John Brown University to offer new degree track for cybersecurity
by February 21, 2020 12:33 pm 695 views
John Brown University in Siloam Springs announced Friday (Feb. 21) the addition of an undergraduate cybersecurity degree beginning in the fall of 2020. Students can select to pursue either a Bachelor of Science degree or a Bachelor of Arts degree, which allows students to pursue an interdisciplinary program with other academic areas such as entrepreneurship and innovation.
In a news release announcing the degree, JBU officials noted project under the U.S. Department of Commerce that says there are nearly 1,400 unfilled cybersecurity positions in Arkansas alone. The supply-demand ratio for cybersecurity is nearly double the national average of all positions. Nationally, there are over 500,000 unfilled cybersecurity openings.
“Digital data infrastructures are storing massive amounts of data that must be protected,” Ted Song, JBU associate professor of engineering, said in the release. “With a critical shortage of qualified cybersecurity professionals, JBU sees this as an important opportunity to provide graduates with the technical knowledge, soft skills and the foundation of Christian ethics to meet this vital need.”
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts a 32% growth rate in the cybersecurity industry between 2018-2028, with a median salary of $98,350.
The new program offering features a partnership between JBU and Bluefield (Va.) College. JBU students will take 26 of the required 47 credit hours of cybersecurity courses through Bluefield’s online classes.
Students can elect to follow an accelerated 4 1 program which allows them to finish both their bachelor’s degree and master’s in cybersecurity from JBU in five years.
For more information, click this link.