Campus Connection

Graduate degree program aims to fill major cybersecurity talent gap

The University of Wisconsin System Board of Regents has granted its approval to offer a 12-course, 34-credit 100% online master’s degree in cybersecurity. The program, which is powered by the University of Wisconsin Extended Campus, is a collaborative partnership among UW-La Crosse and seven other UW System campuses: UW-Green Bay, UW-Oshkosh, UW-Parkside, UW-Platteville, UW-River Falls, UW-Stevens Point, and UW-Superior.

"The multi-disciplinary degree will offer exciting opportunities for collaboration and innovation between students, faculty, and local business as UWL graduates prepare to respond to the shortage of cybersecurity professionals throughout the region,” says Jennifer Butler Modaff, UWL faculty member and Cybersecurity M.S. academic director.

The new online master’s degree features four unique tracks of study, allowing students to focus their education in one or more cybersecurity areas: Digital Forensics, Cyber Response, Governance & Leadership, and Security Architecture. Learn more at www.uwlax.edu/grad/cybersecurity/

Courses are planned to begin in September, pending approval from the Higher Learning Commission, one of six regional institutional accreditors in the U.S.

“There is an incredible talent gap in cybersecurity both in Wisconsin and around the globe,” notes Aaron Brower, Executive Director of UW Extended Campus.

UWL Extended Learning is coordinating the program at UWL. This will be the fourth collaborative M.S. degree that UWL Extended Learning has coordinated. Others include: Data Science, Healthcare Administration and Information Technology Management.

"The collaborative graduate programs developed by UW Extended Campus provide an exciting opportunity for faculty to work with graduate students in programs we could not develop on our own,” says UWL Graduate Studies Director Meredith Thomsen. “We thus broaden expertise on campus in cutting-edge areas like cybersecurity, which feeds back to enrich the experience of on-campus students."

The online cybersecurity master’s degree draws upon the talent and resources of the eight participating UW campuses and features a multidisciplinary curriculum taught by esteemed UW faculty, each contributing diverse expertise from fields including computer science, engineering, communications, economics and mathematics.

“We are pleased to work with our sister institutions to successfully serve students in this fast-growing field,” said Joanne Wilson, provost of UW-Platteville, the host campus for the online cybersecurity program. “Together, we’ve developed a master’s degree program that aims to prepare students to fill in-demand cybersecurity positions across all industries, in both private and government sectors.”

Graduates of the program will be prepared for positions such as cybersecurity engineer, information security analyst, network architect, and cybersecurity manager among others. Admission to the program requires a bachelor’s degree with prerequisite courses in computer science and calculus or statistics. Aptitude tests such as the GMAT and GRE are not required.

“The Master of Science in Cybersecurity program underwent a comprehensive curriculum development process,” says George Kroeninger, Chief Academic Officer at UW Extended Campus. “Over the last 18 months, we’ve partnered with industry professionals, and our UW campus partners to establish a rigorous master’s curriculum that will set graduates up for success in the cybersecurity field.”

The Master of Science in Cybersecurity is intended for students with a bachelor’s degree in areas including (but not limited to) computer science, information technology, information systems, or computer engineering, and who have professional experience in the information technology field, but are looking to gain specific cybersecurity skills to qualify for in-demand positions.

The program joins a growing list of flexible, online degree and certificate programs powered by University of Wisconsin Extended Campus in collaboration with UW System campus partners.

Prospective students seeking more information about the planned UW Cybersecurity graduate program may call 1.877.895.3276, or email learn@uwex.edu.

About UW Extended Campus

The University of Wisconsin is one of the largest and most widely respected public higher education systems in the country. UW Extended Campus partners with all UW System campuses to offer online degrees and certificates, as well as continuing education and lifelong learning opportunities. Through UW Extended Campus, anyone can access university resources and engage in online learning, wherever they live and work—fulfilling the promise of the “Wisconsin Idea.”