Cybersecurity is hot on campus

Times are hard and jobs are scarce, but cybersecurity is a growth industry, and the bachelor's and master's degree programs offered for the first time this fall by the University of Maryland University College are attracting hundreds of applicants, the school said.

The school did not provide specific numbers but said the applications are pouring in.

The University of Maryland announced the programs earlier this year in response to efforts to establish the university as a cybersecurity hub. The state already is the home of the National Security Agency and newly created Cyber Command, which is expected to create more than 20,000 military and civilian cybersecurity jobs.

The university created the degree programs with input from industry to provide practical and theoretical training. The bachelor’s degree in cybersecurity will require 120 credits, including 33 credits of coursework in the major, and students can take the courses online or through a combination of online study and on-site instruction. Master's degrees are available in cybersecurity and cybersecurity policy, each of which will require 36 credits of coursework offered through six six-credit online courses. Students also must complete internship programs.