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Cybersecurity

Degree Level:

Undergraduate

school:

Division of Mathematics and Information Technology

Learning Mode:

On Campus

Degree:

Major, Minor, Concentration

Bachelor of Science in Cybersecurity or Bachelor of Arts in Information Technology with a concentration in Cybersecurity

Help prevent crime - digitally! Keeping our digital information safe and secure is a growing need, and the Information Technology industry is responding by preparing professionals trained in cybersecurity. As a Cybersecurity major, you’ll be on the frontlines of this emerging field of study, not only learning about the industry but also helping to shape it!

Why be a Cybersecurity major?

Here’s what makes the Mount’s Cybersecurity major unique:

Faculty who’ve been there: Our Cybersecurity faculty are trained cybersecurity analysts who have worked in this industry, and now want to teach you about it! Plus, small class sizes allow you one-on-one attention and experiences.
Criminology background: Gain even more understanding of cybersecurity's legal and security aspects with a double major or minor in the Mount’s popular Criminology program or declaring a Legal Studies minor.
Well-rounded approach: We have carefully designed our Cybersecurity program to meet the ever-changing industry and government demands. You'll take courses from a number of subjects to learn both the technical and non-technical aspects of Cybersecurity, including computer science and security, criminology, information assurance, forensic science, and mathematics.
Center for Cybersecurity: The Center for Cybersecurity provides program guidance and oversight to our Cybersecurity major and concentration; brings expert speakers to campus; provides cyber defense resources to the campus and the community; and more. To learn more about the Center for Cybersecurity and to access its resources, click here.
Hands-on learning: Just talking about technology isn’t good enough: You have to try it for yourself! Cybersecurity majors have access to the same state-of-the-art labs and real-world experiences as our traditional IT majors.

Request Information on Cybersecurity

What to expect as a Cybersecurity major

24 credits in Information Technology | 24 credits in Cybersecurity | 2.0 GPA or higher

Learn about Cybersecurity academic requirements and courses here.
Learn about Information Technology major with a concentration in Cybersecurity academic requirements and courses here.

In order to be a good cybersecurity analyst, one must be knowledgeable in all of the other areas of technology - after all, you can only protect what you know! Our Cybersecurity majors learn about all the aspects of technology in addition to the specific skills needed to secure it.

You’ll start with a groundwork of courses in programming, operating systems, computer architecture, databases and computer networks. From there, you'll explore more specialized courses in both technical and non-technical areas of cybersecurity, including ethical hacking, penetration testing, cryptography, digital forensics, security risk management, cyber law, and ethics. You'll also have the opportunity for both independent studies on a topic of your choosing and internships at a variety of technology operations in the Hudson Valley, New York City, and beyond!

Students may also choose to declare the traditional Information Technology major but concentrate or minor in Cybersecurity.

“It is truly amazing how close you can become with the professors. They really care about their students like family and I count my blessings every day that I have been able to get to know and work with these people.”

Justin Parker ’23

Be prepared for your future

Cybersecurity is a growing field. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, more than 200,000 cybersecurity-related jobs remained unfilled in 2016; the number is projected to grow by 18 percent by the year 2024. The median annual wage for an information security analyst was above $90,000 in 2016.

Mount Cybersecurity majors are prepared for lead careers in several industry sectors including technology and internet, security software, defense, government, teaching, e-commerce, banking, finance, business, and more.

While Cybersecurity is a new major at the Mount, several of our alumni are already enjoying security-related positions in the industry:

Sean Jennings ’17, Information Security Risk & Compliance Analyst at Central Hudson Gas and Electric
Brendan DuRoss ’17, Senior Cyber Security Analyst at SKOUT CYBERSECURITY
Ryan Bellows ’20, Information Technology Specialist (Security/Systems Administration) at West Point