Adrian Johnson
TLDR:
– Baylor is introducing a new cybersecurity major in fall 2024 with four different concentrations.
– The major is a response to the high demand for cybersecurity professionals globally.
– Students can choose concentrations in business, policy, analytics, or an interdisciplinary focus.
An expansion to Baylor’s major catalog is on the horizon, with a new cybersecurity major set to begin next fall. According to Sean Hutton, a clinical associate professor in computer science and executive director of the Central Texas Cyber Range, the new major will address a “huge need” for more cybersecurity professionals around the globe. The major offers students the opportunity to choose one of four concentrations in business, policy, analytics, or an interdisciplinary focus. Each concentration will require six courses, expanding beyond computer and technical skills. As the major solidifies Baylor’s status as a National Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense Education, current students express excitement at the program’s growth and recognition.
Despite the development and launch of the new major, the earliest that students can earn a degree in cybersecurity is spring 2028. Current students in the computer science department will not be able to declare a cybersecurity major in order to graduate on time. However, the new major has already started to pay off for students like Misty Kurien, who has secured internships in cybersecurity through her studies at Baylor. The costs associated with planning and developing the new major have been covered by grant funding from the U.S. Department of Education.
