Complete OPSC-501
Explore Information Security with Management Track
Take your cybersecurity expertise to the next level with an advanced online masters in information security management designed for professionals involved in day-to-day information systems and network operations at mid-to-large sized enterprises. This unique master's in information security degree - focused on hands-on learning and real-world application - was developed in response to industry demand for a different kind of cybersecurity professional, one who is adept in both the strategic and tactical aspects of information security.
Differentiate Your Master's Degree
Our information security management program deepens your understanding of sophisticated leadership topics and master systems thinking and project management. Formulate strategies that align with core personal values and promote communication, authenticity, and creative problem solving around risk management, security requirement, and data security.
A National Leader in Cybersecurity
Champlain is a nationally recognized leader in cybersecurity and digital forensics education and home of the Senator Patrick Leahy Center for Digital Investigation & Cybersecurity. With a robust faculty of expert-practitioner instructors who have significant experience working for top organizations and are sought-after thought leaders in the field, we specialize in building agile cybersecurity and digital forensics programs that the meet mission-critical needs of today's businesses, nonprofit organizations, and state and federal governments.
Champlain has been designated a National Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense Education by the U.S. National Security Agency and the Department of Homeland Security since 2006, and Champlain cybersecurity programs have been named best in the nation by SC Magazine. Champlain is also designated as a National Center of Digital Forensics Academic Excellence by the Defense Cyber Crime Center (DC3) Air Force Office of Special Investigations - the fifth college in the nation to receive this distinction.
Build Your Career Future
Champlain's online master's in information security goes beyond a traditional cybersecurity master's degree to help students develop strategic thinking in the prevention of and response to cyber incidents, and the ability to examine incidents and responses contextually and systematically. Learn to identify security risks, understand current attack vectors, protect enterprise networks and intellectual property, use multiple cloud and software applications fluently, and fill the gap between policy-driven information assurance and the technical "live by the runbook" model.
You'll emerge from the program with a strategic, integrated view of information security management systems, and human-oriented processes. You'll also gain essential professional skills, such as communication, critical thinking, and leadership, that are required in today's information security professionals and will be key assets for future career advancement as technology changes.
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Academic Excellence and Recognition
Regionally accredited by the New England Commission of Higher Education
Designated as a Military Friendly School for our commitment to the military community
Ranked among the best by Tech Guide for game design and computer science
Named the among the best schools with accelerated bachelor's degrees by Intelligent.com
Prepare For What's Next
As the threat of cyber attacks rises, organizations across all sectors are seeking strategic information security experts to anticipate, mitigate, and thwart cybercrime at an operational level. With a valuable combination of technical acumen, subject matter expertise, and critical professional skills, graduates of Champlain's master's in information security management program will be prepared to pursue advanced roles in the information security field.
Master's degrees are in high demand and employment in master’s-level occupations is projected to grow by 15% from 2019 to 2029. A master's in information security also pays off: the median salary for professionals with a master's degree is $78,210. Additionally, computer and information technology occupations are projected to grow 13% from 2020 to 2030 - much faster than the average for all occupations.*
*Sources: Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), 2020; job titles: cyberdegrees.org, 2020
Top Jobs for MS in Information Security Graduates
- Chief InfoSec Officer
- Forensics Expert
- Incident Responder
- Security Administrator/Analyst
- Security Consultant
- Security Engineer
- Vulnerability Assessor
Program Details
Learn more about Champlain's 100% online master's in information security with a management track, designed for working professionals.
Champlain's online infosec courses encompass the top skills needed by today's information security professionals. Complete 12 credits of required courses, and then complete your focus in Management.
- Required Courses: 12 Credits
- Management Track: 18 Credits
* For admission to this program, students must demonstrate previous coursework and/or experience in information technology (IT) and Digital Forensics. Students who do not display sufficient IT knowledge and skills will need to complete CMIT-500 before starting the program.
Required Courses
Understanding risk and identifying the threats organizations face are essential skills for today's information security professionals. In this course that introduces students to the graduate degree program, students learn to compute impact scores for vulnerabilities, classify data, and use Champlain College Online's virtual environment to explore how to use IOCs (Indicators of Compromise).
Security controls are used to maintain confidentiality, integrity and availability of systems and typically enterprise architectures are built using frameworks. Students move beyond defense in depth and breadth strategies and "learn by doing" in this course, working in the virtual environment with tools like Nmap, Open-AduIT, Splunk, and more.
Prerequisites
Hands-on labs and assignments using Kali Linux, Metasploitable, Nessus and Armitage build on previously acquired knowledge of threat and vulnerability classification in this course that allows students to use the knowledge of a vulnerability to perform threat analysis. Vulnerability and patch management processes are also addressed.
