Cybersecurity
Cybersecurity
Cybersecurity
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Cybersecurity

Cybersecurity

Cybersecurity

Cybersecurity

You've got a knack for technology and a mind for puzzles. You're good at identifying the root of a problem and coming up with effective solutions. You also care about the details and know how to adapt when things don't go according to plan. If this sounds like you, you might have a future as a cybersecurity professional.

Northwestern's cybersecurity major will give you a strong foundation in programming, while also teaching you how to evaluate the security of computer systems. You'll also learn how to control systems access, detect intrusions, and respond to bugs and malicious software.

Why NWC?

Why NWC?

At Northwestern, we view cybersecurity as an opportunity to serve others. By programming with a security mindset, you'll keep your future employer's computer systems safe, protecting company data and the privacy of its customers. Your professors will also help you understand technology as a way of advancing God's kingdom while they prepare you to become a cybersecurity expert. You can further your expertise with related minors in business administration, criminal justice, project management, psychology or statistics.

CONTACT
Mark Haselhoff
Mark Haselhoff
Department Chair
100% GRAD PLACEMENT 100% of our recent computer science graduates found a job or started grad school within six months of graduation.
REGION'S BEST NWC's computer science students placed among the region's top 20 teams at a 2022 programming contest.
8 TO 15 STUDENTS Average size of a cybersecurity class
Career Outlook

Career Outlook

Career Outlook

Career Outlook

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, jobs in information security are expected to grow 33% (much faster than average), placing cybersecurity in the top five fastest-growing occupations between 2022 and 2032. It's also estimated that there are 3.5 million cybersecurity job vacancies around the globe, with 750,000 of them in the United States.

Experience

Association for Computing Machinery

Association for Computing Machinery

Make an impression on future employers by becoming a student member of the Association for Computing Machinery (ACM), which offers opportunities for connecting with computing professionals from across the country.

Staff Northwestern's help desk

Staff Northwestern's help desk

Getting a work-study job with Northwestern's computing services help desk is a great way to gain hands-on experience troubleshooting computer issues. You'll also have a chance to learn from the college's talented IT professionals, most of whom are graduates of Northwestern's computer science department.

Programming contests

Programming contests

Computer science, software engineering and cybersecurity majors can participate in the annual International Collegiate Programming Contest. In 2022, a Northwestern team placed 16th among 95 schools in our region—the second-best finish for a school from Iowa and for a private liberal arts college.

Compass Center for Career & Calling

Compass Center for Career & Calling

The Compass Center for Career & Calling will connect you with internship experience in a major U.S. city or with a company closer to home. The center also offers help writing resumes and cover letters, as well as practice interview sessions, job shadowing, and more.

Internships

Internships

Raider computer science majors have interned with:

  • Interstates Electric and Engineering Company Inc., Sioux Center, IA
  • JAARS (a Wycliffe Bible Translators partner), Waxhaw, NC
  • NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD
  • Pella Corporation, Pella, IA
  • United Defense, St. Paul, MN

Study abroad

Study abroad

Study abroad programs in dozens of other countries are great opportunities to grow in your knowledge of software from around the globe.

Association for Computing Machinery

Make an impression on future employers by becoming a student member of the Association for Computing Machinery (ACM), which offers opportunities for connecting with computing professionals from across the country.

Staff Northwestern's help desk

Getting a work-study job with Northwestern's computing services help desk is a great way to gain hands-on experience troubleshooting computer issues. You'll also have a chance to learn from the college's talented IT professionals, most of whom are graduates of Northwestern's computer science department.

Programming contests

Computer science, software engineering and cybersecurity majors can participate in the annual International Collegiate Programming Contest. In 2022, a Northwestern team placed 16th among 95 schools in our region—the second-best finish for a school from Iowa and for a private liberal arts college.

Compass Center for Career & Calling

The Compass Center for Career & Calling will connect you with internship experience in a major U.S. city or with a company closer to home. The center also offers help writing resumes and cover letters, as well as practice interview sessions, job shadowing, and more.

Internships

Raider computer science majors have interned with:

  • Interstates Electric and Engineering Company Inc., Sioux Center, IA
  • JAARS (a Wycliffe Bible Translators partner), Waxhaw, NC
  • NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD
  • Pella Corporation, Pella, IA
  • United Defense, St. Paul, MN

Study abroad

Study abroad programs in dozens of other countries are great opportunities to grow in your knowledge of software from around the globe.

related majors

Business Administration Business Administration Computer Science Computer Science Criminal Justice Criminal Justice Psychology Psychology Software Engineering Software Engineering