Get Your BS in Cybersecurity at GCU for Less Than $15,000

Why GCU’s Cybersecurity Program is Perfect for Degree Hacking

If you're aiming for a BS in Cybersecurity and want a program that’s flexible, affordable, and focused on real-world skills, GCU’s online degree is a great fit. Learn at your pace while building the technical expertise today’s employers are looking for. It’s also ideal for degree hacking, thanks to advantages like these:

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Finish Faster with Transfer-Friendly Flexibility

• Knock out general education courses elsewhere to focus on cybersecurity sooner

• Use prior college coursework to reduce your time and tuition at GCU and maximize the 90-credit transfer limit

• Take advantage of year-round enrollment to keep momentum and avoid delays

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Graduate Job-Ready with Career-Focused Coursework

• Learn skills in ethical hacking, risk management, and network defense

• Build a portfolio of hands-on projects to show employers your capabilities

• Train with tools and scenarios that reflect real cybersecurity job environments

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Why Most People Take 4+ Years (And How to Do It in 12–18 Months)

Why Most People Take 4+ Years

You don’t need to spend 4+ years and $58,000+ on a cybersecurity degree. GCU offers a faster, more affordable path.

To make the most of it, it helps to avoid these common delays most students often run into:

• They don’t make use of the 90-credit transfer limit. GCU allows up to 90 transfer credits, but many students miss out on this and end up retaking courses they’ve already completed elsewhere.

• They spend too long on general education classes. Instead of completing these courses affordably before enrolling, some students take them at GCU, which can slow down their progress and raise costs.

• They don’t take advantage of year-round scheduling. GCU offers flexible start dates and online options, but students who stick to a traditional semester pace may take much longer to graduate.

• They delay starting core cybersecurity courses. Waiting too long to dive into specialized classes like ethical hacking or network defense can push back both skill development and job readiness.

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Here's what degree hackers do that others don't:

• Look for alternative credit options: They search for places to earn college credit, whether it’s from online learning platforms like Study.com or from CLEP or DSST exams.

• Send as many credits for review as possible: They submit any possible transferable credits that they can, whether it be from previous college classes taken or work experience so they can reduce tuition costs and graduation time.

• Pre-plan course scheduling: Before even enrolling, many degree hackers have already plotted the courses they should take or cross out via other credit options. That way, they can focus on non-transferable core courses when enrolled at GCU.

• Result: Graduate in <18 months for ~$14,550 total.

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All in all, the ideal way to quickly earn your BS in Cybersecurity from GCU is by getting low-level college credits through affordable alternatives outside of GCU. After completing those, your curriculum at GCU can focus on core IT and cybersecurity lessons that mean the most to your goals.

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Strategy Guide: Tips on How to Hack GCU’s Cybersecurity Program

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We’ve built a simple, step-by-step game plan for earning your BS in Cybersecurity from GCU based on real advice from grads, academic advisors, and students who’ve also fast-tracked their way through.

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This guide helps you avoid common slowdowns, stay on budget, and focus on the skills that will get you into a cybersecurity career faster.

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GCU Online Cybersecurity Pre-Enrollment Hacks

• Earn Credits Before You Apply - Knock out general education courses affordably before enrolling at GCU. Platforms like Study.com (starting at $95/month) let you complete multiple transferable classes on your schedule.

• Test Out of What You Already Know - Save time by passing CLEP exams or DSST exams to earn credit for subjects you’re already familiar with instead of sitting through full-length courses.

• Know What Transfers (and What Doesn’t) - Before you apply, review GCU’s transfer policies so you know exactly which cybersecurity or general ed credits will count. This helps you avoid wasting time on duplicate coursework.

• Build Your Degree Game Plan First - Start by mapping out your ideal path to graduation. Tools like DegreeHacked.org give you a personalized degree plan that aligns your courses with program requirements, builds a timeline that matches your pace and budget, and provides mentor guidance along the way.

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GCU Cybersecurity Degree Hacking Plan

Cybersecurity Transfer Credits: What Transfers and What Doesn't

While there are 120 credits in this degree program, not all of them are transferable. As a strategic approach, you can handle general education, electives, and some major courses in other affordable choices. Then, you can save the core cybersecurity courses for GCU.

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With that said, here’s how you can organize transfer credits for the fastest path to earning your degree:

• ~34 40 Credits: General Education courses (easily transferable)

• 80 Credits: Major courses (mostly GCU only)

• ~0- 6 Credits: Open Electives (many transferable options)

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GCU Cybersecurity Degree Requirements: Course Transfer Strategy

_{Don't guess which courses transfer. Get your complete GCU Cybersecurity Degree transfer strategy covering all 120 credits with specific equivalencies, cost breakdowns, and timeline optimization.}

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Why Degree Hacking Works for GCU Cybersecurity Students

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• Major Cybersecurity Courses Taken at GCU: By completing general education elsewhere, you can save time and money while still getting GCU’s expert instruction in the core cybersecurity classes that really matter to your career.

• Lower Your Degree Cost: By cutting back most of gen eds and electives from your GCU curriculum via cost-efficient alternatives, you can reduce tuition costs by ~75%.

• Get to Graduation Fast: With efficient degree-hacking, your 4-year degree is achievable in less than 1.5 years with the same quality of education.

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Ready for Your Complete Plan?

The degree-hacking plan for cybersecurity students offers the following:

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• 34+ course list that you can finish before enrolling at GCU

• Cost-effective credit-earning methods from Study.com to CLEP/DSST exams

• Clear scheduling and budgeting sections of your plan

• Adjustable mapping designed to adapt to your lifestyle and finances

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Applying to GCU for the Bachelor of Science in Cybersecurity

When to Apply: Best Enrollment Schedule

You should enroll in the Cybersecurity degree program only after you’ve fully completed outside credit-earning options. Otherwise, you might not be able to submit them for review, and they won’t be accepted.

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GCU Admissions and Transfer Logistics

• You can apply to GCU online at any time—there’s no deadline

• Fill out the application and upload all required documents

• Have your official transcripts sent straight from each college or university you’ve attended

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GCU Tuition and Other Aid Information

• Tuition costs are at $485 per credit + additional fees

• Options for financing are FAFSA, military benefits, scholarships and grants from GCU, and work experience credits

• Cut back on tuition costs by finishing courses and taking exams from alternative credit options before enrollment

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GCU Bachelor of Science in Cybersecurity Career ROI

• Median Annual Salary: $124,910 for IT analysts  

• Degree Payback Time: 1-2 months of work

• Plus: Unique and hard-to-replace expertise, many remote job options, and increasingly relevant skills and knowledge

• Typical Roles: Cybersecurity Analyst, SOC Specialist, Network Security Admin, Penetration Tester

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