(ISC)2®, JMU CoB Agreement Aims to Bridge Cybersecurity Workforce Gap

College of Business
 

New initiative supports cybersecurity students and professionals through education and certification

isc gap logo(ISC)² ®, the largest not-for-profit membership body of certified information and software security professionals with nearly 100,000 members worldwide recently announced an agreement naming James Madison University’s College of Business as a new  member of the (ISC)2 Global Academic Program (GAP). The College of Business, founded in 1972, offers eight different undergraduate business degrees, as well as three masters programs.

Through the agreement, (ISC)2 will provide thousands of students and professionals across  Virginia and beyond with the opportunity to gain the knowledge, skills, and industry certification they need to enter the high-demand, high-paying cybersecurity workforce. This collaborative initiative is an important part of the GAP’s aim to establish a joint framework for industry-academic cooperation to bridge the workforce gap between the increasing demand for qualified cybersecurity professionals and the amount of skilled professionals entering the industry.

Some of the course offerings include Introduction to Information Security and Information Security Ethics & Policy. Students will become familiar with the terminology and vocabulary used in the modern information security realm, as well as learn about the three major classifications of controls and countermeasures. Students will investigate the trade-offs between the need for tight security and the need for efficiency, ease of use, and user freedoms. Additionally, the student will gain a working knowledge of government policies related to information technologies, including issues of protecting an individual's privacy.

“Recognized as the global leader in gold standard information security certification and education, (ISC)2 has developed and continually refined the (ISC)2 common body of knowledge (CBK®) over the last 25 years to reflect the evolving threat landscape and accepted standards of practice for this burgeoning industry,” said Dr. Jo Portillo, manager, Global Academic Program, (ISC)². “This agreement with James Madison University’s College of Business will allow us to advance our vision to inspire a safe and secure cyber world by incorporating our CBK directly into the global academic community.” 

Dr. Michael Busing, director of the Information Security MBA program, James Madison University says, “We are pleased to become a members of (ISC)2 ’s Global Academic Program.  Our InfoSec program continues to grow each year, and we know that our relationship with (ISC)2 will help to ensure that our students are receiving the highest quality, most relevant coursework possible.”

To learn more about the program, click here.

About (ISC)²

Formed in 1989 and celebrating its 25th anniversary, (ISC)² is the largest not-for-profit membership body of certified information and software security professionals worldwide, with nearly 100,000 members in more than 135 countries. Globally recognized as the Gold Standard, (ISC)² issues the Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSPÒ) and related concentrations, as well as the Certified Secure Software Lifecycle Professional (CSSLPÒ), the Certified Cyber Forensics Professional (CCFPSM), Certified Authorization Professional (CAPÒ), HealthCare Information Security and Privacy Practitioner (HCISPPSM), and Systems Security Certified Practitioner (SSCPÒ) credentials to qualifying candidates. (ISC)²’s certifications are among the first information technology credentials to meet the stringent requirements of ISO/IEC Standard 17024, a global benchmark for assessing and certifying personnel. (ISC)² also offers education programs and services based on its CBK®, a compendium of information and software security topics. More information is available at www.isc2.org.

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Published: Wednesday, September 10, 2014

Last Updated: Thursday, November 2, 2023

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