Information on Master’s Degree Programs in Network Administration and Security
Majors Overview July 16, 2015This article talks about master’s degree programs in network administration and security and their education requirements, coursework, career choices, and job and wage outlook.
Master’s Programs in Network Administration and Security
Schools most commonly offer network administration and network security degrees at the bachelor’s and associate’s levels. Some schools offer a Master of Computer Science, Master of Science (M.S.) in Computer – Information and Network Security, and Master of Science (M.S.) in Security Information Systems.
Students with a solid background in information technology seeking to gain a good grasp of the security aspects of the field would benefit from enrolling in a master’s degree program in network administration and security. Students can expect to become adept at assessing and identifying security risks in computer systems, understanding the technology and factors that impact risks and using technologies and tools to minimize risks.
They are also educated on designing and implementing security software and on maintaining a network devised to limit potential security threats. In some master’s programs, enrolled students are allowed to select a specialization area of focus, such as computer security, information systems security, network security, and regulation and compliance. Many schools offer master’s degree programs in the field online.
Education Requirements
Admission criteria typically require incoming students to hold a bachelor’s degree and submit Graduate Assessment Exam (GAE) scores. Applicants for admission would find it beneficial to have a strong grasp of network administration, computer systems, and information technology. Programming courses in Java and basic communications programs may be additional prerequisites required at some schools.
Coursework
Coursework often includes advanced courses in data systems and network architecture. Schools offer both online and on-campus education, and core coursework may cover topic areas such as:
•Network programming
•Information security management
•Computer networks and data systems
•Information assurance
•Network security
•Foundations of network technologies
•Network analysis and design
•Advanced network defense systems
Career Choices
Program graduates can seek career advancement to upper-level positions in information technology. They may choose from possible job positions such as:
•Telecommunications systems engineer
•Incident response analyst
•IT security engineer
•Network firewall engineer
•Network administrator
•Security Analyst
•Secret clearance security engineer
•Network Engineer
Job and Wage Outlook
Over the 2010 – 2020 decade, a job growth of 37% has been predicted for information security analysts, web developers and computer network architects (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics). In May 2012, information security analysts brought in an average annual wage of $86,170. Computer network architects earned $91,000 (BLS).
