The University of Tennessee (UT) Board of Trustees recently approved a plan that allows UT Chattanooga to begin offering degrees in cybersecurity beginning in the spring 2023 semester. The projected start date for the first class is January 9, 2023, according to a press release by UT Chattanooga.
The new Bachelor of Applied Science in Information Technology (BAS-IT) in Cybersecurity degree program is housed within the Department of Computer Science and Engineering and is intended to “prepare students to assess the security needs of computer and network systems, recommend safeguard solutions, and manage the implementation, auditing and maintenance of security devices, systems and procedures,” according to the university.
The rollout of the new degree program is aimed at addressing “workforce needs,” as the university cites in its press release that there are approximately 6,700 cybersecurity jobs open in Tennessee – including 300-plus in southeast Tennessee and north Georgia – and employment demand for the field is expected to grow 22-24 percent in the next five years.
“We are eager to collaborate with our community partners and community colleges throughout Tennessee and the Southeast region to address a major workforce need,” UTC Provost and Senior Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs Dr. Jerold L. Hale said in a statement. “The program’s objective is to prepare students as leaders in IT and cybersecurity who can function effectively in multidisciplinary environments in the local and regional workforce.”
Students pursuing the degree will “work closely with area industry partners to gain workforce experience” in the program, which is taught in a 12-month format, the press release notes.
“We are excited to launch this innovative academic program that will meet the IT workforce needs of the greater Chattanooga region,” UTC College of Engineering and Computer Science Dean Daniel Pack stated. “Working with industry partners in educating and preparing students for their future careers through a new approach of students learning both in the classroom and at a company site daily is transformative. We hope this approach will become a viable model for future academic programs.”
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Kaitlin Housler is a reporter at The Tennessee Star and The Star News Network.
Maybe these degree earners will be able to read, write and do a little algebra.