In today’s technology-driven world, many of the greatest threats to companies, governments and individuals are not physical but are in fact digital.
Indeed, the only safe computer, said Dr. Mike Stiber, professor in the University of Washington Bothell’s School of STEM, is one that is unplugged and disconnected.
“As more and more of life becomes connected to technology and goes online,” he added, “it’s becoming increasingly necessary to understand things related to technology at more than just a surface level.”
This need, Stiber said, extends well beyond the scope of the resident IT help desk. Everyone can benefit from growing their knowledge of cybersecurity.
To better prepare students to enter both technical and nontechnical careers alike, UW Bothell recently launched a minor in Cybersecurity.
“There’s an incredibly wide range of majors that this new minor could benefit,” Stiber said. “Gaining some cybersecurity background can be applied in many different sectors and could pay off later on in a rewarding career. This new minor is open to all majors and equips students with the skills and knowledge to navigate these threats.”
An increasing demand
Cybersecurity job vacancies grew 350% from 2013 to 2021 globally, according to Cybercrime Magazine. In 2023, more than 750,000 vacancies went unfilled in the U.S. alone.
At UW Bothell, faculty recognized the growing need for professionals in this area and began working to expand the school’s cybersecurity offerings more than a decade ago.
Leading the charge was Dr. Marc Dupuis, who joined the School of STEM as an associate professor in 2015. While there was already a tri-campus option in Information Assurance & Cybersecurity, it was available only to students majoring in technical areas. Dupuis wanted to create something that could be applied more broadly. He knew from personal experience that the issue of cybersecurity isn’t just technical — it’s also human.
“I’ve helped different friends and family members with their computers when they’d been infected with malware and malicious software,” he said. “I was always curious how these perfectly smart, intelligent, reasonable people could have this happen to them. What causes people to fall victim to these social engineering tactics?”
Dupuis had always had an interest in human behavior and social science, alongside technology. He completed his undergraduate degree and his first master’s degree in political science, and he brought that perspective with him when he made the shift to cybersecurity and later completed a master’s and a doctorate in Information Science.
A minor for all majors
When Dupuis looked at adding courses related to cybersecurity at UW Bothell, he wanted to design them for students like himself who want to weave them into their other passions and vice versa.
“A minor made a lot of sense given the very multidisciplinary nature of cybersecurity,” he said. “Sometimes, people get pushed out of some of these disciplines because they feel like it’s too technical, but the cool thing about cybersecurity is there are so many different opportunities and paths people can take to really match their other interests and skill sets.”
The Cybersecurity minor has no prerequisites and is open to all majors. Students can take classes without first declaring the minor to see if it’s a good fit or if they’re just interested in individual course topics.
The curriculum includes a set of core classes that provide a foundational knowledge in various aspects of cybersecurity, including ethics, policy, networking and basic programming. With this expertise, students will be prepared to take on roles ranging from compliance work and policy development to training and education.
When it comes to cybersecurity, educational outreach and promoting awareness is a critical role, Stiber noted. “There are a lot of human factors involved in cybersecurity because no matter how good your technical setup is, if somebody clicks on a phishing email, that’s game over.”
A variety of applications
Few organizations today exist without some online presence and reliance on computers, so cybersecurity has become a necessity in any sector, from health care and business to law and public or international policy.
For students like Rane and Alarisa Peterson, twin sisters both in computer-related majors, the minor provides an opportunity to both specialize and strengthen their resumes.
“My career goals are to get a job in cybersecurity and use my creative side to help make the world a safer place,” said Alarisa Peterson, a junior majoring in Applied Computing. “A minor in cybersecurity will enhance my knowledge and prove to future employers that I am familiar with the concepts. It can help me stand out from other candidates.”
A junior majoring in Computer Science & Software Engineering, Rane Peterson became passionate about cybersecurity when she came across a podcast about a man who hacked into a website sharing illegal material regarding children and got it shut down.
“What really sparked my interest was how he used cybersecurity for good. He saw injustice in the world and sought to stop it,” she said. “I love helping people. It is very fulfilling for me, and working in cybersecurity to protect people is how I plan to make my mark on the world. I would like to work in the defensive side of cybersecurity.”
“Working in cybersecurity to protect people is how I plan to make my mark on the world.”
Rane Peterson, junior, Computer Science & Software Engineering
Prepared for the future
The creation of a minor in cybersecurity has been a long time coming, said Stiber and Dupuis. The classes that now make up the minor have been developed over several years and in coordination with faculty across the UW. Courses can also now be taken from the Bothell, Seattle and Tacoma campuses.
“Over time, we’ve built a network of collaboration across all three campuses,” Stiber said. “We are so pleased to have this great service that we can provide not just at UW Bothell but across the UW.”
Students interested in exploring the minor can visit the program website. Though students need not declare the minor officially, Stiber recommended they still speak with an adviser to create a plan that suits their educational and career goals.
