The Oklahoma Cyber Command lists cybersecurity breaches that have occurred on its website for the public to see. Under the Oklahoma State Government Security Breach Transparency Initiative, the Oklahoma Chief Information Officer must maintain an online web presence which the public can access information on state security breaches. As of December 2020, the following breaches were listed:
- Breach of Oklahoma Department of Human Services, April 2020 – personally identifiable information of three persons was exposed.
- Breach of Oklahoma Employment Security Commission, May 2020- personally identifiable information of one person was exposed.
- Breach of Oklahoma District Attorneys Council, June 2019 – personally identifiable information of 502 persons was exposed.
- Breach of Oklahoma Department of Securities, December 2018- personal information of 305,746 individuals was exposed.
- Breach of Oklahoma Employment Security Commission, March 2017- user account information of 430,679 users was exposed.
As you can see from the above information, cybersecurity is a real issue in Oklahoma as it is across the country and around the world. If you are interested in working in the field of information security, obtaining an associate degree or certificate is a great first step. Keep reading to discover how you can do so in the state of Oklahoma.
Cybersecurity in the News in Oklahoma
It was recently announced that the University of Tulsa has joined a consortium of institutions that plan to create a national network of technical institutions that will train and educate cyber professionals, in an effort to build up the United States’ cyber workforce and protect its cyber infrastructure. The Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) Critical Infrastructure Resilience Institute is overseeing the project, which is funded by a two-million-dollar grant from DHS’s science and technology directorate and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA). Other members of this consortium include Purdue University, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, and Auburn University. Other colleges and universities are expected to join.
Cybersecurity Jobs for Associate Degree and Certificate Holders in Oklahoma
Getting a certificate or associate degree in cybersecurity in Oklahoma can help you to land jobs like:
- Information Systems Security Specialist – Latitude, Inc., Oklahoma City
- Information Security Analyst – True Sky Credit Union, Oklahoma City
- Network Implementation Technician – AIETA, Oklahoma City
- Network Security Engineer (remote)- Humana, Oklahoma City
- Security Analyst – True Digital Security, Okmulgee
- Cyber Security Analyst – Woodbury Technologies, Oklahoma City
- Security Engineer- State of Oklahoma, statewide
- Network Security Analyst – Redlands Community College, El Reno
- Security Analyst – Muscogee (Creek) Nation Casinos, Tulsa
- Security Consultant (Risk Advisory) – True Digital Security, Tulsa
Associate Cybersecurity Degrees and Certificates in Oklahoma
Any school that you select to pursue an associate degree or certificate in cybersecurity in Oklahoma should be regionally or nationally accredited by an agency recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA).
Cybersecurity Associate Degrees in Oklahoma
Titles of associate degree programs in cybersecurity in Oklahoma include:
- Associate of Applied Science in Computer Science – Cyber/Information Security
- Associate in Applied Science in Cyber Security/Digital Forensics, Cyber Science Option
- Associate in Applied Science in Cyber Security/Digital Forensics, Cyber Security Option
- Associate in Applied Science in Cyber Security/Digital Forensics, Digital Forensics Option
Centers of Academic Excellence (CAE)
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and National Security Agency (NSA) started the National Centers of Academic Excellence program in 1999 in order to showcase the most exceptional cybersecurity degree and certificate programs in the United States.
Centers of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense Education in Oklahoma
These Oklahoma cybersecurity associate degree and certificate programs have been designated Centers of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense Education (CAE-CD) under the NSA-DHS National Centers for Academic Excellence program:
- Oklahoma City Community College –
—Associate of Applied Science in Computer Science – Cyber/Information Security
–Certificate of Mastery in Computer Science- Cyber/Information Security
Dept. of Business and Information Technology – Center for Cyber Defense Education
7777 S. May Ave.
Oklahoma City, OK 73159
CAE- Cyber Defense Education- Accredited through 2021
Haifeng Ji, Program Director
(405) 682-1611, Ext. 7381; hji@occc.edu
- Oklahoma State University – Graduate Certificate in Information Assurance (online)
Spears School of Business, Dept. of Management Science & Information Systems
449 Business Bldg.
Stillwater, OK 74078
CAE- Cyber Defense Education- Accredited through 2021
Tara Wolfe, Admin. Support Specialist II
(405) 744-3551; tara.wolfe@okstate.edu
- Rose State College –
—Associate in Applied Science in Cyber Security/Digital Forensics, Cyber Science Option
—Associate in Applied Science in Cyber Security/Digital Forensics, Cyber Security Option
—Associate in Applied Science in Cyber Security/Digital Forensics, Digital Forensics Option
—Digital Forensics Certificate
Division of Business & Information Technology
6420 S.E. 15th Street
Midwest City, OK 73110
CAE- Cyber Defense Education- Accredited through 2020
Ken Dewey, Director, Cyber Security Program
(405) 733-7977; kdewey@rose.edu
More Cybersecurity Associate Degree and Certificate Programs in Oklahoma
Additional Oklahoma bachelor’s cybersecurity degree programs are:
- Francis Tuttle Technology Center – Certificate in Cyber Security and Network Defense Accredited by the Oklahoma Board of Career and Technology Education
Portland Campus
3500 Northwest 150th St.
Oklahoma City, OK 73134
(405) 717-7799
- Great Plains Technology Center – Certificate in Cyber Security Forensics Specialist Accredited by the Oklahoma Board of Career and Technology Education
Lawton Campus
4500 S.W. Lee Blvd.
Lawton, OK 73505
Wesley Sloan, Instructor
(580) 250-5680; wsloan@greatplains.edu
- Meridian Technology Center – Certificate in Cyber Crime Specialist
-Certificate in Cyber Security Professional
Accredited by the Oklahoma Board of Career and Technology Education
1312 South Sangre Road
Stillwater, OK 74074
(405) 377-3333
Oklahoma Cybersecurity Associate Degree Program Courses
Courses that you can expect to take in a cybersecurity associate degree program in Oklahoma include:
- Network Administration
- Networking Technologies
- Network Security
- Cloud Computing
- Database Management Application
- Secure Electronic Commerce
- Cyber Forensics
- Enterprise Security Management
- Principles of Information Security
- Computer Operating Systems
Cybersecurity Salaries for Workers in Oklahoma
The United States Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) recorded the annual mean wage of information security analysts working in the state of Oklahoma as of May 2019 at $81,900. Those working in the Oklahoma City area earned slightly lower wages of $80,040; while those employed in the Tulsa area earned wages slightly higher than the state average, at $84,400.