The College of Engineering (COEN) at Boise State University received unanimous approval from the Idaho State Board of Education to launch new online cyber operations and resilience (CORe) programs for fall 2021. These programs are a collaboration between COEN, Extended Studies and the Institute for Pervasive Cybersecurity.
The new programs include a Bachelor of Science in Cyber Operations and Resilience, a Master of Science in Cyber Operations and Resilience and three graduate certificates: Analyst and Threat Intelligence, Resilience Engineering and Governance Policy Administration. The Governance Policy Administration graduate certificate will be available to students in fall 2022.
The existing undergraduate cyber operations certificate curriculum, funded for three years by the Idaho Workforce Development Council starting in 2019, served as a foundational building block to developing the new online CORe programs. The CORe programs were designed with collaborative input from faculty at Idaho State University, engineers and researchers at Idaho National Laboratory and members of the local Information Systems Security Association chapter.
The CORe programs go beyond theory to teach students to anticipate, detect and mitigate cyber and physical infrastructure threats by combining curriculum with practical application. In a digital environment where cyberattacks are a constant threat, students from these programs fill an immediate need in the workforce as there were over 500,000 new cyber jobs between January 2018 and September 2020 alone (Cyber Feasibility Study, Boise State University, 2020).
“These new programs in cyber operations and resilience (CORe) expand the College of Engineering cyber and workforce training opportunities both in terms of access: being fully online degree programs, and student populations: designed for adult learners as well as traditional students. The certifications gained within these degrees meet the needs of Boise State’s cybersecurity initiative, as well as fulfill the national workforce demands,” said JoAnn Lighty, the dean of COEN.
The fully online CORe programs are the first of their kind in Idaho and the program’s unique emphasis on theory combined with application aims to create industry-ready students.
“There are misconceptions that cyber programs are about calculus, computer science or engineering,” said Boise State Cyber Operations and Resilience program director Sin Ming Loo. “While they are important, that mindset concentrates only on technology rather than interactions. To help build a safer world, CORe aims to create an understanding of the interactions between people, process and technology.”
Boise State recognizes the need for skilled cyber professionals who can create and protect resilient systems and networks. The CORe programs are led by instructors with industry experience, preparing students to join the workforce from day-one after graduation. The addition of the online CORe programs expands the boundaries of higher education and opens doors to increased career opportunities.
“These new programs in cyber operations and resilience place Boise State at the forefront of innovative cyber workforce training opportunities,” said Edward Vasko, director of the Institute for Pervasive Cybersecurity. “The programs being fully online allow a level of accessibility and inclusivity that empowers the 21st-century learner. The fantastic faculty we have gathered will enable industry-focused content to provide a ‘beyond the book’ level of knowledge to students.”
To learn more about Boise State University’s Institute for Pervasive Cybersecurity, please visit www.boisestate.edu/cybersecurity. To learn more about all of Boise State University’s online offerings, please visit www.boisestate.edu/online.
Program Overviews:
Undergraduate Cyber Operations and Resilience (uCORe): This online Bachelor of Science degree program equips students with practical knowledge, industry certifications, and the skills needed to be a career-ready cyber professional who can anticipate and manage cyber threats and design resilient systems.
Graduate Cyber Operations and Resilience (gCORe): This Master of Science program prepares students to design, remediate and operate resilient information systems, physical systems, and networks. The program features customizable learning paths with stackable credentials, certificates, hands-on experiential learning, learning by teaching, and practical application.
gCORe Analyst and Threat Intelligence Certificate: The Analyst and Threat Intelligence Certificate is part of the Graduate Cyber Operations and Resilience (gCORe) program. The Analyst and Threat Intelligence Certificate prepares students to understand threats, detect and protect from cyber warfare and manage conflicts.
gCORe Resilience Engineering Certificate: The Resilience Engineering Certificate prepares students to create resilient systems, design networks and build code and architecture.
gCORe Governance Policy Administration Certificate (launches fall 2022): The Governance Policy Administration Certificate prepares students for risk management, law, ethics, governance and compliance as it applies to the cyber industry.