SEMO adding degree in cybersecurity

The Internet has been likened to the Wild West of the 21st century, and it's going to need a lot more cybercops.

To meet the demand, Southeast Missouri State University plans to offer a bachelor of science degree in cybersecurity.

The university's board of regents last week approved the program, which could launch in the fall semester of 2011, with the acceptance of the Coordinating Board of Higher Education. The proposed 124-hour program uses existing foundation courses offered on campus -- like telecommunications, computer science and mathematics -- and adds six courses, including Web application security.

Network security "is becoming a big area, and nationwide there is a real shortage of people prepared to secure, not just government information but all sorts of private companies have security concerns," said Randy Shaw, dean of the School of Polytechnic Studies.

In their request before the board of regents, Southeast administrators wrote that the demand for cybersecurity professionals has never been greater. The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects 20 percent growth of jobs in the field nationally, adding up to 135,500 jobs by 2018, and Missouri anticipates a 21 percent growth by 2018, the program application says.

In researching the degree program, the university formed the Southeast Cybersecurity Advisory Committee, representing computer security and forensics interests for area organizations in banking, health care, telecommunications, manufacturing and law enforcement. Shaw said members report a need for cybersecurity professionals.

"Everybody is looking for people with network security-type experiences," he said.

One existing full-time-equivalent employee in the university's Department of Industrial and Engineering Technology would be dedicated to the program and the new courses. The department also has equipment funds to start the program but will be soliciting grant funding for further development.

The major reportedly would be one of the few of its kind offered in the Midwest.

Shaw said he's not certain how many students might enroll, but the department already has had a lot of interest.

"We expect it to grow rapidly," he said.

Regents also approved the elimination of bachelor of arts degrees in several languages and anthropology. Instead, the programs will be rolled into a broader bachelor of arts in global cultures and languages. The change, according to the university's application, is in response to low graduation rates for the majors. The new degree was developed in response to the accelerating global interdependence of modern societies, cultures and economies, according to a Southeast news release.

"This new BA incorporates the aforementioned BAs into one major, with options in Anthropology, French, German and Global Studies," the application says. "Existing courses and faculty will be used, with no additional costs anticipated."

The Department of Foreign Languages and Anthropology will be renamed the Department of Global Cultures and Languages, effective fall 2011.

mkittle@semissourian.com

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