Will a Computer Science Degree Help You Land a Job in Cybersecurity?

Cybersecurity is what protects you every time you open an email, scroll a website, click online, or make a purchase with your credit card. If you worked in the profession, you’d need to be a dedicated cyber sleuth using your analytical abilities and computer skills to prevent attacks and catch the criminals who wreak havoc on individuals and the whole U.S. economy. Do you have what it takes? A good place to start your journey is with a computer science degree. It will give you knowledge about how computers and systems operate and interconnect and where they fit into the world wide web.

Why Earn a Computer Science Degree?

A computer science degree starts with the basics but can delve more deeply to specializations you might find interesting. From IT and programming to information systems security, you will learn important principles and network defense mechanisms.

Computer science is a broad area that encompasses:

• Systems and Networks—In a computer science program, you’d learn about operating systems and network protocols, as well as software applications, device storage, memory, and management. You’d also learn about computer and systems security, where cybercriminals might find access, and how to prevent them from getting in.
• The Internet—The Internet is an easy access point for cybercriminals. They can plant malware or ransomware through spammy links on websites or in emails, or they can hack your wifi to access your passcodes and personal information. In a computer science program, you’d learn about the many facets of the internet, including internet security.
• Applications—Just about every device requires you to download an app. These can be email apps, word processing apps, or even games that you play. With a computer science background, you’d learn how apps are built, used, and kept secure.  

Jobs in Cybersecurity with a Computer Science Degree

Many people who work in cybersecurity today have a degree in computer science. Here are a few different jobs that you might consider:

• Systems Security Specialist—In this role, you’d maintain the security of operating systems by installing security systems and firewalls, and implementing other security measures. You’d make recommendations to management when a system or measure needs to be updated or replaced.
• Network Security Analyst—Here, you’d monitor networks and operating systems for security issues and measure the effectiveness of the security protocols that have been put in place.
• Ethical Hacker—Hacking may sound bad, but when you do it ethically, a whole lot of good can come from it. As an ethical hacker, you would attempt to hack security systems and networks as a way to identify weaknesses that could invite a cyberattack. You’d scan network ports, and perform analyses, identify vulnerabilities, and find methods of security that can prevent those vulnerabilities from being exploited.

With a degree in computer science, you can choose what you want to do and where you want to work. These days, just about every type of business is run with computers, so you could find cybersecurity jobs at large corporations or small businesses, schools and university systems, banks and financial institutions, or even in the nonprofit world.

Are you ready to start a career in cybersecurity? At Limestone University, we offer a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science-Computer and Information Systems Security that can provide you with the foundational knowledge of computers that you’ll need for a career in cybersecurity. Click the button to request more information.

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