Worcester Polytechnic Institute has added a bachelor of science in cybersecurity to its degree offerings, nearly five years after the university introduced a cybersecurity master’s degree track in 2021.
“Through this new degree, WPI continues to strengthen its leadership in cybersecurity education and research, advancing our mission to use science, engineering, and technology for the greater good,” WPI President Grace Wang said in a Thursday press release from the university.
The new degree track combines coursework in computer science, electrical and computer engineering, and mathematical sciences to familiarize students with a wide range of security systems, including software and hardware systems, cryptographic systems, and organizational and societal security, according to the release.
The program was designed by the National Centers of Academic Excellence in Cybersecurity, a federally-managed initiative creating cybersecurity educational programs in collaboration with agencies such as the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Department of Defense Office of the Chief Information Officer, according to the program’s website.
WPI already participates in the DRiving Automotive Industry WorkForce Transformation, a program backed by a $2.5-million grant from the centers to advance cybersecurity and AI in the automotive industry, according to DRIVE’s website.
“With cyber threats evolving faster than most organizations can respond and targeting both software and hardware vulnerabilities, preparing a workforce of creative, ethical, and highly skilled cybersecurity professionals is essential,” Wang said in the release.
As the cybersecurity field continues to expand, WPI’s cybersecurity program aims to equip students for positions such as security analysts, security architects, incident responders, and data privacy officers.
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates the cybersecurity field is set to grow by 35%, WPI said in the release, and the National Institute of Standards and Technology reports there were upwards of 514,000 open cybersecurity jobs in the nation in 2023.
“Cybersecurity today demands architects, not just defenders. Our students will learn to design secure systems from first principles, anticipate emerging threats, and communicate complex ideas clearly,” Robert Walls, associate professor of computer science and director of WPI’s cybersecurity program, said in the release. “These are essential skills for safeguarding the digital infrastructure our society depends on.”
The university’s latest degree addition comes after WPI established the first financial technology PhD program in the nation.
WPI is the largest college or university in Central Massachusetts, with 6,375 full-time enrolled students as of fall 2024, according to data collected by WBJ’s Research Department.
Mica Kanner-Mascolo is a staff writer at Worcester Business Journal, who primarily covers the healthcare and diversity, equity, and inclusion industries.
