The University of New Orleans is now offering a master’s degree in cybersecurity and operations. The program is designed to provide graduates with both a deep conceptual understanding of the modern cybersecurity landscape and advanced practical skills in a broad range of areas, such as digital forensics, malware analysis, network penetration testing and defense. 

The degree curriculum is flexible and offers opportunities for students with a variety of academic and work backgrounds to specialize in cybersecurity. This includes ones with non-STEM undergraduate degrees and working professionals, said Mahdi Abdelguerfi, University of New Orleans computer science professor and department chair.  

Relevant experience also can be used to satisfy specific academic prerequisites, Abdelguerfi said.

The new degree integrates with the University’s bachelor’s degree in computer science to allow students with strong academic performance to enroll in the accelerated master of science and complete both degrees in five years, Abdelguerfi said.

The program is part of the Department of Computer Science and is supported by the UNO Cyber Center, a research unit recognized by the Louisiana Board of Regents and NSA/DHS National Center in Cyber Defense Research. 

“Graduates have a wide variety of employment choices in both private industry and government agencies; nearly every modern organization requires cybersecurity expertise,” Abdelguerfi said. “Career options include security analyst, malware expert, forensic investigator, penetration tester, security consultant, security architect, chief information security officer among many.”

Alumni of the department have established cyber careers in local and international companies such as Google, Amazon, Microsoft and Facebook, as well as banks, software companies and a variety of government contractors, Abdelguerfi said.  

Others have joined federal agencies and security contractors, such as Booz Allen Hamilton and Lockheed Martin, to directly contribute to the nation's cyber defense, he said.

More information about the cybersecurity degree program is available here.