Prerequisites
Complete OPSC-501
It's not a question of if an incident will take place, but when. Organizations must assume they will suffer a breach, data loss or other security event that will impact operations. Students learn to prioritize events, develop and document an incident response plan, and identify the role of forensic investigations in incident response as well as use tools to perform USB and memory forensics exercises.
Prerequisites
Complete OPSC-520 and OPSC-501
This course is designed to introduce a systematic process for planning, organizing and controlling projects. The course will present a practical methodology for completing projects more quickly with fewer problems. Student work will consist of readings, research, class special-topic presentations, group activities, a project management journal, and participation in a real world IT business project. Students will be encouraged to apply project-management techniques to solve existing real-world technology-related business problems.
Self-leadership is defined by a developed sense of who you are, what you can do, and where you are going, coupled with the ability to affect your behavior and emotions and to communicate effectively through the process. Students will develop a sense of self-awareness to include the values and habits of mind that drive one's practie as an innovative and creative leader, in a global and diverse workplace.
Prerequisites
Complete MGMT-525 or have equivalent knowledge or coursework.
This course provides the framework for understanding the dynamics of human interaction within an organizational context. It is built from the perspective that a key function of management is to negotiate for resources and build collaborative relationships with employees, vendors, suppliers and distributors.
Students will learn to differentiate privacy from security and how international, federal and state regulations impact organizations and govern the security of information systems and data. They will also identify security standards, survey compliance frameworks, measure return on security investment and assess the effectiveness of a security awareness program.
Prerequisites
Complete OPSC-501 and OPSC-515
Students will demonstrate advanced understanding of information security concepts, including the ability to assess risk, classify vulnerabilities and threats, and respond/recover to/from security incidents. They will be expected to utilize appropriate written and oral communication skills to showcase their ability to analyze security strategies within organizations, and manage/lead compliance and awareness efforts. Successful completion of a Capstone Project is required.
Prerequisites
Complete 27 credits in OPSC
Students will gain an understanding and respect for emerging technology by exploring current trends in security and examining topics such as artificial intelligence, machine learning, blockchain and behavior analytics. Students will analyze the science behind these technologies as well as the ethical and privacy concerns and implications that may hinder their widespread adoption.
Prerequisites
Take OPSC-501
Today's adversaries are organized and well-funded which is why security professionals must understand their tactics and targets. Students in this course learn to distinguish cyberwarfare from cybercrime, and the differences between nation-states and APTs (Advanced Persistent Threats). The methods may differ but the target stays the same, especially when social engineering is involved.
Prerequisites
Complete OPSC-530
In addition to developing advanced communication and analytical skills, and an agile, strategic mindset, graduates of the information security master's online program will demonstrate a mastery of the following industry-specific competencies:
- Develop system and data classification criteria based on both stated and innate levels of value and sensitivity.
- Evaluate systems and data resources using established criteria to prioritize their value and respond strategically.
- Assess attack strategies through the use of analysis techniques and recommend defenses to those attacks.
- Identify vulnerabilities within an enterprise system, and propose and implement effective remediation/response.
- Recommend strategies to improve existing network and system protection schemes based on observed attack patterns.
- Analyze common intrusion patterns to identify potential attack vectors and strategically enhance defenses.
- Protect systems through informed selection and application of exploits, based on known or observed vulnerabilities.
- Propose appropriate data sources and create methods of analysis to aid in tracking and detection attacks.
- Determine appropriate controls to detect suspicious behavior within systems and networks and provide recommendations to leadership.
- Angri IP Scanner
- Armitage
- Kali Linux
- Metasploitable
- Nash Equilibrium
- netcat
- Nessus
- Nmap
- Open-AduIT
- Python
- Splunk
Students will also be able to:
- Use Indicators of Compromise (IOCs)
- Evaluate threats using game theory principles
- Use honeypots and effective defenses against Distributed Denial of Service (DDos) attacks
- Conduct port and network scans
- Perform USB and memory forensics exercises
- Attack MD5 hashes
- Perform web scraping, parse security logs, and break a cipher
- Configure firewalls and patch systems
- Understand how to exploit vulnerabilities
- Evaluate malware samples to determine infection vectors, identify strategies used, and recommend solutions to prevent and detect attacks
- Distinguish cyberwarfare from cybercrime, and nation-states from APTs (Advanced Persistent Threats)
In addition to the admission requirements for all graduate program applicants, our online master's of information security program has specific requirements that must be met.
Related Work Experience Requirement
We expect that applicants have a minimum of 2 years work experience. Applicants with limited work experience will be considered on a case-by-case basis. Due to the cybersecurity talent shortage, Champlain no longer requires applicants to have work experience in an IT or cybersecurity field. However, applicants who lack 2 years experience in the field may need to complete additional requirements while in the program.
Related Bachelor's Degree Requirement
Applicants to the master's in information security program must hold a bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited institution with at least a 2.5 GPA or equivalent. While a focus in information technology, computer science, cyber security or similar discipline is preferable, those who hold a bachelor's degree in another discipline are encouraged to apply.
