Skills that will last a lifetime. From day one.
With a 100% placement rate among graduates, — recognized as one of the most innovative instructional methods in the country by the National CyberWatch Center — enables students to develop real-world scenarios that run the gamut of social engineering, alongside faculty members who are active practitioners in the field.
“Our students understand the realities of social engineering and how it impacts individuals, organizations and governments from adjunct staff who represent all sectors — government, military, police, to name a few — and who are able to talk to them about real-world activities because they are embedded within the field. This skills-based learning is what makes our program so challenging and unique,” said James Curtis, chair of Webster University’s Department of Math and Computer Science. “Many of our forensic teachers, for example, are able to impart their experiences from the jobs they performed in the field that very same day.”
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Program accreditation from the National Security Agency and the Department of Homeland Security
Webster is also the first private nonprofit Missouri university to receive designation from the National Centers of Academic Excellence (NCAE) in Cybersecurity as a Cybersecurity Center of Academic Excellence for Cybersecurity Defense (CAE-CD) for its program. According to the NCAE “students graduating from a CAE-CD institution are considered to have received the finest of formal cybersecurity education.”
Curtis said several other factors set Webster apart from other academic cybersecurity programs. The university is home to the state-of-the-art Cybersecurity Center of Excellence Laboratory and the Cybersecurity Academic Advisory Council, both of which enable the university to combine the strengths of education and real-world technical training.
The Cybersecurity Academic Advisory Council is a group of six cybersecurity professionals representing various industries, including the federal government and the U.S. military. They provide guidance and feedback on the changing threat environment, advice on curriculum, recommendations for improvements of course materials, mentoring, career advice, internship and sponsorship programs, and serve as a sounding board for ideas from the faculty. We hold regular scheduled meetings to review the university undergraduate and graduate programs, as well as ad hoc meetings for special programs,” said Curtis.
In addition, Webster’s cybersecurity program is an academic partner with the EC-Council, a cybersecurity certification, education, training and services organization based in Albuquerque, New Mexico, that certifies professionals from 145 countries. As part of the partnership, the university is a designated center for testing, which means that, upon completion of their degree program, students may choose to take the rigorous Computer Network Defender (CND) certification test at the lab on campus. The CND certification is widely recognized by industry and government officials and shows potential employers that graduates have a detailed understanding and hands-on ability to deal with real-life situations involving cyber-attacks.
Webster University cybersecurity graduates are job ready
Many of Webster’s adjunct faculty come from the government and military. They bring experiences with national security and state and local police departments, as well as military organizations. “We have instructors who are retired military, active and civil service. They are critical to our students’ understanding the nation-state threats, the evolving defensive posture for information security, and how to detect, manage and stop criminal online activities,” said Curtis.
“This really enables our students to apply for industry jobs, walk in the door and say, ‘not only do I have my degree, but I’m certified and ready to do the job,’” he said. “This really means a lot with hiring managers because employers don’t have to pay for costly credentials and certifications to bring them up to par. These students are leaving with everything they need to start their careers.”
Cybersecurity is a rapidly growing and evolving industry that has a high-demand for well-trained professionals. Webster University’s cybersecurity program is filling this need in the workforce by leading the charge to educate the next-generation of cybersecurity professionals.
“At Webster, we are creating a highly skilled pipeline of talent that fulfills the employers’ needs on day one,” said Curtis.
For more information on the cybersecurity programs and certifications, please visit .