The University of New Orleans has received a $105,804 grant from the Louisiana Board of Regents to develop an advanced cybersecurity certificate program. The project is led by James Wagner, professor of computer science and principal investigator.

The award runs from June 1, 2025, to June 30, 2026. During this period, UNO will design two pilot courses: web security and network penetration testing. The courses will be offered in a one-week, 40-hour format. They are intended to provide professional training while remaining compatible with UNO’s academic cyber curriculum. Participants will include both students and working professionals. Training will take place in a dedicated "cyber range," a private cloud environment configured to support advanced, hands-on instruction.

“Being able to work at our own pace but receive help from a professor as needed, rather than in a 1hr15min typical lecture style course, was extremely valuable in learning the hands-on applications,” wrote one student. Another said, “Intense hands-on experience. This deep dive into the assignments and material was a much-needed change of pace to the normal class/semester structure.”

This initial phase will focus on the web security and network penetration testing courses and the training of 20 students. A second phase is planned to add additional advanced courses, such as malware reverse engineering, digital forensics and incident response, and industrial control systems (SCADA) security. The program is designed to sustain itself financially through professional fees, even with small enrollment numbers.

The certificate program will connect to UNO’s existing undergraduate and graduate offerings in computer science and cybersecurity and is structured to provide a pathway to the master’s degree in cybersecurity and operations.