Western New England University announces the launch of its Cybersecurity program, a significant new initiative designed to address the critical global shortage of cybersecurity professionals. Under the leadership of Dr. Paul-Marie Moulema Douala, director of the Cybersecurity program, and Professor John Willemain, chair of the Department of Computer Science and Information Technology, this program aims to cultivate the next generation of cybersecurity experts in response to the rapidly evolving digital landscape.
The launch of this program comes at a crucial time, with over 600,000 cybersecurity positions currently unfilled in the United States alone and a staggering global shortfall of 3.4 million cybersecurity professionals. WNE’s new Cybersecurity program is a decisive step towards bridging this gap, equipping students with the vital skills and knowledge needed to thrive in diverse cybersecurity roles, including software development, network engineering, security architecture, and systems administration.
The program’s comprehensive curriculum is meticulously crafted to cover all eight domains of the Common Body of Knowledge (CBK), a framework of essential topics that IT security professionals should master, similar to the Common Core standards in education but for the IT industry. These are foundational to the Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP) certification. This globally recognized certification sets a high standard of excellence in the cybersecurity field, ensuring that graduates are exceptionally well-prepared to meet industry demands and excel in their careers.
Key contributors to this program include faculty members Dr. Sergey Butakov and James Scripture, who bring a wealth of expertise and practical experience to the classroom. Dr. Butakov’s research and teaching in network security, combined with Scripture’s hands-on approach to systems administration, ensure that students receive a well-rounded and robust educational experience. The inaugural class of the program currently has 11 students, with strong projections for growth to 50 or more students in the coming years.
With over 70% of cybersecurity professionals reporting high job satisfaction, Western New England University’s Cybersecurity program not only seeks to fill critical job vacancies but also to enhance overall job quality and satisfaction within the cybersecurity workforce. To further support this important initiative, the University is committed to developing a state-of-the-art Cybersecurity lab on campus.
For more information about the Cybersecurity program, admissions, and course offerings, please visit or contact the Department of Computer Science and Information Technology.
