The bachelor of applied science in cybersecurity, new this semester, will provide a broad spectrum of advanced instruction and training, including cyber defense measures, threat and vulnerability, and ethical hacking — the use of hacking techniques to help companies and organizations identify and fix vulnerabilities in their network systems.
“We already offer an associate’s degree in cybersecurity,” said program director Mike Krakow. “But it’s more of an entry-level curriculum.
“By offering this advanced level of education, we’re ensuring that our graduates are well-equipped to tackle complex security issues and contribute significantly to the protection of digital assets in both the public and private sectors.”
A joint venture between PPSC, Red Rocks, Arapahoe and Pueblo community colleges, the cybersecurity bachelor’s program has been two years in the making, according to Krakow.
“There’s been a need for this kind of program for a long time,” he said.
The cybersecurity degree is PPSC’s fourth bachelor’s program. A fifth, in behavioral science, will be added next year.
The University of Colorado Colorado Springs offers about 20 cybersecurity-related degrees, according to UCCS’s website.
Hackers, identity thieves and other cyber-criminals have grown more and more sophisticated in recent years, officials said. Malware and phishing attacks have become more prevalent and complex. Qualified cybersecurity professionals are needed, in nearly every industry, to combat this rapidly growing threat.
According to the job market website Cyberseek, there are about 15,000 cybersecurity-related job openings in Colorado, with 5,000 of those vacancies residing in Colorado Springs.
The city is also home to Cyber Mountain, which hosts more than 125 cybersecurity-related companies, officials said.
“Colorado Springs is a cybersecurity hotspot,” Krakow said. “There are lots of openings here. But we’ve learned that quite a few of those openings require a bachelor’s degree.”
The new bachelor’s degree program, which holds its courses online, has 14 PPSC students enrolled for the fall semester, Krakow said. Red Rocks and Pueblo community colleges also have students enrolled.
The plan is to incrementally expand the program, with an aim toward offering on-campus courses by the 2025 fall semester.
For local high school students in Colorado Springs District 11 and Harrison District 2, where PPSC offers Promise scholarships, the cybersecurity degree program represents an opportunity to get trained in a fast-growing field at a lower price, Krakow said.
“We’re hoping our Promise Program students see the value in this opportunity,” he said.
With roughly 450,000 cybersecurity job openings in the U.S., a certified cyber professional can travel just about anywhere in the country, Krakow said.
“Cybersecurity is needed in just about every business and organization in the country,” he said. “You could pick a field you care about — like healthcare, education or sports — and support that field as a cybersecurity expert. There are opportunities everywhere.”
©2024 The Gazette (Colorado Springs, Colo.). Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
