For a fairly reasonable price, IA State covers not only the broad issues regarding security, they have courses devoted to specific topics (ex. Cryptography, Wireless Network Security, etc.) where other degrees often have one course that just covers the basics. Good degree, with extensive curriculum.

As a KSU Computer Engineering grad, I'm familiar with some of the professors in this program, and they've put together quite a curriculum. Graduates with this degree will have a great foundation for all aspects of software engineering. Cost is a higher than some software engineering masters programs, but the program looks to be very well done.

Not only is this program offered at a very low cost, it includes coursework on software testing and debugging in the curriculum, a practice that is unfortunately not given enough focus in many technical degrees. Well worth a look!

Good program, with credits that can count towards KSU's AACSB-accredited MBA program if the student is interested in continuing their education. However, with a cost of $1500/course, there are less expensive business certificates (ex. UMass), which also directly transfer into their online MBA program. Overall, solid program, but the cost is slightly lower elsewhere, and KSU's MBA program isn't offered online, so distance learners can't apply their credits towards a full Kansas State masters degree.

CMU's MSA program is built to prepare students for a wide range of administrative duties in both the public and the private sector. Some schools may be slightly less expensive, but few offer 8 concentration options (ex. Leadership, Health Services, Information Resource Management, etc.) to study from.

This regionally accredited brick-and-mortar university offers an "A"-level curriculum to prepare students for leadership roles in business. However, the costs ($56,000 plus the costs of multiple visits for 10-14 day residencies) may be tough to handle for the working professional.

Organizational Leadership degree from a public state university with a long history and a good reputation. At less than $250/credit hour, the entire masters degree costs less than $8,000, the program looks like a terrific value.

Good offering a certificate program with credits that be applied towards KSU's AACSB-accredited MBA program. The cost-per-credit hour (over $500) is a bit on the high side though...for roughly the same cost of this certificate program, other colleges offer complete masters degrees in leadership.

A regionally accredited brick-and-mortar school with offering a doctor in management. The tuition costs over $1000/credit hour though, so be sure that you can finance your schooling when you apply.

Low-priced MSA with 5 different concentrations (ex. Alcohol & Drug Studies, Organizational Leadership, etc.) can prepare students for multiple career fields. Students can even take multiple concentrations to broaden their expertise. Great degree, especially considering the price.

The University of Nebraska-Lincoln's MBA is well-regarded, and AACSB-accredited. It does require more credit hours to graduate than other MBAs (48, as opposed to 36)...then again, it has fewer pre-requisites (statistics & calculus) than other MBAs, which can require 6-12 additional courses, so it may actually be more affordable than it appears.

WGU's Information & Security Assurance Master's degree not only offers you a regionally accredited degree, but the coursework automatically qualifies the student for 4 IT certifications: CCENT, EC0-350, EC0-349, and GIAC G2700. One masters degree and 4 certifications, for a very affordable cost. Worth reviewing for anyone interested in IT security.

WGU has an innovative method of achieving an affordable and accredited MBA by allowing students to prove their knowledge through competency exams. Only drawback is that the degree doesn't carry a specific business accreditation like ACBSP or IACBE, but with WGUs good reputation, that may still be a possibility.

Walsh College is an established school and the MBA program has 12 different specializations (ex. Accounting, Finance, Information Assurance, etc.) giving students lots of options to study from. That said, the tuition ($750/credit hour) is much higher than many other regionally accredited MBAs, so call the college for details first to see what they have to offer.

Texas Tech's doctorate curriculum is thorough, and should prepare students from any background to be well-versed in technical communication. The cost ($1860 per course for up to 60 credits) is considerable though, and the requirement to spend 2-weeks every May ($1600 per workshop, plus travel) should be factored in when you apply.

UND offers in-state tuition for all distance students. This means that their AACSB-accredited MBA program's total cost is just over $12,000, a fantastic value. Just like many other AACSB MBAs, they do require that prerequisite courses be taken if you don't have a business background, but UND will let you use "challenge exams" to test out of those classes, keeping your degree costs down, and possibly saving some time, too. A highly accredited MBA from a low-cost, well-established state school, and definitely worth a look.

Sullivan's PhD in Management curriculum looks very well-rounded in terms of preparing someone for management. However, in talking to one of the Sullivan representative, they indicated that it was required to take two classes at a time at a minimum. At $720/credit hour, this might not only strain on a student's schedule, but could make affordability difficult for some as well.

Applicants will definitely have to put their best foot forward here...students applying not only need a masters degree, but also an industry-standard security certification (CISSP, GSE, CGEIT, or CISM), or they will need to take an entrance exam. The program looks like it's worth the effort, though. The coursework builds on the students existing information security knowledge, and focuses them to think "big picture". This means not only fixing individual security issues, but to implement information assurance strategies company-wide.