For those without an IT or Cybersecurity background completion of CMIT 500 will be required. For those with an IT background, but not cybersecurity, CMIT 500 may be suggested.
Champlain College Online's computer science faculty, led by Department Chair Richard Pickering, are expert practitioners in the field. Their industry expertise ensures that our curriculum is aligned with the needs of employers, and reflects the skills today’s IT systems professionals need for success. Classes led by our seasoned experts will give you real-world insight into the world of information technology, and create a rich community of career-focused learning.
Alumni of the Champlain College Online Master's in Information Security program work in corporations, small businesses, government organizations, and non-profits nationwide, including:
- American Systems
- AT&T
- Cisco Systems
- Dealertrack Technologies
- Department of Navy
- E&J Gallo Winery
- Internal Revenue Service
- Kova Corp
- MetLife
- Moog
- PFI Tech
- Phillips Healthcare
- PWC
- Red Hat, Inc.
- Naval Information Warfare Center
- SHI
- Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC)
- Social Security Administration
- Sun National Bank
- TJX Companies, Inc.
- U.S. Air Force
Titles our alumni hold include:
- Acquisition Program Manager
- Cell Phone Forensics Examiner
- Cyber Threat Analyst
- Industry Solutions Architect
- Information System Security Officer
- Integration Data Center Technician
- Interoperability Developer
- IT Specialist
- Network Integrator
- Professional Security Engineer
- Security Analyst II
- Security Engineer
- Security Systems Specialist
- Senior Design Engineer
- Supervisory Information Technology Specialist
- Systems Administrator
- Technical Information Engineer IT System
- VPN Lead Network Security
Increasing your career mobility is at the center of everything we do. As an online master's degree student, you get free access to the Fast Start Formula Career Bundle for getting noticed and getting hired, taught by Jen Morris, a leading executive career coach that partners with us to support our students in their job search journeys.
Tuition & Costs
Graduate Tuition Fall '23 - Summer '25
$595
per credit
$1,785*
per course
$450**
PER CREDIT FOR ALUMNI WHO EARNED A DEGREE FROM CHAMPLAIN, ON-CAMPUS or online
$450
per credit military service members (family members see truED tuition)
$150
One-time graduation fee
*Based on a 3-credit course; cost will vary if course is a different number of credits
** Starting Summer 2024, not retroactive
See the graduate cost of attendance and fees here
Save Up To $200 Per Course
Save up to $200 per course when you take two courses per term in spring and summer 2025.
Talk to your advisor about this opportunity to accelerate your program where you could save money on tuition.
If you enroll in two courses during any term within the Spring or Summer semesters, you will receive a special tuition rate on your second course. This discount is for graduate students in good standing, enrolled in a degree program.
- For the standard tuition rate receive $200 off your second course of the term
- For the truEd/partnership rates receive $150 off your second course of the term
Important Note: This special tuition rate is based on course availability. If a second course isn’t available in your degree program for a given term, the rate cannot be applied.
This offer applies to each of the four terms during the 2025 Spring and Summer semesters—Spring 1, Spring 2, Summer 1, and Summer 2, up to four times during these semesters. This special tuition rate does not extend to any additional courses, such as a third course in a term.
The special tuition rate will be applied to the next semester as a credit after the entire semester is complete. If you do not plan to return for the next term, graduate from your program, or have other extenuating circumstances, the credit may be issued as a refund. This special tuition rate is available if you complete two courses in a term and have paid your tuition. For example, if you register for two courses but drop one, the rate will not be applied.
Upcoming Information Sessions
Meet the Program Director
Benjamin Luthy, MS, CISSP, CISM, CDPSE
Program Director, Cybersecurity and Information Security
Oversees
- Cybersecurity
- Cybersecurity Analytics
- Information Security
About
Benjamin Luthy has over 20 years of experience in delivering client-focused technical solutions to safeguard information systems and data in highly regulated environments. He holds multiple industry certifications reflecting his commitment to continuous learning and expertise in security and enterprise technologies. His research interests include information security, intelligence, and cloud computing and traditional infrastructure. As a recognized speaker at industry conferences, he has shared insights on strengthening cyber compliance and has been actively involved in competitive cybersecurity events, including winning the B-Sides Las Vegas Capture the Flag Competition on the 'Joes' team for his work in Windows Operating System Defense.
Outside of his professional pursuits, Ben is a professional musician, enjoys the outdoors, and spending quality time with his family.
Why Champlain
Career Growth
"I learned so many things that were outside - yet integral to - my professional environment. This gave me the opportunity to future-proof my career. I've seen changes in my career already, and I've been able to apply so much of what I learned at Champlain at work."
Danielle Hewitt
Master's Degree in Information Security
Acquisition Program Manager
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