ÂÌÅ«Ì컨°å

• What is cybersecurity?
• Why major in cybersecurity?
• Why study cybersecurity at ÂÌÅ«Ì컨°å?
• Does a cybersecurity minor exist?
• DoesÌýÂÌÅ«Ì컨°å offer any graduate programs in cybersecurity?
• What classes are cybersecurity majors and minors required to take?
• How important are professional certifications?
• What types of companies hire cybersecurity majors?
• How important is experience in getting your first job?
• Why is ÂÌÅ«Ì컨°å’s cybersecurity program offered in a business college?
• Is Cybersecurity really just a sub-field of the Computer Science discipline?
• What computer would you recommend Cybersecurity students to get?
• Who can I talk with to learn more about the cybersecurity program?

What is cybersecurity?Ìý´¥ÌýBack to top.

Cybersecurity is an emerging field where professionals aim to protect the confidentiality, availability and integrity of information and information systems that support businesses and other enterprises. Today, society relies on an immense array of global networks and information systems to run organizations, communicate and support critical infrastructures. A cybersecurity professional helps to protect these systems.

ÂÌÅ«Ì컨°å’s cybersecurity program, offered by theÌýInformation and Technology Management (ITM) departmentÌýin the Sykes College of Business, is similar to other programs called information security, information assurance or computer security. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security provides a valuableÌý.

The ÂÌÅ«Ì컨°å cybersecurity major and minor officially begin during the Fall 2015 semester.

Why major in cybersecurity?Ìý´¥ÌýBack to top.ÌýÌý

First, high demand on the job market. The need for smart people who understand both business and cybersecurity is significant and growing. The U.S. government’s Bureau of Labor and Statistics (BLS) states thatÌý, much faster than the average for all occupations.

Second, competitive salaries. The BLS also states that the median pay in 2012 for an information security analyst is $86,170. With a college degree and professional certifications, pay can be higher.Ìý

Third, job satisfaction. Cybersecurity professionals make a significant contribution to the well-being of the organizations in which they work. These professionals are knowledgeable, people-oriented and understand the importance of securing information and technological systems in the workplace.

Why study cybersecurity at ÂÌÅ«Ì컨°å?Ìý´¥ÌýBack to top.ÌýÌý

Besides the fact that ÂÌÅ«Ì컨°å offers a great college atmosphere, ÂÌÅ«Ì컨°å’sÌýÌýis a ranked AACSB-accredited business school. Moreover, we offer a modern cybersecurity lab containing penetration testing and ethical hacking tools with a full cyber-range of targets. Further, the lab itself is certified to the ISO 27001 international standard—thus, we apply a robust information security and risk management program to our own facilities (i.e. we practice what we teach).

Does a cybersecurity minor exist?Ìý´¥ÌýBack to top.ÌýÌý

Yes. A cybersecurity minor is an excellent complement and job prospect boost to many majors offered across the University.

Does ÂÌÅ«Ì컨°å offer any graduate programs in cybersecurity?Ìý´¥ÌýÌýBack to top.ÌýÌý

Yes. We offer aÌýMaster of Science, a graduate certificate and an MBA concentrationÌýin cybersecurity. Ìý

What classes are cybersecurity majors and minors required to take?Ìý´¥ÌýBack to top.

A complete list of requirements and course descriptions is provided in theÌý.

How important are professional certifications?Ìý´¥ÌýBack to top.ÌýÌý

Like work experience, earning certifications gives you a competitive edge in the job market.Ìý While many valuable certifications exist, the ÂÌÅ«Ì컨°å cybersecurity curriculum is designed to cover theÌýcommon body of knowledgeÌýof theÌýÌý(CISSP) exam. The CISSP exam is rigorous. To be fully certified, a person must pass the exam and also have sufficient relevant experience in the field. If this experience is lacking, the person can become an ‘Associate CISSP’ until the experience is gained. Rather than a CISSP, a student can prepare for the Security+ certification or theÌýÌý(SSCP) designation, which are both valuable if you are looking to start a new career in the field.

What types of companies hire cybersecurity majors?Ìý´¥ÌýBack to top.ÌýÌý

In addition to pure cybersecurity and IT companies, nearly every Fortune 1000 and medium-size business regardless of industry hires information security professionals. Governments, nonprofits, healthcare, finance, banking, retail, entertainment, energy and transportation industries all hire security professionals. Moreover, a growing number of cybersecurity consulting companies exist today. ÂÌÅ«Ì컨°å’s Office of Career Services posts many job opportunities for ÂÌÅ«Ì컨°å students atÌýHire ÂÌÅ«Ì컨°å.

How important is experience in getting your first job?Ìý|ÌýBack to top.ÌýÌý

Gaining relevant experience in the IT and/or information security field is strongly recommended during the college years.ÌýÂÌÅ«Ì컨°å internship programÌýhelps students earn valuable work experience. Generally speaking, college graduates with experience have a competitive edge over those who do not – which is true with all fields, not just with IT and cybersecurity.

Why is ÂÌÅ«Ì컨°å’s cybersecurity program offered in a business college?Ìý´¥ÌýBack to top.ÌýÌý

Many cybersecurity programs are offered in science and engineering colleges whereas ÂÌÅ«Ì컨°å’s program is part of the business college. We emphasize cybersecurity as a business problem, and students in our program benefit from taking business courses that include accounting, marketing, economics, finance and business law. Cybersecurity professionals must be tech-savvy, people-orientated and business smart to be fully successful in today’s environment.

Is cybersecurity really just a sub-field of the computer science discipline?Ìý´¥ÌýBack to top.ÌýÌý

The growing field of cybersecurity (or information security) is more of a separate field than a sub-field of computer science. In cybersecurity, areas such as business, economics, law, mathematics, criminology and human psychology make an important contribution in gaining a broad and rich security education.Ìý Today's security professional needs to function in a variety of disciplines and must understand not only computing and technology systems, but also business processes, risk management, statistics, law and regulatory compliance, for example. Because of this, ÂÌÅ«Ì컨°å's cybersecurity program is designed to provide a strong technology foundation but within a broad educational environment.

What computer would you recommend Cybersecurity students to get?Ìý´¥ÌýBack to top.ÌýÌý

We do not have any particular requirements for that. However, we would strongly recommend getting as much RAM as possible so you can handle running virtualization sessions easily.

Who can I talk with to learn more about the cybersecurity program?Ìý´¥ÌýÌýBack to top.

For more information about the cybersecurity major or minor or to schedule a tour of the cybersecurity lab, contactÌýcybersecurity@ut.edu.Ìý