ISU already offers a concentrated sequence in information assurance and security within its bachelor's degree program in information systems.
Glen Sagers, associate professor of information technology, said the cybersecurity major would allow more depth and breadth in the courses. Instead of the three courses that are part of special sequence, the major would have five required courses dealing with cybersecurity and an elective in secure software development, said Sagers.
“To the best of my knowledge, we're the first in Illinois” to offer the cybersecurity major, he said.
Overall, the program would require 80 credit hours in the major including 56 credit hours in information technology.
The proposal was approved by the ISU board of trustees last week, but still needs approval from the Illinois Board of Higher Education.
The program will prepare students to evaluate the security needs of computer and network systems and recommend safeguards, as well as implement and maintain security devices and systems, according to the proposal.
Information security has been “growing rather quickly in the last five years,” said Sagers. The new major is projected to have 125 students when fully implemented.
The demand for cybersecurity experts “far exceeds the supply,” he said. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects that demand for information security specials will grow 18 percent from 2014 to 2024.
The new major will allow ISU to produce “better trained professionals to fill the gap the Bureau of Labor Statistics says there will be in cybersecurity,” said Sagers.
The department is already fielding questions from potential students about the new major and Sagers said he is “very excited” to see it moving forward.
So are some current students in the information security sequence, even though they won't directly be able to take advantage of the new major.
“That's the future, when you think about it,” said senior Brenna Dahmm of Morton, who is looking for a job as an information security analyst after graduation.
Another senior, Ben Bradley of Woodstock, pointed to data breaches that seem to be in the news every day.
“It's always going to be relevant as we grow in technology,” said Bradley, who wants to work in vulnerability management and “ethical hacking” — pretending to be a “bad guy” to expose and correct weak spots in computer security.
In addition to course work, students get practice in cybersecurity-related topics through student organizations and events such as the Capture the Flag challenge that begins Friday.
During the challenge, teams of students are presented with a series of hacker challenges by ISU's School of Information Technology and staff from the State Farm Insurance Cos. Systems Department.
Bradley and senior Evan Rappe of Macon participated on a four-person team that finished fourth in last year's competition.
“You had to learn something on they fly,” said Bradley. “It exposed you to real-world scenarios you don't come across in classes.”
Added Rappe, “It's getting inside their minds to get one step ahead of them (hackers) or at least try to be.”
©2016 The Pantagraph (Bloomington, Ill.) Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
