Concord University Offering Cyber Security Degree

This fall, Concord University is offering a new Bachelor of Science in Cybersecurity. Lonnie Bowe, assistant professor of computer science, said the school has had a cyber security emphasis in its computer science major for several years, and is seeing an increased demand for a cyber security emphasis. 

“This is an innovative, in-demand program,” Bowe said. “We’re proud and excited to bring it to southern West Virginia. There has been a growing demand for this from both students, government officials and the industry. Our caring and dedicated faculty look forward to launching students into new careers for years to come.”

The Concord announcement comes the same week Marshall University received $45 million in taxpayer dollars to go towards its new Institute of Cyber Security. 

Bowe said while Marshall’s program is focused on cyber and digital forensics, Concord’s program is keyed to increasing software security. 

“We did a lot of research,” Bowe said. “We looked up standards from the National Security Association, from professional associations like the Association for Computing Machinery, and put together all their recommendations in building out our senior level advanced classes.”

Bowe said it was important to give local southern West Virginia residents local access to this job generating education. 

“We have a lot of first generation students who don’t want to go very far from home,” he said. “We also have people who are in the workforce and wanting to come back, and they can’t just up and leave their families to drive to Huntington. So being able to have access an hour or so from where they live is really important.”

Bowe said a Concord B.A. in cyber security can be a pathway to Marshall University’s cybersecurity masters degree program.