The University of West Florida is launching a degree program in direct response to increased workforce demand in STEM fields. Beginning in Fall 2019, UWF will offer a Master of Science in Cybersecurity.
 
“At UWF, we listen to community and industry needs and create relevant degrees for our students,” said UWF President Martha D. Saunders. “We are confident our students will emerge from these programs fully prepared to contribute to the workforce.”
 
The graduate degree program in cybersecurity will be housed within UWF’s Hal Marcus College of Science and Engineering.
 
“Offering these new degree programs demonstrates UWF's continued mission to expand academic disciplines in a thoughtful way, and we are eager to see the positive outcomes of this initiative,” said Dr. George Ellenberg, provost and senior vice president.

UWF is designated as a Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense Education by the NSA and DHS and serves as one of eight Cybersecurity CAE Regional Resource Centers across the nation. This program prepares graduates to be leaders in the protection of data assets and in the analysis of potential threats to systems and networks.
 
The fully online program will offer foundational coursework for students entering the program from fields other than computer science or computer engineering. Students will gain fundamental knowledge and skills in the techniques, policies, operational procedures and technologies that secure and defend the availability, integrity, authentication, confidentiality and non-repudiation of information and information systems and the development of secure software systems.