SMU Professional and Online Addresses Urgent Need for Cybersecurity Experts with New Online Master’s Degree
”An SMU Master’s degree in cybersecurity offers new career opportunities with training from top SMU experts, along with the convenience of an online program,” says Larenda Mielke, Associate Provost for SMU Global and Online
Dallas, TX (PRWEB) March 07, 2019
Students may apply now for SMU’s new online Master’s degree in cybersecurity, which will launch in January 2020. Presented by SMU Professional and Online (SMU PRO) and the Lyle School of Engineering, classes in the interactive 20-month program will be taught by faculty members from the Lyle School’s Computer Science department, in the same school which houses the Darwin Deason Institute for Cybersecurity.
“Cybersecurity is a rapidly growing career choice with tremendous opportunities for employment and positive impact,” says Larenda Mielke, Associate Provost for SMU Global and Online. “Sixty-five percent of organizations report a demand for skilled cybersecurity professionals according to the ICS2 2018 Cybersecurity Workforce Study. In addition, according to Ziprecruiter, the national average salary for a cybersecurity engineer is $117,000. An SMU Master’s degree in cybersecurity offers new career opportunities with training from top SMU experts, along with the convenience of an online program.”
Frederick R. Chang chairs the Computer Science department and is executive director of the Deason Center, and former director of research for the U.S. National Security Agency.
“One of the reasons why cyber intrusions are so prevalent today is that there is a lack of trained, qualified personnel to defend the nation’s cyber assets,” said Chang in recent testimony before the U.S. Congress. “In a survey of North American Information Technology and IT security professionals, 35 percent reported that there is a shortage of IT security professionals at most every level.”
“The challenge to make cyberspace more secure is a long-term, enduring problem. Today’s students will be responsible for designing, creating, operating, maintaining and defending tomorrow’s cyber infrastructure,” he said.
Prospective students are invited to apply for SMU PRO’s online master’s degree in cybersecurity, call program advisor Melvin Alvaregna at 214-768-1186 or email Online@SMU.edu to learn more.
About SMU PRO
SMU Professional and Online, SMU PRO, is an initiative of the nationally ranked and globally recognized research university in Dallas, SMU. Offering student professionals skills in demand from employers, SMU PRO provides a wide range of degrees, certificates and short courses to help professionals advance in their careers or transition successfully to new ones. SMU PRO presents in-person and convenient online degree programs and courses using transformative technology that delivers a high-quality, classroom-like experience. SMU PRO now offers in-person and online master’s degrees in two sought-after fields of cybersecurity and data science. For more information, visit SMU.edu/PRO, on LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram @SMU_PRO.
About SMU
SMU is the nationally ranked global research university in the dynamic city of Dallas. SMU’s alumni, faculty and nearly 12,000 students in seven degree-granting schools demonstrate an entrepreneurial spirit as they lead change in their professions, communities and the world.
20,000 cyber-related jobs soon to be needed in Texas*
*Source: Cyberseek
