Information Assurance Degree Online

There is no replacement for good, solid experience in Information Assurance, but an Information Assurance Degree Online is a great way to  put you ahead of the competition or even start your career in the ever expanding and never ending world of Information System Security.

I have been doing this for well over a decade, and let me tell you IT IS A VERY SOLID living.  And there are two main reasons for this:

1. Sensitive Information:  Since Information Assurance typically involves doing work for the government and working with sensitive information, you don’t have to worry about outsourcing to India or China.  You will often HAVE to be a U.S. Citizen and need a security clearance to do the work.  I am not sure how this works in other countries but I will be its the same.  If you are UK for example or India (for that matter) they will require you to be a citizen of the applicable country to work on classified projects.
2. Security on Critical Systems:  As information systems become more critical to every aspect of our lives so does Information Assurance.  So the work because more and more are needed.

There used to be some sort of stigma about online degrees because of all the scam paper degrees from fake, unaccredited companies that started cropping up with the rise of then Internet.  But now everyone has jumped on the bandwagon: Stanford, Harvard, MIT all have accelerated courses and online programs.  Few colleges take adult education serious enough to include something as specialized as “Information Assurance”.   If you have kids, or work full time, or are in the Armed services, those few colleges that are include an information assurance degree online are truly a blessing.

So now that we know how great an opportunity Information Assurance is, lets talk about what information assurance degree online to get!

For top Information Assurance Online Degrees, look for university programs that have been awarded National Center of Academic Excellence in Information Assurance Education and those approved by the National Security Agency’s Information Assurance Courseware Evaluation program.

http://www.nsa.gov/ia/academic_outreach/nat_cae/institutions.shtml

http://www.nsa.gov/IA/ACADEMIC_OUTREACH/IACE_PROGRAM/INDEX.SHTML

Western Governors University Information Assurance Degree Online – I have heard GREAT things about WGU.  Their tuition cost is UNBEATABLE!  When I first heard how much it cost I thought it was a scam, but once I read more and talked to a counselor I realized they are legit.  Their Information assurance degree online program is certified by the National Security Agency’s Information Assurance Courseware Evaluation program.   The most incredible thing about WGU is that they take IT certifications as credits.  That combined with the VERY affordable cost will force you to get off your ass and get a Information Assurance degree!

Here are some of the IT Certs they will take toward your degree:

• Cisco Certified Entry Network Technician (CCENT)
  EC-Council Ethical Hacking and Countermeasures (EC0-350)
  EC-Council Computer Hacking Forensic Investigator (EC0-349)

• http://www.wgu.edu/online_it_degrees/information_security_assurance_degree

 

Capella University Information Assurance Degree Online – Capella is on of the top degree programs for Information Assurance degrees online.  Its is consistently picked as a National Center of Academic Excellence in Information Assurance Education (CAE/IAE) by the National Security Agency and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security each year.  If you already have a Certified Information System Security Professional (CISSP) certification and have been doing Information Assurance work, they will legitimately knock off the amount of credits you have to do.

http://www.capella.edu/online-degrees/masters-information-assurance-security/

For more top Information Assurance Online Degrees, look for university programs that have been awarded National Center of Academic Excellence in Information Assurance Education and those approved by the National Security Agency’s Information Assurance Courseware Evaluation program.

http://www.nsa.gov/ia/academic_outreach/nat_cae/institutions.shtml

http://www.nsa.gov/IA/ACADEMIC_OUTREACH/IACE_PROGRAM/INDEX.SHTML

 

Other notable universities with Information Assurance Degrees Online:

Regis IA Degree Online