Two-minute impact
The increasing occurrence of cybersecurity threats and the widening gap between technical specialists and business leaders led to the program’s creation, Haynes said.
"The expectation is not just walking away with a degree but you're walking away with the real skills to do the job in today's business environment,” Haynes said. “Most businesses today are kind of ill prepared for what the challenges are going to be for tomorrow."
Graduates will be prepared for a wide range of career paths due to their hybrid technical and strategic skill sets. These roles include:
- Cybersecurity analyst
- Risk-management specialist
- Information security risk consultant
- Governance, risk and compliance analyst
- Cyber risk underwriter
- Business continuity and resilience manager
- Security awareness and training specialist
- Regulatory compliance analyst
- Enterprise risk analyst
“This program reflects our broader commitment to developing graduates who can solve complex problems and lead organizations to become more resilient with every passing day,” he said in a news release.
The details
The program intends to equip graduates with foundation technical skills, such as basic coding, systems architecture and cybersecurity frameworks, Haynes said. Enrollment has already started, he said, and expects between 60 and 100 students to enroll in the program’s first semester.
There are four core classes each student must take, two focused on information technology and programming and two covering strategic business risk decision-making and cybersecurity risk management.
There will also be five elective classes covering areas such as ethical hacking, operational risk management, coding and more.
"I'm trying to take what took me 20 years to learn and give that to [students] in four years," Haynes said.
Why it matters
Haynes said business leaders have highlighted the need for graduates who can understand technical threats, navigate regulatory requirements, manage enterprise risks and support organizational resilience.
Historically, cybersecurity professionals have come from information technology and computer science fields, Haynes said, adding they lack business acumen which leads to resistance in corporations when security measures may hamper business operations.
The curriculum is designed to provide graduates with a balanced and interdisciplinary skill set, Haynes said.
Dr. Dawn Owens, associate dean for undergraduate programs in the Jindal School, said the new major will enhance the school’s portfolio by bridging the gap between business, technology and risk management.
What else?
Students in the program will have experimental learning opportunities, Haynes said, such as case studies, risk simulations, cybersecurity exercises and real-world consulting projects.
An example of a planned future challenge is one where students must break a security code without the use of generative artificial intelligence. Haynes said this exercise will force students to engage in critical thinking and problem solving in unique ways.
Quote of note
“What a successful cyber security professional looks like today is a person who wears multiple hats,” Haynes said. “Someone who can navigate not only the technical challenge of cyber security but can communicate to business leaders, can run a budget and manage the difficulties of teams.”
