Illinois Tech, Chicago’s only tech-focused university, offers a wide scope of cybersecurity undergraduate, graduate, and certificate programs to build a cyber career path from entry-level to advanced research.
As hacking, data breaches, and ransomware threats continue to increase, cybersecurity continues to be one of the hottest career fields. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts cybersecurity jobs will grow more than seven times faster than the national average job growth through 2029.
Illinois Tech’s programs cover a range of cybersecurity fields including applied cybersecurity, engineering, digital forensics, research, management, and even cybersecurity law to fill the critical need for cybersecurity professionals to protect systems from cyber criminals and foreign governments.
Illinois Tech is an NSA National Center of Academic Excellence in Cybersecurity. Illinois Tech is home to the Center for Cyber Security and Forensics Education (C²SAFE) and hosts Chicago’s premier cybersecurity conference ChiCyberCon.
Bachelor’s Degrees
Applied Cybersecurity and Information Technology
Department of Information Technology and Management
The cross-disciplinary applied cybersecurity and information technology bachelor’s program prepares new students and IT professionals for careers as cybersecurity and IT managers, investigators, or leaders. A combination of cybersecurity and information technology skills with additional mathematics coursework prepares graduates for research and entry into the Master of Science in Applied Cybersecurity and Digital Forensics program.
Computer and Cybersecurity Engineering
Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering
Prepare for an engineering career involving design and application of secure and resilient hardware and software systems with the computer and cybersecurity engineering bachelor’s program. Gain a firm understanding of theory and techniques to construct cybersecurity solutions in the areas of internet of things, cloud computing, computer networks, wireless communications, AI and more. Learn about human factors, ethical issues, and law in addition to the detailed knowledge of secure hardware/software components. Students can also choose to enroll in an accelerated master’s degree program with the Master of Cybersecurity Engineering.
Master’s Degrees
Applied Cybersecurity and Digital Forensics
Department of Information Technology and Management
By using a hands-on, reality-based approach, the M.S. in applied cybersecurity and digital forensics program provides students with a combination of technology and management skills to cover cybersecurity management, security threat assessment, vulnerability and penetration testing, incident response, evidence gathering, and electronic discovery.
Cyber Forensics and Security
Department of Information Technology and Management
The comprehensive cybersecurity and forensics and security master’s program covers a wide variety of topics, including information security and assurance, ethical hacking, forensic tools and techniques, disaster recovery, and legal and ethical issues. The program prepares students and experienced IT professionals to become cybersecurity and digital forensics leaders.
Cybersecurity
Department of Computer Science
Gain a deep understanding of data and information security, hardware and software security, and systems and network security in the Master of Cybersecurity program. Specialize in AI, IoT, cloud computing, or mobile security through elective courses. Research opportunities are available through grant funding from institutions such as the U.S. Air Force, National Security Agency, and National Science Foundation.
Cybersecurity Engineering
Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering
Create new solutions to complex cybersecurity problems in engineering by discovering emerging techniques, tools, analyses, and methodologies in the cybersecurity engineering master’s program. Gain a firm grasp of the theories and practices of cybersecurity. Cybersecurity research opportunities involve a broad spectrum of applications, including cloud computing, health care and body area networks, secure networking protocols, cryptography, smart grid power systems, machine learning, and big data.
Certificate Programs
Cybersecurity Management
Department of Information Technology and Management
Build critical skills to oversee and manage information security and security awareness, as well cybersecurity training, policy, and procedures, with a Certificate in Cybersecurity Management. Learn to allocate strategic resources such as personnel, infrastructure, emergency planning, and policy enforcement to complement skills in cybersecurity technologies to prepare for a management career.
Cybersecurity Technologies
Department of Information Technology and Management
Prepare for a career in computer and network security by learning the tools to reduce cyber threats, hacks, and breaches with a Certificate in Cybersecurity Technologies. Gain a foundation in not only the technologies that enhance cybersecurity, but also vulnerability analysis and control, coding security, and database security.
Information and Security Assurance
Department of Computer Science
Delve into the aspects of security and assurance in modern e-commerce applications with a Certificate in Information Security and Assurance. Topics covered in the program include information security, advanced database organization, cryptography, and system and network security.