Walden University Designated as a National Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense Education

Programs meet NSA and DHS standards of quality and relevance in information assurance (IA) and cyber defense (CD)

Minneapolis—July 8, 2015—Walden University has been designated by the National Security Agency (NSA) and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) as a National Center of Academic Excellence (CAE) in Cyber Defense Education through the 2019 academic year. This designation means that Walden programs meet NSA and DHS standards of quality and relevance in the information assurance (IA) and cyber defense (CD) disciplines.

The NSA and DHS jointly sponsor the Centers of Academic Excellence with the goal of reducing vulnerability in the United States’ national information infrastructure by promoting higher education and research and producing a growing pipeline of professionals with information assurance expertise in various disciplines.

“The number of information security professionals is projected to grow more than 11% annually through 2018, according to a study conducted by the International Information Systems Security Certification Consortium (ISC)2—a sign that employers are in need of professionals with new skills and deeper knowledge,” said Dr. Karlyn A. Barilovits, associate dean of Walden’s School of Information Systems and Technology. “With this designation, Walden is nationally recognized as being committed to academic excellence in cyber security education, preparing students for challenging careers that meet the increasingly urgent needs of the U.S. government, industry and academia.”

The CAE in Cyber Defense Education designation provides Walden students with eligibility to apply for scholarships and grants through the Department of Defense Information Assurance Scholarship Program and the Federal Cyber Service Scholarship for Service Program. In addition, graduates of the BS in Information Technology program with a concentration in Cyber Security and Forensics will receive a certificate that demonstrates they completed the knowledge units aligned with NSA and DHS cyber defense requirements.

Walden offers fully online information assurance and security programs at the bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral levels, including: Doctor of Information Technology (DIT), Master of Information Systems Management (MISM), MS in Information Technology, BS in Computer Information Systems, BS in Information Technology and Graduate Certificate in Information Systems.

For more information on Walden programs in information technology, visit www.waldenu.edu/programs/study-area/information-technology.

About Walden University
For 45 years, Walden University has supported working professionals in achieving their academic goals and making a greater impact in their professions and their communities. Today, more than 47,800 students from all 50 states and more than 150 countries are pursuing their bachelor’s, master’s or doctoral degrees online at Walden. The university provides students with an engaging educational experience that connects them with expert faculty and peers around the world.

Walden offers more than 80 degree programs with more than 370 specializations and concentrations. Areas of study include health sciences, counseling, human services, management, psychology, social work, education, public health, nursing, public administration and information technology. Walden University is accredited by The Higher Learning Commission. For more information, visit www.WaldenU.edu.

Walden is the flagship online university in the Laureate International Universities network—a global network of more than 80 campus-based and online universities in 29 countries. For more information, visit www.laureate.net.