Rockhurst Launches Cybersecurity Degree in Partnership With SLU

To help meet the growing demand for cybersecurity professionals, Rockhurst University is joining forces with Saint Louis University to offer a Bachelor of Science in cybersecurity.

This interdisciplinary program, beginning in August, combines elements of computer science, analytics, criminal justice, intelligence gathering, and risk planning.

This unique partnership gives Rockhurst students the advantage of learning from two Jesuit institutions, which are known for high-quality academic programs that take a holistic approach to education. 

“It is important for cybersecurity professionals to be technically adept, but it is equally important for them to have the wisdom to discern how their work will affect the people they serve and society at large,” said Myles Gartland, Ph.D., dean of the College of Business, Influence and Information Analysis at Rockhurst University. “Graduates of our program will be well-equipped to effectively communicate operational decisions and consequences.”

In addition to technical skills, the program will cover aspects of analytical thinking and data utilization; criminal justice systems and evolving legal issues surrounding cybersecurity and cybercrime; effective communication skills inherent in liberal arts programs, and the application of ethics and human-centeredness to decision making.

Students will take most classes in person at the Rockhurst campus in Kansas City and approximately nine courses online from faculty at Saint Louis University, graduating with their degree from Rockhurst University.

“We’re excited to join forces with Rockhurst University in this cross-state effort to prepare students to enter this dynamic and growing field that has such important implications for all sectors of our society,” said John Buerck, Ph.D., interim dean of the School for Professional Studies at Saint Louis University.

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects a much faster than average growth in jobs for information security analysts in the coming years – 33 percent between 2020 and 2030, with 2020 median pay of nearly $104,000 per year.

"Cybersecurity is much more than a technical issue," said Matt Heinrich, EMBA, DBA, a clinical assistant professor in the College of Business, Influence and Information Analysis. "While students will require a good understanding of software, data storage, networking, etc. the tools in use today will undoubtedly change over time as the environment and the threat landscape change. They must be able to adapt to change. They will also need to understand the social aspects of cybersecurity. In many instances, the weak link is not necessarily a technology but instead an employee who may be fooled into providing data. 

"To address these and other concerns," he continued, "students should be grounded with a good technical base, but they must also be able to understand general business operations, understand the basics of criminal law and privacy, understand data analysis to understand how data is moved through the organization, and perhaps most importantly, have the ability to communicate with others in the organization and work in a team environment. You can see the myriad groups that can be involved – legal counsel, marketing/public relations, those with fiduciary responsibilities and everyone else in the organization that has access to private business data. This, combined with the strength of a liberal arts core at Rockhurst, provides an environment for students to proceed on a path of lifelong learning."