working with firms in California or the agencies of the Commonwealth of Virginia. Alumni from a program offering an online model is extremely useful as the individual engages in their job search.

Also, international students need to weigh the operational implications any time they consider a location. While programs typically appreciate that their online delivery model enhance accessibility based on location, work authorization rules limit the international graduate's ability to exploit the education and experience employed in the various locations. Some programs support international students with the teaming of an immigration attorney with the option of providing specialized counseling for non-U.S. citizen students.

This job growth in cybersecurity in secondary markets does create the prospect of opportunities for graduates of the online program option. With a low cost of living compared to the cybersecurity hubs already established, cities like Charlotte, Denver, Phoenix, and Nashville have implemented established and growing cybersecurity sectors.

Funding Strategies That Apply

Students tend to view graduate-level financial assistance in an analogical way as undergraduate funding, overlooking opportunities that are specifically targeting the funding of cybersecurity education in an online format. But employer tuition assistance is the least valued option for funding cybersecurity education. The organizations that support graduate education without a structural security team also recognize the value of their employees to have unique skills with a security specialty focus. Position and market your education as a value added benefit for your current employer, rather than only developing your ability for your next job.

Also in consideration of the overlap for security between military and civilian careers in the cybersecurity career path, military and other veteran benefits are something to consider. The GI Bill supports many online programs, and schools generally offer some additional military discount or veterans program (that will also support your use of the GI Bill).

Cybersecurity scholarships are becoming more available, many of which are funded by government agencies, professional associations, and companies who are all trying to fill their numerous cybersecurity positions. The area of scholarships for Cybersecurity requires further digging on your part, but they are often less competitive and funded, largely because in my experience, the students themselves often do not even know they are out there.

Additionally, consider the possibilities for learning through exciting and new payment models that traditional universities don't offer - income-share agreements mean you will pay a percent of your salary over a defined period, or competency based pricing means you can finish the program faster, as long as you can demonstrate your demonstrated knowledge.

Timing of financial aid is more critical than ever for online programs as opposed to traditional programs. Many online programs allow students to be admitted up to three times or more a year; this allows students more flexibility with funding and ability to start their studies.

Outside of the Classroom: Learning Skills

Online programs will offer structure and credibility, but many of the successful students learning skills in cybersecurity combine their education with self-directed learning, and experiential learning opportunities. The cyber field offers students more opportunities other than traditional education.

Capture-the-flag competitions are likely the best ways to develop essential skills. These competitions require participants to solve real world security problems, and often place time constraints on the participants as this best simulates certain aspects of some of the real work in cybersecurity. Many students have stated that CTF competitions help them better reinforce what they learn in the classroom, and at the same time build their confidence in their problem-solving abilities.

Open-source intelligence exercises offer students a very practical way to further learn; both in how to collect and analyze publicly-available information to build their skills, with a low investment in resources, similar to how that applies to incident response, threat intelligence, or vulnerability research.

Home labs are also a viable and affordable option. Although programs offer virtual labs, personal environments are excellent for unlimited testing and experimentation. Many cloud computing platforms like AWS, Azure, and Google Cloud also have free tiers that support significant learning projects.

Bug bounty programs create access to real-life applications finding vulnerabilities and using your penetration testing skills while raising the potential to make money. Many people started their careers as bug bounty hunters, gaining industry experience and recognition of tangible skills that supplemented their formal education.

Contributing to an open-source security project will not only offer work experience of professional development issues, but also a chance to build a portfolio of work to help future employers evaluate your skill set. Many security tools available are open-source, and this offers you the chance to develop your skills while working alongside experienced developers and make meaningful contributions.

Your Decision Making Process

Choosing to pursue an online cybersecurity master's program is a responsible use of your time, money and energy. This decision deserves careful thought about your unique situation, career goals, and your preferred learning style.

Be honest about your motivation. If your primary goal for enrolling is for a higher paid job or getting into a specific career pathway, confirm whether or not the role actually requires a higher degree to enter or progress. Many roles only really care about experience or certifications.

Assess your current learning style (or at least how you would prefer to learn). Online education requires you to be self-motivated, have some level of comfort with technology, and be capable of learning independently, if you have struggled in online courses in the past consider if traditional forms of learning might be better for you.

Assess your current workload carefully. It is crucial to make a reasonable plan about combining graduate studies alongside a full time job and family commitments. If you underestimate your time commitments you will stress yourself out, or at some point end up not completing or continuing with the program.

Take the time to research programs using multiple resources. Some of the marketing material will tell you part of the story only— talk with current students, recent graduates, or employers hiring from a particular program— to help you develop a more complete picture of the program.

Think about total costs, as well as opportunity costs. For example, beyond tuition or course fees, consider the amount of time you will not be spending on other career developments, family time, or personal interests.

Remember that it is imperative that you understand that no program will fit your needs "perfectly". Each option you consider will provide you with tradeoffs in terms of cost, flexibility, reputation and specialization—but it is valuable to focus on finding to find programs that best meet your unique situation and career goals.

Cybersecurity will continually evolve throughout our careers to create opportunities but also challenges that we cannot fully realize at any one point in time. If you select an appropriate program, you should find the analytical thinking and reasoning capabilities you develop, the professional relationships you make, and the foundational knowledge provided will put you and keep you in a solid situation to engage with, react to, confront, and/or adapt to changes in the future.

Choose carefully, commit fully, and get ready for a career that protects our increasingly digital world.