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Bachelor of Science in Cybersecurity: Data Analytics
Combine cybersecurity strategy with analytics techniques to detect threats and support data-driven risk management.
Is a career in technology right for you?
Centenary University School of Business, Media & Writing brings you an exciting BS in Cybersecurity that lead to rewarding careers in Information Technology. The BS in Cybersecurity prepares students for employment directly in a number of positions, or toward graduate programs, across a wide spectrum of industries:
- Ethical hacker/penetration tester
- Security manager
- Cyber policy and strategy planner
- Cyber workforce developer
- Cyber instructional curriculum developer
- Cyber defense incident responder
- Computer network defense analyst
Our cybersecurity major is designed with two goals in mind:
- To ensure that students stay one step ahead of evolving cyber threats.
- To provide students with fundamental IT skills.
Within this program, students will assess modern cybersecurity challenges that threaten our privacy, security, and safety, and gain both the knowledge and hands-on technical skills to protect digital assets from cyber criminals who leverage sophisticated social and cyber tactics to facilitate attacks.
As the cyber-attack surface continues to expand via the proliferation of Internet of Things (IoT) devices, it is increasingly vital that students learn how to “harden” networks, systems, and endpoint devices against cyber-attacks, topics which are covered in the course Modern Cybersecurity. It is, however, impossible to create a perfectly secure system, so students will also learn how to perform cyber forensics to investigate, collect, and preserve digital evidence associated with a security breach.
Finally, students will learn how to think like a “hacker” and use industry standard tools to find weaknesses in systems.
Prepared for certifications
Entry-level cybersecurity roles, as well as roles at smaller organizations, frequently blend elements of cybersecurity and IT work. The cybersecurity function of an organization is inextricably linked with IT since both networks and team members present opportunities to bad actors. Students who complete the recommended IT focus area will not only be prepared for numerous cybersecurity certifications; they will also be prepared for the CompTIA A+ exam.
Students who complete this curriculum will not only be prepared for a career as a cybersecurity professional, they will also be well positioned to obtain a number of certifications which will increase their employability later in their career, including Certified Ethical Hacker, Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP), and Certified Forensic Examiner. Please note these certifications may require additional work experience and exam preparation.
Why this matters
It has become incredibly cheap to automate constant digital attacks against any individual, Fortune 500 corporation, or government system. As a result, we now live in a world where we can assume that everyone is constantly at risk of attack from advanced cyber threats. This new paradigm has led to a boom in cybersecurity careers. According to LightCast, cybersecurity professionals earn a median salary of $103,000, with entry-level positions starting at $68k. Furthermore, there is virtually zero-percent unemployment within the field of cybersecurity, and approximately 663,430 unfilled positions in the US alone.
Key Contributors
Dr. Charles Severance
University of Michigan
Dr. Charles Severance holds a PhD in Computer Science from Michigan State University. He is the former Executive Director of the Sakai Foundation, and one of the world’s leading online CS educators. His contributions and curriculum form the basis of our programming curriculum.
Randy Rovesti
Randy is a professor of IT and Cybersecurity at Penn State, as well as an Engineering Manager at the Naval Nuclear Laboratory, where he focuses on both physical and cyber security systems. His expertise on both the academic and professional side of cybersecurity made him uniquely qualified to be the primary designer of the Cybersecurity program, as he possesses both a strong theoretical foundation, and the day-to-day experience of putting that experience into practice. Randy holds a Masters in IT from Carnegie Mellon University.
Alexey Malashkevich
Alexey is a highly respected engineer and engineering manager with strong experience in building cloud-based financial technology systems. His skill in building engineering teams gives him particular insight into the skills most valuable in today’s technology workforce. Furthermore, his experience in cloud-based FinTech provides him with tremendous experience in understanding the cybersecurity needs of organizations which face particularly heavy attack. Alexey is the former CEO of Agile Code – a software development firm – and has 20 years of experience bringing software products to market.
In addition to Alexey, we consulted with two Cybersecurity experts who asked not to be named here due to the highly sensitive and public nature of their roles.
Your Future
Academic Advancement:
Next steps include MS in Cybersecurity or Computer Science, Security+, CySA+, CISSP pathway, cloud security, risk/compliance, or digital forensics certificate.
Career Pathways:
Cybersecurity Data Analyst, Security Operations Analyst
Industry Outlook:
Explosive growth as companies look to leverage data analytics for security purposes.
Regional employers include
Cognizant; ADP; Verisk Analytics; Fiserv; PSEG; Prudential Financial; Johnson & Johnson; Merck; SHI International; NJ Office of Homeland Security and Preparedness.
Salary Outlook:
$80,000 – $120,000
Getting Started
For New Jersey entry-level roles aligned to BS in Cybersecurity: Digital Analytics Minor, a reasonable starting range is approximately $70,000–$95,000, depending on role, licensure/certification, employer type, and prior experience.
Early Career and Progression
Approx. $115,000 midpoint at about five years, with higher earnings in specialized, licensed, technical, supervisory, or high-demand settings.
Approx. $145,000 average or attainable mid-career benchmark around ten years, especially for advanced credentials, management responsibility, or specialized practice.
*Salary and Outlook Data