Overview
The Master of Science in Cybersecurity and Analytics (MSCA) is designed for real world applied experience that combines cybersecurity and data analytics skills. The MSCA Program is structured in 9 courses to be completed in 18 months. This program is designed for graduate students seeking to strategically manage risk through identification, assessment, and mitigation; identify security issues on all levels of organizations and the globe, along with law and compliance; use data analytics to understand threats, situational awareness, and strategic cybersecurity environments; employ data analytics techniques to detect anomalies, to predict and screen cyber threats, and to take corrective actions; and learn penetration testing, incident handling, and data and network protection.
Why Apply?
The Master of Science in Cybersecurity and Analytics program is innovative in that it recognizes the real-world reality of the need for experts in both cybersecurity and analytics. Across the nation, employers are struggling to find qualified workers to fill the major gaps in the cybersecurity workforce. In California alone, there are more than 72,000 job openings. The national figures are even bleaker, with more than 500,000 unfilled cybersecurity positions. The number is significantly increasing.
Upon completion of this program, graduates will be job-ready and prepared to create value for their organization after taking analytical and cybersecurity courses and a practicum/capstone course designed to reinforce learning and practice skills.
Need help with your Cal State Apply application? Have questions about the program?
Come to a virtual application workshop where we'll walk through CSU Apply and answer program questions along the way. Join the workshop to get tips on the application process and to be able to ask your specific questions in an informative group format.
Career Outlook and Opportunities
Outlook
The demand for cybersecurity professionals is growing throughout the state, the nation, and the globe.
U.S. News and World Report stated that the information security profession is growing at a rate of 36.5% through 2022 (link). The U.S. Department of Labor projected information security profession would be one of the top ten fastest growing occupations, with a growth rate of 35.5%, from 2018-2028 (link). Across the globe (based on industry consensus) there will be 3.5 million unfilled cybersecurity jobs by 2021, according to Cyber Security Ventures (link), and employers are struggling to find qualified workers to fill the major gaps in the cybersecurity workforce.
The U.S. has a total employed cybersecurity workforce consisting of nearly 1 million people, and there are currently almost 500,000 unfilled positions. In California alone, there are more than 72,000 job openings, with almost 1,600 openings in San Bernardino County (figures from CyberSeek’s Cybersecurity Supply And Demand Heat Map). Percentages of filled (relative to unfilled) cybersecurity positions shows the huge gaps that exist as employers search for qualified cyber talent. The cybersecurity unemployment rate was at zero percent in 2019, where it has been since 2011.
Opportunities
| Job Title | Average Salary (2022) | Top Skill Requested | Total Job Openings (2022) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cybersecurity Analyst | $109,537 | Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP) | 31,454 |
| IT Auditor | $111,400 | Certified Information Systems Auditor (CISA) | 8,272 |
| Cybersecurity Manager/Administrator | $138,070 | Information Security | 22,013 |
| Penetration and Vulnerability Tester | $101,446 | Information Security | 26,409 |
Source: Cyberseek’s Career Pathway Map (link)