This is a relatively new (started 2008) interdisciplinary program. I like the fact that it offers multiple concentrations in leadership, information systems, HR, marketing, and finance. And even though it's set up for a 3-yr schedule, but students have the flexibility of up to 7 years if needed. They also accept transfer credits from incoming students, but only if they are from doctoral-level courses. I think the overall cost ($44,000+) is something to consider, but overall it looks like a solid program geared towards the already-busy working professional.

Mississippi State University has a well-regarded, ABET-accredited engineering school that now offers its PhD in Computer Engineering almost completely online. Graduates from this program would gain an expanded background of both the hardware & software specializations that comprise the field of computing, and the cost ($325/hour) is less than many masters programs across the country. Prospective students keep in mind this is a quality program, but...the application requirements here are quite strict. They admit only a limited number of students, so they rarely accept applicants that don't meet all of their criteria. When applying, definitely dot each "i" and cross each "t".

I called a representative at Creighton University to get some information about this degree. Their new Doctor of Education in Leadership is meant to be inter-disciplinary, so graduates are able to apply the degree to multiple areas (education, health care administration/management, and business). They indicated that the cohort format students only take one class per term, but each course is only 8-weeks, so curriculum is pretty fast-paced. Creighton has a reputation for delivering a quality education, and this degree program looks like an "A" from that perspective. However, at $850/credit hour, the 60-credit program may make the affordability difficult, and their residency requires two 4-day visits to the Omaha campus, so that the time/cost of that is a factor as well. This looks like an "A" program academically, but a "C" in terms of affordability, so I would give this a "B" overall.

Nova has put together a well-rounded curriculum for their IS doctorate program. Not every program is recognized by the NSA, and their focus on information security can be applied towards multiple career paths. That said, the total tuition for the program runs over $52,000. And along with the tuition, the residency requirements (4 visits a year to Florida) can be costly as well, depending on where you're traveling from. Money aside, scheduling 4 trips a year can be difficult for those who don't have a flexible schedule due to other obligations (ex. family, work, etc.). Nova's PhD in IS is a solid program, but the cost and travel requirements should be factored in when choosing this degree.

Dakota State is an institution with a strong background in technology, and their doctorate program is built to give their students a foundation that allows them to either teach in the academic world, or better apply themselves in the private sector. Also, as a DSU alum, I've always found the professors to be very accessible, even for distance students. However, some courses may require you to work on a group project however, so get to know your classmates as soon as possible! Studying in groups from a distance is excellent preparation for working in the IT industry, but it can be very time-intensive, so be sure to clear some time on your schedule!

I took courses for this degree program from 2006-2008, and was impressed with the broad range of topics that it covers. They offer 6 different concentrations: 1) Business Administration 2) Computer Information Systems 3) Healthcare 4) Information Security 5) Solutions Architect 6) IT Project Management The goal is to give the student a strong foundation not in one specific technology, but in information systems principles in general. Many professors count participation as part of the grade, so you have to stay involved on their message boards. Often, the first person to post an original idea or comment is the one who gets the points, so it definitely keeps you thinking. While I did enjoy the program, I did end up transferring another degree program because I was interested in a "Data Management" concentration, one of the few concentrations Bellevue didn't offer. Whether your original background was business or technology, this program can definitely help broaden your knowledge base about information systems in general.

Valdosta State University offers their 54-credit Doctor of Public Administration (DPA) program for online students at a tuition rate of $255/credit hour. That's a fantastic value, well below what many graduate or even some undergraduate programs charge for tuition. The DPA program has been around since 2007, and the residency requirements are 2-day visits (Friday-Saturday) in the spring & fall semesters. Every matriculating class is held to a maximum size of 25 students though, so interested applicants should definitely put their best foot forward!

After 6 years of programming work as a software engineer, I felt I needed to get a better understanding of the entire software development and implementation process if I wanted to help make our products better. DSU's MSIS program was exactly what I was looking for, as they covered a broad skill set ranging from programming to management. Their courses were hands-on, helping me to learn through projects, and not just through memorizing facts in textbooks (though there is still some of that). I'd build a web site in one class, and then have to make a business proposal for how my company could have the competitive edge in the corporate world the next. The professors were all very good about communication...even though I was a distance student, it was easy to email, or even call them on the phone and to cover any concerns that I would have. If you want to broaden your understanding of how information systems work as a whole, and you learn well by doing, DSU's Information Systems masters degree may be a good fit for you.