Ransomware attacks, data breaches, and other highly publicized E-crimes are highlighting a nationwide demand for cybersecurity experts. As businesses, health care providers, and government agencies seek skilled technicians to assess their operational risks and defend their computer networks, Wilmington University’s College of Technology stands ready to prepare job-seekers to enter or advance in one of today’s fastest-growing career fields.
“Cybersecurity is a frontline issue for business,” says Dr. Mark Hufe, director of WilmU’s Center for Cybersecurity Education. “It’s also a matter of national security. There’s a critical need for cybersecurity professionals in corporate America, as well as in government, law enforcement, military and intelligence. Wilmington University is uniquely qualified to train students to meet this demand.”
WilmU offers a range of practical, career-focused degree and certificate programs at the undergraduate and graduate level that combine academic rigor with hands-on opportunity. Our industry-experienced instructors and cutting-edge technology provide agile and responsive training for a wide range of positions in the rapidly evolving world of cybersecurity. And our online learning options, which have been recognized for excellence in eLearning, put cybersecurity education within reach of students nationwide.
The new Associate of Science in Cybersecurity degree, available in Fall 2021, introduces the basics of digital defense, including data and network asset protection, penetration testing (aka ethical hacking), and forensic investigation. Graduates of this two-year program can transfer seamlessly into WilmU’s Bachelor of Science in Computer & Network Security (see below) to complete the degree in another two years.
The BS in Cybersecurity provides a broad foundation in cybersecurity while qualifying its graduates for entry to industry-recognized certification exams, including CISA, CISSP, A+, Linux+, Security+, and Network+. Students can also customize their degrees with a concentration in Digital Forensics and/or certificates in Digital Evidence Discovery and Digital Evidence Investigation.
Mid-career professionals can master offensive security tactics through the Master of Science in Cybersecurity, an in-depth review of cyberintelligence, cybercrime investigation, forensics, critical structure preservation, countersabotage, and espionage. MS in Cybersecurity candidates can specialize their degrees through concentrations in Cyber Terrorism or SCADA (Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition) Cybersecurity.
The Information Assurance concentration of the Master of Science in Information Systems Technologies explores cybersecurity’s complex systems from a business perspective, preparing graduates to develop, implement, and protect technological solutions through the use of managerial concepts.
The College of Technology’s five-course graduate certificate in SCADA Cybersecurity focuses on the strategic monitoring and control of the infrastructure and processes behind such critical industries as power generation and transmission, water treatment, transportation, and pipelines.
Since 2011, WilmU and its bachelor’s degree in Computer & Network Security have been named a National Center of Academic Excellence for Information Assurance and Cybersecurity by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and the National Security Agency, a designation that strengthens students’ career prospects.
“Our CNS bachelor’s curriculum, faculty, and academic activities meet the federal government’s rigorous standards,” says Dr. Hufe. “That means the program’s graduates have the qualifications that the government is looking for.”
Students pursuing an associate degree in Cybersecurity at WilmU also benefit from this designation, says Dr. Hufe, as the two programs share faculty and coursework.
Affordable and available 100% online, WilmU’s cybersecurity degree and certificate programs allow you to learn while you earn, acquiring the professional skills necessary to meet tomorrow’s challenges while putting your coursework lessons to work on the job today.
For more information about cybersecurity education at WilmU, please visit the College of Technology’s website at wilmu.edu/technology.