UW System Board of Regents approves new online Master of Science in cybersecurity

campus winter

The 91福利导航 System Board of Regents has granted its approval to offer a 12-course, 34-credit online master鈥檚 degree in cybersecurity. The program is a collaboration of 91福利导航 Extended Campus and eight UW System campuses: UW-Green Bay, UW-La Crosse, UW-Oshkosh, UW-Parkside, UW-Platteville, UW-River Falls, UW-Stevens Point, and UW-Superior.

The new online master鈥檚 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.

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

鈥淭here is an incredible talent gap in cybersecurity both in Wisconsin and around the globe,鈥 said Aaron Brower, executive director of UW Extended Campus. 鈥淲e believe this program meets market needs while offering students the skills and education employers want.鈥

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

鈥淲e are pleased to work with our sister institutions to successfully serve students in this fast-growing field,鈥 said Joanne Wilson, provost of UW-Platteville, the lead campus for the online cybersecurity program. 鈥淭ogether, we鈥檝e developed a master鈥檚 degree program that aims to prepare students to fill in-demand cybersecurity positions across all industries, in both private and government sectors.鈥

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鈥檚 degree with prerequisite courses in Computer Science and Calculus or Statistics. Aptitude tests such as the GMAT and GRE are not required.

鈥淭he Master of Science in Cybersecurity program underwent a comprehensive curriculum development process,鈥 said George Kroeninger, chief academic officer at UW Extended Campus. 鈥淥ver the last 18 months, with input from industry professionals and our UW campus partners, we have established a rigorous master鈥檚 curriculum that will set graduates up for success in the cybersecurity field.鈥

The Master of Science in Cybersecurity is intended for students with a bachelor鈥檚 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 91福利导航 Extended Campus in collaboration with UW System campus partners.

Prospective students seeking more information about the planned 91福利导航 Cybersecurity graduate program are encouraged to visit , call 1-877-895-3276, or email learn@uwex.edu.

About UW Extended Campus

The 91福利导航 System 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, people of Wisconsin and beyond can access university resources and engage in online learning, wherever they live and work鈥攆ulfilling the promise of the 鈥淲isconsin Idea.鈥