With the increasing digitization of businesses and the rising threat of cyberattacks, organizations have a critical need for skilled professionals to safeguard their digital assets and protect against data breaches. From entry-level positions to senior leadership roles, career opportunities in cybersecurity is consistently high, fueled by the need to stay ahead of constantly evolving cyber threats and comply with stringent data privacy regulations. Professionals who can effectively bridge the gap between cybersecurity and compliance are highly sought after, making it a great time to pursue a career in cybersecurity with a focus on compliance and privacy laws.
In an informative and practical webinar, CSU’s Director of the Center for Cybersecurity and Data Privacy, Brian Ray, and Adjunct Professor of the Year, Spence Witten, explained how an online Master of Legal Studies (MLS) in Cybersecurity and Data Privacy from CSU helps you advance in the field. The degree features two tracks, a technical and a non-technical one; the program encourages students to choose their own adventure by giving them all the essential skills necessary to get off and running on either path.
Career Opportunities in Cybersecurity & The Three Success Factors
In such a diverse and multi-disciplinary field as cybersecurity, many different personal, educational, and professional backgrounds are welcome. You can seamlessly convert your background and break into, or advance, in your cyber career provided you possess three key traits:
- A drive to solve problems
- Strong communication skills
- A willingness to learn continuously
Getting excited about challenges is at the core of cybersecurity. At a conference, the founder of a forensic cybersecurity firm even told Brian that he would prioritize hiring a candidate with a problem-solving mindset over a technical background. Next, you will naturally need to communicate across the organization about what the security challenges and solutions are, and communication between legal and technical languages is one of the key skills we teach in our curriculum.
Last but not least, a true love of lifelong learning keeps you motivated while building skills. Spence remarks that, “If you bring that trait and are excited to keep learning and growing, it’s a wonderful field. We’re great at getting you started. Be prepared and excited for a lifetime of learning — I think that’s one of the best parts of the field.”
You Don’t Need Tech Experience to Succeed at CSU
After determining whether you possess the above mindset, consider your professional experience. Don’t be intimidated if you are more interested in law than cybersecurity — remember that the vast majority of CSU students arrive with no technical experience whatsoever. By the end, Spence and Brian reassure, “We will make you comfortable with it.”
Guided by approachable and supportive faculty, basics of technical cybersecurity are in your grasp. “If you take away nothing else in the program you know the basic principles. You’ve been hands-on, you’ve seen how this stuff works, and you’re just not scared of it. And I promise you, we will get you there.” Armed with both legal knowledge and this new technical comfort zone, you’re empowered to go look for great opportunities in the field.
What If I Do Have Technical Experience?
What about if you actually are a tech expert? Don’t let yourself get pigeonholed. Spence reminds us that “the people who might determine your career path really care about compliance regulatory requirements and the legalities. This program can help you get into leadership roles. We give you the skills you need to play in that arena, speak that language, and make a meaningful impact.”
Lucrative and competitive roles like Chief Information Officer become available to you. “We’re really, really good at that, because this is such a critical skill set, particularly for large organizations,” Spence acknowledges. “When you’re coming from the technical side, understanding legal risk and being able to speak that language is really critically important. Communication is the basic toolkit of a lawyer and it flows through all of our legal courses.”
Cutting-Edge Curriculum Design
At CSU, we will give you a 360-degree view of data privacy and cybersecurity, and a baseline from which you can keep learning and further your career. “What we give you is that in-depth knowledge to really understand where the issues are, how to put things together, and a platform to grow.” Faculty members like Spence and Brian are flexible about helping passionate students fill in the gaps; sometimes that comes in the form of taking classes from CSU outside the school of law, helping a student earn a particular certification, or working with you to create an independent study opportunity.
Our curriculum consists of 10 courses across 5 semesters. Each is designed to be accessible to someone with a busy career who is unable to step back and enroll in a full-time degree program. From learning how to deal with international threat actions to understanding the intricacies of the most important privacy laws, graduates will be ready for their next major career move. “Potential employers are very impressed. They love the curriculum that we have.”
- Introduction to American Law
- Cybersecurity 1
- Cybersecurity 2
- Legal Writing
- Privacy Law and Management
- Corporate Compliance 1
- Corporate Compliance 2
- HIPAA and Privacy
- Cyber Law
- Technical Capstone
Hopefully, learning about these career opportunities in cybersecurity has alleviated any concerns you might have about the program’s flexibility and success factors. Realizing that it might be the perfect fit? The application deadline for our fall semester is August 4, with the semester starting a month later on September 4. Questions? Reach out to Brian, or our Director of Graduate Studies and Professional Development, Julie DiBiaso.