Securing the Future: Masters Programs in Cybersecurity Management

In the digital era, the imperative to safeguard sensitive information and fortify organizational cyber defenses has never been more critical. As businesses continue to grapple with the ever-evolving landscape of cyber threats, the demand for adept cybersecurity professionals with a keen understanding of business operations is growing.

This intersection of cybersecurity and business acumen has given rise to a specialized area of study – masters programs in cybersecurity management, with several options at renowned business schools.

And the supply of these programs is expanding. IÉSEG School of Management in France will launch a new Master in Cybersecurity Management in September 2024, to address companies’ need for business-oriented specialists with cybersecurity knowledge.

The IÉSEG program has been built around interactive courses, delivered by academic and industry experts, to provide fundamental technical knowledge in addition to managerial and leadership skills.

Jennifer Ziegelmayer, the academic director of the Master in Cybersecurity Management, says: “There is a common misperception that cybersecurity is all about protecting your organization from hackers. While that’s part of it, there are many other risks that need to be managed from electrical outages to floods, to outdated software, to employees accidentally deleting or sharing confidential data.”

Moreover, she adds that’s why it is important for cybersecurity professionals to have more than just technical skills. “They need to understand legal ramifications, compliance regulations, operational logistics, and have leadership skills,” Ziegelmayer says. “Combining foundational technology skills with risk assessment, legal and management knowledge, this program prepares participants to protect their organizations from the myriad risks that exist today and to anticipate the risks of tomorrow.”

At the end of the program, participants will have the opportunity to earn two industry-recognized CompTIA certifications, which validates the baseline skills necessary to perform core security functions. IÉSEG says these certifications are highly valued on the job market and are a prerequisite for certain positions.

Managing emerging cyber threats

IÉSEG is far from the only school delivering such courses. France’s Emlyon Business School offers the MSc in Cybersecurity and Defense Management targeting French and international students, aims at addressing complex global issues and managing emerging threats.

Michel Sejean, profess of law at Emlyon, says that participants learn to ask the right legal questions to the right person in their organization. “The purpose is not to turn them into lawyers, but to enable them to be at ease with being stakeholders of the legal aspects of a cyberattack,” he explains. “Mitigation of the impacts of a cyberattack will be the conceptual backbone of this course.”

Options for such studies abound, across the globe. In the US, Indiana University’s Kelley School of Business runs the M.S. in Cybersecurity Risk Management in partnership with Indiana University’s Luddy School of Informatics, Computing and Engineering – as well as the Maurer School of Law.

“Having such a comprehensive understanding is vital to break down barriers and build bridges, as is having the opportunity to apply what they have learned by working with real-world clients from local governments to NATO and Microsoft,” Scott Shackelford, Provost Professor of Business Law and Ethics at the Kelley School of Business, says.

He adds that the increasing frequency and sophistication of cyber threats has elevated the importance of cybersecurity education, particularly at the master’s level in business schools.

“It requires that boards, senior leadership, managers and their staff all have some expertise in the diverse array of cyber threats facing their organizations, and how they can work together to ward off a worst-case scenario,” Shackelford says.

The interdisciplinary nature of cybersecurity

He believes that it’s crucial that these programs address the interdisciplinary nature of cybersecurity, fostering collaboration between cybersecurity experts and business leaders to create a holistic approach to security. “We invite guest lectures and even co-teach classes with industry leaders, such as the IU Cybersecurity Clinic. Members from the IU Cybersecurity Advisory Council also assist with identifying capstone projects for our students,” he says.

Shackelford adds that business schools stay connected with industry trends and adapt their programs to meet the changing needs of the cybersecurity landscape. “It’s not easy but staying abreast of both technical and regulatory developments here in the US but also globally is vital,” he continues.

“No nation, or business, is an island in cyberspace, no matter how much some wish they were. We encourage such dialogue through active colloquium and speaker series sessions, reading groups, and book clubs such as our weekly Privacy and Security Luncheon and monthly Center for Applied Cybersecurity Research Speaker Series.”

What is more, a wide array of specific career pathways open up for graduates of master’s programs in cybersecurity at business schools, which programs prepare individuals for leadership roles within these pathways.

“A huge range of opportunities beckon, from consultancies to in-house privacy and security professionals, to even careers in non-profits or in government service,” says Shackelford. “IU has the CyberCorps Program, for example, which can pay for a student’s educational expenses in return for government service, which can also be an invaluable career accelerator.”