Cybersecurity Degrees in Alabama- Alabama cybersecurity schools, as well as other training and certification alternatives, are covered in the following guide.
Alabama’s economy and society were originally heavily based on agriculture. However, after WWII, the state has diversified, and agriculture now accounts for less than 1% of the state’s GDP.
Manufacture, particularly automobile manufacturing, aerospace, healthcare, education, finance, and information technology are some of the other businesses that have risen to prominence. However, since the collapse of agriculture, Alabama’s rural districts have struggled economically. Because of these rural areas, the state now has the sixth highest poverty rate in the United States.
Government agencies, military sites, educational institutions, and healthcare firms top the list of Alabama’s largest individual employers. Other notable names on the list include Mercedes-Benz, Walmart, AT&T, and Boeing. In the previous few decades, Hyundai, Honda, and Toyota have all constructed production facilities in Alabama, making the automotive industry the major source of new jobs in the state.
Luckily for the cybersecurity business, all of the state’s major job sources are potential targets for cybercrime. Information security jobs are projected to be the fastest expanding sector of the Alabama economy in the near future, and they will likely continue to dominate the state’s job growth for some time.
The Environment for Cybersecurity in Alabama
Alabama’s state government is taking steps to protect the security of material under its control, as well as its residents’ cybersecurity and awareness. However, there isn’t much being done to market or entice cybersecurity as a business.
On the other side, in that city, a non-profit organisation called Cyber Huntsville was formed to help advance the objectives of the information security business.
Cyber Huntsville was founded in 2010, and it is one of the country’s first such groups. It is made up of representatives from government, industry, and academics. The objective of the group is to encourage cybersecurity research and technological advancement in Huntsville and the Tennessee Valley. Huntsville is a significant centre of information technology and cybersecurity activity in Alabama, located on the northern border between Alabama and Tennessee.
Cybersecurity employment growth has outperformed all other technological careers, according to Made in Alabama. And the state’s contemporary aircraft and automotive manufacturing bases, as well as its banking, healthcare, and other important economic clusters, provide cybersecurity specialists and businesses with a plethora of chances.
Cybersecurity Degrees in Alabama
Considering Alabama’s tiny size, both economically and in terms of population, the state’s colleges and institutions boast a surprising number of cybersecurity degree and certification programmes. In terms of the quantity of possibilities, the University of Alabama is in the top. It has a strong cybersecurity component in its Department of Criminology and Criminal Justice, which includes various advanced research initiatives.
In addition, the University of South Alabama has established a powerful cybersecurity programme. The National Security Agency has designated its School of Computing as a Center of Academic Excellence in Information Assurance and Cyber Defense through 2021. It also funds a world-class cybersecurity research team, which has been awarded an NSF Scholarship for Service grant to assist attract eligible students to the field. Furthermore, students pursuing any major at the university have the option of finishing with a cybersecurity specialisation.
For many students looking for cybersecurity degree programmes, Alabama is an easy area to miss. However, this would be a mistake. In Alabama, there are a number of programmes that are well worth your time.
ASSOCIATE’S DEGREE
There are still plenty of entry-level cybersecurity jobs available that simply require an associate’s degree. These programmes are usually completed in a year or two. Once a cybersecurity job is established, professionals should get a bachelor’s degree or higher as soon as time and finances allow. Many associate’s degree programmes provide courses that can be transferred to bachelor’s degree programmes, making it easier to complete the next level.
Campus-based associate’s degrees in Alabama
Alabama schools now offer only one cybersecurity associate’s degree programme. On its Tanner, Alabama campus, John C. Calhoun State Community College has developed the Center for Cybersecurity Education (CCE), which now provides a CIS AAS Degree in Cybersecurity.
Alabama institutions do not currently offer any online cybersecurity associate’s degree programmes.
BACHELOR’S DEGREE
Most cybersecurity jobs demand a bachelor’s degree as a minimum educational prerequisite. Employers may not require cybersecurity degrees, but majoring in cybersecurity or having a cybersecurity specialisation will give you an advantage over other majors.
Campus-based bachelor’s degrees in Alabama
Alabama colleges and universities presently offer four cybersecurity bachelor’s degree programmes on their campuses. For more details, see the table below.
Cybersecurity Bachelor’s Programs in Alabama
| School | City | Program Website |
|---|---|---|
| Jacksonville State University | Jacksonville | Bachelor of Science in Computer Science – Information Assurance |
| University of Alabama | Tuscaloosa | Minor in Cyber Criminology |
| Tuskegee University | Tuskegee | BS in Information Technology – Network Administration/Security |
| University of Alabama in Huntsville | Huntsville | Bachelor of Science in Cybersecurity |
Online bachelor’s degrees in Alabama
Alabama schools currently offer only one online cybersecurity bachelor’s degree. A Bachelor of Science in Information Systems and Cybersecurity is offered by Columbia Southern University.
MASTER’S DEGREE
Master’s degrees in cybersecurity have become increasingly important in recent years, and this trend is likely to continue. A graduate degree is increasingly required for many management-level information security professions.
Campus-based master’s degrees in Alabama
Alabama colleges and universities offer four campus-based cybersecurity master’s degree programmes, as shown in the table below.
Cybersecurity Master’s Programs in Alabama
| School | City | Program Website |
|---|---|---|
| Auburn University at Montgomery | Montgomery | Master of Science in Computer Information Systems & Cybersecurity |
| Tuskegee University | Tuskegee | Master of Science in Information Systems and Security Management |
| University of Alabama at Birmingham | Birmingham | M.S. in Cyber Security |
| University of Alabama in Huntsville | Huntsville | Master of Science in Cybersecurity |
Online master’s degrees in Alabama
For those preferring the convenience of online coursework, there are three cybersecurity master’s degree programs available from Alabama institutions. See the following table for more information.
Cybersecurity Online Master’s Programs in Alabama
