Kansas has a population of just over two million residents as of July 2019, according to the United States Census Bureau. Twenty-four percent of this population is under the age of 18, which means that they will soon be entering Kansas’ post-secondary education and job markets. Between 2014 to 2018, it was reported that 32.9 percent of Kansas’ population age 25 years and older were holders of a bachelor’s degree or higher. Most Kansans seem to realize that the best jobs are attainable with a minimum of a bachelor’s degree.
Information technology is a booming field, and information security, or cybersecurity, is a burgeoning part of that field. According to Cyberseek.org, cybersecurity professionals are in high demand in Kansas City. They reported that as of 2018, there were 3700 cybersecurity job openings in the metropolitan area. While opportunities exist all across the state, it only stands to reason that there would be a higher concentration of cybersecurity job opportunities within Kansas’ metropolitan areas.
If you are interested in information security and live in Kansas, consider working in the cybersecurity field. Your first step towards achieving this goal is to obtain a bachelor’s degree in cybersecurity in Kansas. Read on to discover how you can do this.
Cybersecurity in the News in Kansas
In October 2019, it was reported that Kansas’ government was placing an increased emphasis on information technology security. DeAngela Burns-Wallace, the Secretary of the State Department of Administration, noted that attention was being focused on improving cybersecurity of state agencies in order to protect Kansans’ confidential information. A three-year plan was submitted to the state legislature for approval, providing money to increase information technology salaries of state government personnel as well as funding to attract more qualified personnel to these positions. It is expected that over the next three years, Kansas’ cybersecurity will improve noticeably.
TK Business Magazine reported in December 2018 that small- to medium-sized Kansas businesses were at increasing risks of cyberattacks, as cloud insecurity grows. More data is being deployed from Kansas businesses, and more of it is unsecured than it should be. Contributing to the problems was single-factor passwords, malware, and a shift in attack vectors from the network to the user. It is hoped that more Kansans obtaining education and training in cybersecurity and entering the state’s workforce can help to combat these issues and minimize risk of cyberattacks.
Cybersecurity Education in Kansas
A bachelor’s degree in cybersecurity will open many doors for you in Kansas’ cybersecurity workforce, such as:
- Cybersecurity Analyst- Cerner Corporation, Kansas City
- Cybersecurity Analyst – Waddell & Reed, Overland Park
- Information Security Analyst – Cargill, Wichita
- Cybersecurity Analyst – Icore Infotech, Inc., Coffeyville
- Security Analyst – Cyber Coders, Kansas City
- Intermediate Cyber Security Specialist – Trace Systems, Inc., Topeka
- Consulting Director, Digital Cybersecurity – Arc Technologies Group, Wichita
- Cyber Security Engineer 2 – Garmin, Ltd., Olathe
- Cyber Security Analyst – Koch Business Solutions, Wichita
- Specialist, Operations Security- Honeywell, Overland Park
Kansas Undergraduate Cybersecurity Degree Titles
Titles of bachelor’s degree programs in cybersecurity in Kansas are:
- Bachelor of Science/Arts in Information Networking & Telecommunications – Concentration in Cybersecurity
- Bachelor of Science in Cybersecurity
- Bachelor of Science in Computer Science- Cybersecurity Option
- Bachelor of Science in Applied Computing- Concentration in Cybersecurity
- Bachelor of Science in Computer Information Systems- Cybersecurity Concentration
Kansas Cybersecurity Bachelor’s Degree Programs
Universities and colleges that house cybersecurity programs are accredited by regional accreditation agencies recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA). There are some agencies that do accredit Kansas cybersecurity degree programs, and are listed below.
Centers of Academic Excellence (CAE)
The National Security Agency (NSA) and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) set up a program called the National Centers of Academic Excellence to recognize cybersecurity degree programs in the U.S. Centers of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense (CAE-CD) can be found across the United States, including in Kansas.
Centers of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense Education in Kansas
The following Kansas bachelor’s degree cybersecurity programs have received the designation of Centers of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense Education (CAE-CD):
- Fort Hays State University –
—Bachelor of Science/Arts in Information Networking and Telecommunications- Concentration in Cybersecurity (on campus and online)
Information Enterprise Institute
600 Park Street
Hays, KS 67601-4099
CAE- Cyber Defense Education- Accredited through 2020
Dr. Melissa Hunsicker Walburn, J.D., Interim Director
(785) 628-5373; [email protected]
- Kansas State University – Bachelor of Science in Computer Science- Cybersecurity Option
Center for Information and Systems Assurance
2184 Engineering Hall
1701D Platt St.
Manhattan, KS 66506
CAE- Cyber Defense Education- Accredited through 2024
Dr. Eugene Y. Vasserman, Director of CISA
(785) 532-7944; [email protected]
- Wichita State University – Bachelor of Science in Applied Computing – Concentration in Cybersecurity
Engineering Technology Department, Hub for Cybersecurity Awareness & Education
1845 Fairmount St.
Wichita, KS 67260
CAE- Cyber Defense Education- Accredited through 2024
(316) 978-3456
More Bachelor’s Degree Programs in Cybersecurity in Kansas
There are other bachelor’s degree programs in cybersecurity in Kansas, including (but not limited to):
- Friends University – Bachelor of Science in Cyber Security
Accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC)
2100 W. University Ave.
Wichita, KS 67213
(800) 794-6945
- MidAmerica Nazarene University– Bachelor of Science in Computer Information Systems – Cyber Security Concentration
Accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC)
2030 E. College Way
Olathe, KS 66062-1899
(913) 971-3380; [email protected]
- University of St. Mary – Bachelor of Science in Cybersecurity
Accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC)
4100 South 4th St.
Leavenworth, KS 66048
Sunny Sun, MS, Director
(913) 758-6199; [email protected]
Kansas CAE-Cyber Defense Education Program Curriculum
CAE-CD programs must include certain “Required Knowledge Units,” to maintain continuity among all of the CAE-CDs. Information that must be covered includes:
- Security Risk Analysis
- Security Program Management
- Policy, Legal, Ethics, and Compliance
- Operating Systems Concepts
- Network Defense
- IT Systems Components
- Cybersecurity Principles
- Cybersecurity Planning and Management
- Cybersecurity Foundations
- Cyber Threats
- Basic Scripting and Programming
- Basic Networking
- Basic Cryptography
Kansas Cybersecurity Certifications
Professional cybersecurity certifications are highly recommended in Kansas. Some may be available to you within your bachelor’s degree curriculum. Or, you may opt to pursue them after graduation. Some of the most valuable certifications include:
- Cisco Certified Entry Networking Technician (CCENT)
- Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA)
- Cisco Certified Network Professional (CCNP)
- CompTIA Security+
- CompTIA Network+
- CompTIA Linux+
Outlook for Cybersecurity Employment in Kansas
The Kansas Department of Labor notes that between 2016 and 2026, jobs for information security analysts (cybersecurity analysts) are projected to increase by 2.7 percent each year. In the Kansas City metropolitan area, they are projected to increase even more, by 3.1 percent each year. According to eSecurityPlanet, as of 2020 Kansas is an area in which information technology security skills are in high demand. Areas recommended in which to specialize include critical infrastructure, industries subject to complex regulations (like financial and health data), risk management, Internet of Things security, and Blockchain skills. Your first step towards working in Kansas’ exciting information security market is to get your bachelor’s degree in cybersecurity. Why not get started working on that today?