Cybersecurity Bachelor’s Degree in Michigan

Michigan has begun the Michigan Cyber Civilian Corps (MiC3) that helps business and municipal organizations who are victims of a cyberattack. This group consists of trained civilian technical experts, each of whom has volunteered to provide rapid response assistance to Michigan’s government, education and business organizations in case of a critical cyber incident. In order to qualify for membership in the MiC3, an individual must:

  • Be a Michigan resident
  • Have two or more years of direct involvement in information security, incident response and/or digital forensics
  • Have a basic security certification
  • Pass tests that demonstrate basic knowledge of networking and security concepts
  • Commit to up to 10 days per year for training
  • Provide evidence that your employer supports you in this endeavor
  • Pass a background screening
  • Sign a confidential disclosure agreement

Michigan has been quite proactive when it comes to cybersecurity. In addition to creating MiC3, the state offers resources for citizens, businesses, government entities and more at its website. They also recommend that all cybercrime in the state be reported to the proper authorities:

  • Report computer and internet crimes against children to the Michigan Attorney General
  • Report cybercrimes to the Michigan State Police Cyber Command Center
  • Report internet-related complaints regarding law enforcement to the Federal Bureau of Investigation
  • File a complaint regarding online shopping, credit and debt with the Federal Trade Commission

If you would like to become part of the solution to cybercrimes in Michigan, keep reading to discover how to get your bachelor’s degree in cybersecurity.

Cybersecurity in the News in Michigan

Recently, it was announced by Brooks Kushman PC that auto dealerships in Michigan are particularly vulnerable to cyberattacks during the COVID-19 pandemic. These types of dealerships collect, process and store much sensitive customer data across a variety of technology networks. Automotive News reported that as of December 2019, 153 viruses and 84 malicious spam emails are blocked each day by technology on an automotive dealership’s network. Even though Michigan’s auto dealerships closed their showrooms and stopped all sales as of March 24, 2020 due to the pandemic, the information on their networks remained vulnerable to cyberattacks. When the state’s governor once again allowed auto sales to resume on April 9, 2020, many Michigan dealerships ramped up sales while the salespersons are working from home. This presents new security and privacy risks for the sensitive customer data with which they deal on a daily basis.

Check Point Software Technologies, Ltd. Noted that cyber criminals are using the confusion surrounding the pandemic to launch more cyberattacks. They use malicious websites embedded into other websites, malware and other nefarious means to steal user credentials. As more and more automotive workers in Michigan are working remotely from home, dealerships must be vigilant in developing and enforcing cybersecurity and data privacy policies. Proper training of employees in cybersecurity measures can also help to prevent costly and dangerous data breaches.

Michigan Cybersecurity Education

If you want to be eligible for jobs like the following in Michigan, you will need a bachelor’s degree in cybersecurity:

  • Cyber Security Operations Analyst – Whirlpool Corporation, Benton Harbor
  • Security Access Management Engineer- Comerica Bank, Auburn Hills
  • Cyber Security Consultant – Omnex, Inc., Ann Arbor
  • IT Auditor – Venteon, Troy
  • Firewall Engineer – Cyber Force, Plymouth
  • Cybersecurity Analyst – CBI, Detroit

Cybersecurity Bachelor’s Degrees in Michigan

Bachelor’s degree programs in cybersecurity have different names. In Michigan, they include:

  • Bachelor of Science in Information Technology & Security
  • Bachelor of Science in Digital Forensics
  • Bachelor of Science in Information Assurance & Cyber Defense
  • Bachelor of Science in Information Technology – Concentration in Cybersecurity 

Michigan’s Cybersecurity Bachelor’s Degree Programs

Regional accreditation agencies of the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) are the most commonly seen accreditation agencies for undergraduate cybersecurity degree programs. Most cybersecurity bachelor’s degree programs are not programmatically accredited, with the exception of ones that are accredited by the entities listed below.

Centers of Academic Excellence (CAE)

The National Centers of Academic Excellence program is offered through the National Security Agency (NSA) and Department of Homeland Security (DHS). It is designed to illuminate exceptional undergraduate cybersecurity degree programs, identifying them as Centers of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense (CAE-CD).

Centers of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense Education in Michigan

The following bachelor’s cybersecurity degree programs have received recognition as Centers of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense Education (CAE-CDE):

  • Baker University—

—Bachelor of Science in Information Technology & Security – Concentration in Information Assurance & Cyber Security

—Bachelor of Science in Information Technology & Security – Concentration in Information Assurance (online)

—Bachelor of Science in Information Technology & Security – Concentration in Network Professional

—Bachelor of Science in Information Technology & Security – Concentration in Server Administration

Center for Cyber Security

1020 S. Washington St.

Owosso, MI 48867

CAE- Cyber Defense Education- Accredited through 2024

(800) 964-4299

Information Security & Assurance Center

Grand Rapids, MI

CAE- Cyber Defense Education- Accredited through 2020

Dr. Lonnie Decker

(989) 794-1941; Lonnie.Decker@davenport.edu

(also ABET-accredited – see below)

