Why Enroll in a Cybersecurity Course in 2022?

Why Should you Enroll in a Cybersecurity Course in 2022? Cybersecurity degrees are in demand more than ever.

Today we live in a modern world that is both digitally advanced and evolving at a rapid pace.

To sustain, grow and remain operational in this digital era, individuals, business organizations, government institutions and even military entities require cybersecurity professionals to tackle rising cybercrimes and security threats.

Organizations around the world are willing to pay top dollar to cybersecurity experts who can protect their organizational assets and business infrastructures.

However, is a cybersecurity career right for you? Why should you enroll in a cybersecurity course?

Continue reading as we go through the things you need to know about cybersecurity courses.

Why is it Important to Enroll in a Cybersecurity Course

Cyber Security education involves learning about digital security of computers, operating systems, data, networks, IoT devices, digital infrastructures and so on.

In other words, cybersecurity education enables you to identify, contain, and mitigate various cybersecurity threats while preventing potential security breaches and privacy violations.

What will you study during a Cybersecurity Degree?

Cybersecurity is a field of study or a discipline that covers various aspects of digital security, IT and technology.

Cybersecurity degrees usually include education on diverse aspects of security such as digital forensics, security policies, network security, data security and so on.

However, according to the NSA’s 2014 Academic Criteria, IT Security degrees should include classes on:

  • IT Systems Components
  • Device Security
  • Cyber Threats
  • System Administration
  • Intro to Cryptography
  • Cyber Defense
  • Basic Scripting or Introductory Programming
  • Fundamental Security Design Principles
  • Information Assurance Fundamentals
  • Basic Data Analysis
  • Networking Concepts
  • Policy, Legal, Ethics, and Compliance

Apart from the above mentioned, other advanced modules of cybersecurity include specialization in much more technical areas.

These include Incident Response, Cryptography, Penetration Testing, Ethical Hacking, Cloud Security, Forensic Accounting and so on.

Want more information to decide if a cybersecurity degree is worth it?

What’s the duration of Cybersecurity Degrees?

If you make the decision to enroll in a cybersecurity program, be prepared to stay the course. A bachelor’s degree in cybersecurity can take 3 to 4 years, while a master’s degree in cybersecurity can take anywhere from 1-2 years to complete.

Should you decide to advance, a PhD in a cybersecurity program can last about 3-5 years.

Admission Requirements for Enrolling in Cybersecurity courses?

Admission requirements for cybersecurity courses can vary from one university to another.

As such, many online educational institutions offer various types of IT and cybersecurity courses and degrees.

It is always a good practice to visit their official websites to check the specific admission requirements for the course or degree you are interested in.

With that out of the way, admission requirements for bachelor’s degree in cybersecurity may include:

  • Academic transcript of grades or minimum GPA of 3.0
  • Past work experience or academic experience
  • Required test scores

Admission requirements for masters in cybersecurity includes:

  • Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Cyber Security, or a related field
  • Minimum GPA (established by each university individually)
  • Motivation letter

The best Cybersecurity jobs and salaries

Cybersecurity is an ever-growing industry with a huge demand for technical talent.

The U.S Bureau of Labor Statistics revealed that there will be a 28% job increase in the IT and cybersecurity field by 2026.

In addition to increasing industry demand for cybersecurity experts, the salaries for cybersecurity jobs are also high.

According to Payscale, average annual salaries for some common IT Security jobs are:

  • Information Security Officer – $91,000
  • Security Assessor – $90,000 USD
  • Security Administrator – $65,000 USD
  • Cryptographer – $100,000 USD
  • Security Engineer – $88,000 USD
  • Penetration Tester – $81,000 USD
  • Forensics Expert – $71,000 USD

4 reasons Why you should Enroll in a Cybersecurity Course for 2022

1. Plenty of Career Pathways

Cybersecurity is a dynamic and constantly evolving field that offers you a multitude of career paths.

Network security and cloud computing to ethical hacking and digital forensics, you can start a career in any discipline that suits your evolving interests.

2. Cybersecurity is future-proof

Today, cybersecurity has become a necessity for both individuals and business organizations, and this fact is not going to change anytime soon.

As technology continues to evolve at a rapid pace, increase in cybercrimes and digital threats is inevitable.

As far as the cybersecurity job market is concerned, according to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, US-based jobs in information security are expected to grow 33 percent from 2020 to 2030.

3. The world needs Cybersecurity professionals

Because of the global cybersecurity talent shortage, demand for skilled cybersecurity professionals is growing faster than the rate at which people are gaining the necessary skills.

And this situation is only expected to get worse.

According to research firm Frost & Sullivan, the shortage of skilled IT professionals will likely widen by an additional 1.8 million jobs by 2022.

4. It Looks Great on Your Resume!

You may not be ready to graduate just yet but listing your cybersecurity classes on your resume is a great way to show initiative!

Conclusion

Studying cybersecurity ultimately means you’ll be stepping into an industry that already has a huge demand for your skills and can offer you a host of career growth opportunities.

Enrolling in a Cybersecurity professional course or a degree can equip you with the required skills and knowledge you will need to secure a lucrative career and protect yourself and others from rising digital security threats.


by Amit Doshi

If you enjoyed reading today’s article please subscribe here.

Scroll to Top