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Another featured student was Buse Onat \u201926,<\/strong> a triple major in cybercrime\/homeland security, criminal justice and philosophy. Like Ciaccio, Onat is also pursuing a master\u2019s in cybercrime investigation and cybersecurity through the University\u2019s accelerated program.<\/p>\n Partnering with Sinchul Back, Ph.D., associate professor, Onat explored how digital guardianship \u2014 from secure passwords to AI-driven anomaly detection \u2014 reduces fraud risk in credit card transactions. Onat and Dr. Back\u2019s hands-on research included studying more than 568,000 anonymized credit card transactions.<\/p>\n \u201cWorking with Dr. Back has been one of the best parts of my time at Scranton,\u201d Onat said<\/a>. \u201cIt gave me real research experience and showed me how classroom knowledge applies to real problems. \u2026<\/p>\n \u201cThat perspective has helped me think more critically and practically as a grad student.\u201d<\/p>\n While Ciaccio and Onat are simultaneously managing rigorous undergraduate and graduate work, Noah Mumma \u201925<\/strong> is a recent graduate who is solely pursuing a master\u2019s degree in cybercrime investigation and cybersecurity.<\/p>\n Working closely with Dr. Onat, Mumma has conducted outside-the-box research on cybercriminals\u2019 behaviors and motivations. These individuals, Mumma said, often target states with higher median household incomes and greater internet access.<\/p>\n \u201cThis suggests cybercriminals are more concerned with overall income and digital connectivity than physical infrastructure,\u201d Mumma said<\/a>.<\/p>\n Ciaccio, Onat and Mumma are entering a growing field, as the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics<\/a> reports a projected 29% increase in security analyst jobs from 2024 to 2034.<\/p>\n According to the most recent Roche Family Center for Career Development\u2019s Class of 2024 First Destination Survey,<\/a> University of Scranton cybercrime and homeland security majors entered the field with an average starting salary of $70,122. Graduate students who earned master\u2019s degrees in cybercrime investigation and cybersecurity had an average starting salary of $82,710.<\/p>\n \u201cScranton\u2019s program stands out because it teaches not only technical skills to defend against cyberattacks, but also computer crime law and cybercrime criminology,\u201d Mumma said. \u201cThis gives students a lot more experience with different roles they can eventually apply for.\u201d<\/p>\n For more information, please visit the University\u2019s cybercrime and homeland security undergraduate page<\/a> and the University\u2019s cybercrime investigation and cybersecurity master\u2019s program webpage<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n