College of Engineering & Technology, Information Security & Applied Computing

206 Roosevelt Hall

Ypsilanti, MI 48197

CAE- Cyber Defense Education – Accredited through 2021

Suleiman Ashur, Ph.D., Interim Director

(734) 487-2490; sashur@emich.edu

College of Business

119 South Street

Big Rapids, MI 49307

CAE- Cyber Defense Education- Accredited through 2020

Dr. Greg Gogolin

(231) 591-2420; GregGogolin@ferris.edu

  • University of Detroit Mercy –

—Bachelor of Science in Computer & Information Systems with a major in Cybersecurity

—Bachelor of Science in Computer & Information Systems with a major in Criminal Justice

College of Liberal Arts & Education, Center for Cyber Security & Intelligence Studies

4001 W. McNichols Rd.

Detroit, MI 48221-3038

CAE- Cyber Defense Education- Accredited through 2021

Tamara Shoemaker, Director

(313) 993-3250; shoematl@udmercy.edu 

Also accredited by the Accreditation Council for Business Schools & Programs (ACBSP)

3838 Livernois Rd.

Troy, MI 48083

CAE- Cyber Defense Education- Accredited through 2021

(312) 263-0456

Required Knowledge Units for Cyber Defense Education

The NSA and DHS have indicated that CAE-CDs must cover the following required knowledge units within their curricula:

  • Foundational:
    • Cybersecurity Foundations
    • Cybersecurity Principles
    • IT Systems Components
  • Technical Core:
    • Basic Cryptography
    • Basic Networking
    • Basic Scripting and Programming
    • Network Defense
    • Operating Systems Concepts
  • Nontechnical Core:
    • Cyber Threats
    • Cybersecurity Planning and Management
    • Policy, Legal, Ethics and Compliance
    • Security Program Management
    • Security Risk Analysis

ABET-Accredited Bachelor’s Degree Programs in Cybersecurity in Michigan

The Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology, Inc. of ABET’s Computing Accreditation Commission recognizes the following Michigan bachelor’s degree cybersecurity program:

(also CAE-CD- see above)

College of Engineering & Technology, Information Security & Applied Computing

206 Roosevelt Hall

Ypsilanti, MI 48197

Suleiman Ashur, Ph.D., Interim Director

(734) 487-2490; sashur@emich.edu

Other Bachelor’s Degree in Cybersecurity Programs in Michigan

There are more bachelor’s cybersecurity degree programs in Michigan, like:

Accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC)

School of Computing & Information Systems

C-2-100 Mackinac Hall

Allendale, MI 49401-9403

(616) 331-2060

Accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC)

College of Computing

Rekhi Hall 221

1400 Townsend Drive

Houghton, MI 49931

(906) 487-2209; computing@mtu.edu 

Accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC)

College of Business

301 Cohodas Hall

Marquette, MI 49855-5301

(906) 227-2900; business@nmu.edu

Accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC)

4000 Whiting Drive

Midland, MI 48640

(800) 622-9000

  • Saginaw Valley State University –

—Bachelor of Science in Computer Science- Minor in Cybersecurity

—Bachelor of Science in Computer Information Systems – Minor in Cybersecurity

—Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice – Minor in Cybersecurity

Accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC)

7400 Bay Road

University Center, MI 48710

(989) 964-4000

Accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC)

Department of Computer & Information Science

105 Computer & Information Science Bldg.

Dearborn, MI 48128

(313) 436-9145

Accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC)

College of Engineering & Applied Sciences

Kalamazoo, MI 49008-5200

(313) 436-9145(269) 387-1000

Cybersecurity Certifications in Michigan

Once you have attained your bachelor’s degree in cybersecurity in Michigan, you should think about professional certification. Some jobs require credentials. Credentials can help to make you more marketable in the workforce. They are usually attainable through taking a course (sometimes online) and passing an examination. According to Forbes magazine, these were the top 10 most popular cybersecurity certifications in 2019 (in no particular order):

  • EC-Council: CEH – Certified Ethical Hacker
  • EC-Council: CHFI – Computer Hacking Forensic Investigator
  • ISACA: CGEIT – Certified in the Governance of Enterprise IT
  • ISACA: CISM – Certified Information Security Manager
  • ISACA: CRISC – Certified in Risk and Information Systems Control
  • ISC2: CCSP – Certified Cloud Security Professional
  • ISC2: CISSP – Certified Information Systems Security Professional
  • ISC2: CISSP-ISSAP – Information Systems Security Architecture Professional
  • ISC2: CISSP-ISSMP- Information Systems Security Management Professional
  • ISCAC: CISA – Certified Information Systems Auditor

Conclusion

More and more Michigan students are making the smart choice to earn a bachelor’s degree in cybersecurity. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (based in Michigan), the cybersecurity field is projected to grow by an astounding 35 percent through 2026 in Michigan, with over 240 job openings projected each year. The median annual wage of a Michigan cybersecurity professional holding a bachelor’s degree is $92,000. No unemployment is expected within the cybersecurity field for the foreseeable future. If you want to assure yourself of a solid, challenging position in a field that really matters, explore a career in cybersecurity in Michigan.