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Syracuse University’s College of Professional Studies introduced a Bachelor of Professional Studies degree in cybersecurity administration this fall.

The degree consists of 120 credits and is being offered completely online. The program contains weekly synchronous sessions that allow students to directly engage with their professors and participate in class dialogue and activities. 

Ryan Williams, associate dean of academic affairs in the College of Professional Studies – formerly University College – explained that the degree offers a variety of skills that are crucial to the world of cybersecurity. 

Students in the BPS program learn skills including digital forensics, applied information security and securing enterprise digital computer networks, Williams said in an email to The Daily Orange. 

The BPS program stands apart from other programs because it also contains the administrative components of cybersecurity, Williams said.

In the past couple of years, there has been an uptick in ransomware, said Ed Matthews, a part-time instructor in the College of Professional Studies. The pandemic, in particular, has opened up many more opportunities for criminals to take advantage of computer systems, and there have been many recent attacks on hospitals, doctors offices and health companies, Matthews said.

Even before the pandemic, there has been a major shortage in new cybersecurity professionals. In 2020, 3.12 million cybersecurity positions were unfilled globally according to a survey from (ISC)², a nonprofit organization that specializes in cybersecurity certification. This number is projected to jump to 3.5 million unfilled positions this year. Fewer than 25% of the applicants for these jobs are qualified for the positions they are applying for, according to MIT Technology Review.

Many people have been working remotely, creating a much higher risk of cyberattacks, Matthews said. Company information is now being scanned onto home networks, which means that other devices connected to the network — even a child’s video game — provide a medium for hacking into company data, he said.

Despite the shortage of cybersecurity professionals, companies looking to hire someone in the field of cybersecurity still maintain high standards for their employees, as it is a profession that requires expertise and proficiency, Matthews said. Matthews works for a major healthcare provider in Boston and emphasized that the company is still looking for top-notch candidates despite the worker shortage. 

Matthews’ class helps students who are new to the industry learn basic concepts, gain interest in the industry and investigate current issues. Students are offered four labs, with an optional fifth lab, and can work with a third party lab company that helps facilitate learning, Matthews said.

Current cybersecurity news, which is a major aspect of Matthews’ class, helps students to understand the conditions and fundamentals of the industry. If students hear, for example, that there is a security breach, they can discuss the background of the breach and how to solve the issue, Matthews said. This gives students a better understanding to see if they would like to enter the cybersecurity field, he said.

Students with a degree in cybersecurity administration have access to a variety of different job types, Matthews said. These jobs range from a cybersecurity risk analyst — a job that focuses more on the research side of cybersecurity — to a more technical job, such as an engineer that works with Python coding.

“You can really make the degree your own,” Matthews said. “I tell all students, if you want to get your foot in the door, get on a cybersecurity team and go be anything.”

Published on September 7, 2021 at 1:19 am

Contact Hannah: hcferrer@syr.edu