Charleston Southern to offer new BS in Cyber Security degree
November 17, 2016
Dr. Valerie Sessions, Dean of Computer Science, says she has never been more passionate about any program as she is about Charleston Southern University’s new Bachelor of Science in Cyber Security.
“The only secure network is one not plugged into anything,” Sessions offers with a wry smile. “That’s why there’s such a high demand for these jobs and it’s also why cyber security jobs often pay more than other IT duties.”
CSU will be the only college or university, locally, to offer a BS in Cyber Security. The degree is pending approval from the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on College and is scheduled to begin in the fall of 2017. However, currently enrolled CSU students may begin taking courses in the spring and will be available as a hybrid curriculum with courses offered both online and on campus.
“We want students who graduate from CSU to still be relevant in this field 30 years later,” said Sessions.
She is confident the program’s curriculum will be much more than a trendy response to a burgeoning career opportunity. To create this major, the department will combine core courses from the computer science and criminal justice curriculums. CSU also plans to offer specialized courses in competitive security, network penetration and securing software.
“Charleston Southern’s integration of cyber security and criminal justice programs is an insightful and exciting response to future needs of our commercial industry, government and our military,” added Rich Nelson, President of Palmetto Roost, a local cyber warfare group.
Charleston’s reputation and nickname as the Silicon Harbor certainly appears a well-timed fit for the specialized education CSU’s Computer Science students will receive. Sessions also believes “… our graduates will receive enough fundamental computer science to do anything they want.”
As more and more large companies and small-to-medium businesses make Charleston their home, there will be an increased need for information security specialists. For more information on CSU’s Bachelor of Science in Cyber Security, contact Dr. Valerie Sessions at (843) 863-7529 or email her at [email protected].
Founded in 1964, Charleston Southern University is a private, four-year liberal arts college. CSU is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) and is affiliated with the South Carolina Baptist Convention. The University’s vision is to be a Christian university nationally recognized for integrating faith in learning, leading and serving.
