ODU to Offer On-Campus, Online Master’s Degree in Cybersecurity
May 22, 2018
The State Council of Higher Education for Virginia recently approved a new master's degree in cybersecurity at Old Dominion University. The degree will be offered on-campus and online and will prepare students for the 33,500 cybersecurity vacancies in the Commonwealth.
Graduates will develop competencies in the technical aspects of cybersecurity, with proficiency in emerging technologies. They will be prepared for high-level positions to secure the nation's cyber infrastructure and coordinate cyber operations teams.
"This graduate program reflects our commitment to providing educational opportunities that address very real issues in our region and the world," said President John R. Broderick, who spearheaded the hiring of seven new cybersecurity faculty over the past two years after creating the Center for Cybersecurity Education and Research in 2015.
"What's perhaps most important about this program," he added, "is that our faculty members will be expanding the pipeline for a diverse group of cybersecurity professionals who will be in positions responsible for safeguarding our critical infrastructure."
President Broderick also oversaw investments in the creation of a state-of-the-art cybersecurity infrastructure, including a cybersecurity lab consisting of 24 dedicated workstations and a virtual lab. Online students can remotely connect to the lab to conduct real-world cybersecurity experiments.
"This setup will effectively enrich course projects by implementation and experimental activities, providing students with hands-on experience, which has been shown to be an important factor in stimulating students' interest and sharpening their scientific reasoning and problem-solving skills," said Austin Agho, provost and vice president for academic affairs.
"As the volume and sophistication of cyber attacks grow, there is a surging demand for a well-trained cybersecurity workforce to safeguard information relating to national security, health and financial records, and various sensitive business and personnel data," said Hongyi "Michael" Wu, Batten Endowed Chair of Cybersecurity and director of ODU's Center for Cybersecurity Education and Research.
For questions about the new program, contact Hongyi Wu at h1wu@odu.edu.
