Online Master of Education (MEd) in Cyber Science

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Earn an MEd in Cyber Science and meet the demand for educators with the expertise to teach cybersecurity at any level.

Education in the field of cybersecurity faces many challenges – and these challenges are only expanding as our society increasingly relies on the use of technology in everything that we do.

The MEd in Cyber Science is designed to prepare the next generation of cyber educators. This research-intensive degree program enables current educators and industry professionals to develop advanced expertise through industry-informed curriculum, hands-on training, and practical research experience. 

As an MEd in Cyber Science student, you’ll learn by doing – developing and assessing real courses and performing lectures for our BS and MS in Cybersecurity programs. You’ll also conduct original research in your cyber education area of interest under the guidance of a dedicated thesis chair. You’ll graduate with published work, contributing to the growing field of cyber science education.

What you’ll gain with an MEd in Cyber Science:

• Comprehensive understanding of the links between pedagogy and cybersecurity and their impact on the educational landscape
• Deep proficiency in the application of STEM principles, computer science, networking, and information technology to the academic platform across different levels 
• Technical knowledge, including operating system principles for information assurance and cybersecurity 
• Practical experience applying educational and cybersecurity theories to real-world cyber science challenges 
• Insight into the legal aspects of computer security and information privacy 
• Specialized expertise in your area of interest, whether in pedagogy, curriculum design and assessment, and evaluating emerging lab, classroom technologies, and different levels of education, such as K-12, community college, 4-year, or special needs
• Exposure to the academic publishing process and practical research experience 
• Advanced knowledge and opportunities in teaching and research
• The opportunity to contribute new ideas and knowledge to an evolving field 
• Enhanced career prospects as a subject matter expert
• In-demand skills, such as educational leadership, communication, and critical thinking 
• The mindset for continuous learning in diverse and rapidly growing areas of  cyber science education

With an MEd in Cyber Science, you’ll explore sound pedagogical principles and basic foundations for the many facets of cyber science and gain education leadership skills that not only enable you to advance your career in research and teaching, but also make you a valuable asset to the many organizations and industries worldwide that are in need of experienced cyber professionals, team leaders, and innovators.  

Whether you aspire to be a teacher or a learning systems administrator, an MEd in Cyber Science positions you at the forefront of the field of cyber science education and offers a platform to make a meaningful impact through fulfilling and dynamic careers.

An MEd in Cyber Science prepares you to lead in these roles:  

• Administrator (Chair, Dean, VP)  
• Cyber Faculty/Professor 
• Cyber Instructor/Educator 
• Cyber Instructional Curriculum Assessor/Evaluator
• Cyber Instructional Curriculum Developer
• Educational Researcher
• Cyber Policy and Strategy Planner
• Cyber Workforce Developer and Manager
• Director of Curriculum Development and Course Delivery 
• Lab and Classroom Designer
• Learning Systems Administrator 
• Manager/Team Leader 
• Research & Development Specialist

Graduates apply their expertise as educators who are teaching at all levels and working in related roles such as subject matter experts, team leaders, and innovators within corporations, government agencies, and national defense across the cyber industry and beyond.They also pursue careers in academia, teaching and conducting research at top institutions, and lead innovation through research & development roles. Some MEd in Cyber Science graduates choose to further their education with a doctorate, as with Capitol Tech’s EdD in Cyber Science program. 

Characteristics of an MEd 

The MEd is a research-intensive degree designed for current educators and industry professionals who want to advance their knowledge and opportunities in teaching and research to advance their careers, or before starting a doctorate program. 

 Students pursue an MEd degree to:

• Gain practical research skills and experience
• Design and conduct original research in an area of interest
• Enhance their teaching expertise in a specific field 
• Build in-demand education leadership skills 
• Advance their careers in academia and leadership roles 
• Prepare for doctorate programs and other research opportunities
• Contribute new knowledge to emerging fields 

The Master of Education in Cyber Science program offers an introduction to the field of cyber education that enables you to develop a deep proficiency in the application of STEM principles, computer science, networking, and information technology to the academic platform. You’ll explore the impact of technology and cybersecurity issues on the educational landscape through hands-on learning opportunities that ask you to develop and assess courses, lecture in BS and MS in cybersecurity programs, and conduct original research in an area that interests you. The program’s flexibility lets you balance your studies with your career and tailor your research to your specific goals to gain knowledge and skills that translate directly to career advancement opportunities, while making a significant contribution to the field as a whole.

Career Opportunities

Market Demand for Cyber Science Education Expertise

With nearly 2,000 attacks reported per organization each week in 2022, the education and research sector experienced the most attacks worldwide for every month in 2021 and 2022. 

With its extensive sensitive data and limited cybersecurity resources, the education sector has been an appealing target for cybercriminals for a few years now. 

Since 2018, ransomware attacks on the sector, including K-12 and higher education institutions, have cost the world economy over $53 billion in downtime alone. These attacks breached over 6.7 million personal records across 561 incidents, reports Comparitech. 

Ransomware remains a major threat – the education sector reports the highest attack rate out of all industries in 2023. According to IBM, the average cost of a data breach in the higher education and training sector in 2023 was $3.7 million.

Nearly 95% of all digital breaches come from human error, reports Cybint. As emerging technologies, such as AI, become increasingly integrated into our daily lives, our safety depends on placing more effort into initiatives to educate people about how to use these tools safely and effectively.  

The cybersecurity workforce shortage continues to grow each year due to increasing demand coupled with the annual departure of large numbers of existing data professionals reaching retirement age. In an effort to increase the pipeline of students into the field, there’s been a trend in education of non-STEM teachers increasingly being trained in how to teach cybersecurity in their classes. 

Many institutions are looking for instructors who can incorporate cybersecurity expertise into education at all levels, but are struggling to find people with master's degrees in the domain of cyber science and teaching experience, or experience leading cyber initiatives.

An MEd in Cyber Science prepares you to respond to the challenges that arise with new technology and their impact on education. The demand for expertise in cyber science education will continue to grow as expanding technology applications call for education initiatives to fill the gaps in public knowledge so that these tools can be used safely.