A doctorate in cybersecurity can prepare students for careers as research scientists, university professors, or chief information security officers. Specific careers, however, require particular and well-defined skills. For example, penetration testers may need to create their own solutions.

• Earlier, most companies wouldn’t require a candidate to have such a degree if they are skilled enough, but the rise in competition has led to an increasing number of organizations adopting this requirement.
• Our goal is to become one of the best online resources helping students navigate through the higher education process.
• According to Payscale, employees with master’s degrees in cybersecurity earn an average base salary of $89,000 per year.
• There are many pathways that people take to become a cybersecurity specialist, but they all involve some combination of education, specialized training, and experience.
• Whatever path they choose, security specialists need strong technical skills and a commitment to continuing education.

People seeking a career change into the cybersecurity field and computer scientists looking to specialize can also earn a graduate degree in IT security. Colleges and universities offer both online and in-person master’s degrees in cybersecurity. These programs may require just 30 credits and take as little as 12 months.

How to become a cybersecurity specialist

BrainStation helps companies prepare for the future of work through cutting-edge digital skills training, top talent recruitment, and more. Learn a new digital skill by taking one of our certificate courses in-person or online. Our courses are part-time and can take anywhere from 5 to 10 weeks to complete.

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How to Become a Cybersecurity Specialist | A Career Guide

The architect plays a key role within the information security department with responsibilities that functionally fit between the C-suite and upper managerial level and the implementation of the security program. The candidate would generally develop, design, or analyze the overall security plan. Although this role may typically be tied closely to technology, it may be fundamentally closer to the consultative and analytical process of information security. This course is intended to provide a general introduction to key concepts in cyber security. It is aimed at anyone with a good general knowledge of information and communications technology. The nature, scope and importance of cyber security are explained, and key concepts are justified and explored.

• Professionals in this field teach staff about the procedures and policies of their organization, industry best practices, and how to monitor and report suspicious or malicious actions.
• A 2019 Burning Glass Technologies report notes that most cybersecurity jobs (65%) require a bachelor’s degree.
• Like any other job, this requires a lot of dedication and willingness to learn and get better each day, so don’t give up even if at some point the journey seems long or the job gets challenging.
• Cyber security professionals can also earn certification to boost their skills while working full-time to gain hands-on experience.
• The certification covers topics such as architecture, engineering, and management.
• Vendor-specific certifications call for passing an exam regarding that organization’s product.

In the event there is a cyber-attack, having the right cybersecurity policies and recovery plans in place will allow the company to quickly recover and resume business operations. A robust cybersecurity strategy will inspire confidence in customers. Many businesses gather information from their customers, so customers need to feel that their data is in safe hands.

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Preparation for the Installing and Configuring Windows Server exam, part of MCSE Server Infrastructure Certification; covers how to install, configure and troubleshoot Windows Server operating systems. Basic foundation in the concepts, terminologies and terms used to communicate and understand the history of computer forensics and cybercrime. Security clearances are necessary for those who wish to work with classified information as part of a military of government agency. A variety of agencies issue both personnel and facility security clearances, but most are issued by the Department of Defense. The process, which takes three months to a year, does not begin until an employer decides to hire you, at which point you receive a conditional offer of employment.