AMHERST — The University of Massachusetts Amherst is beefing up its offerings in the cybersecurity sector with a new certificate program open to all.
The new program is called Trust, Assurance and Cybersecurity, or TAC. Students who complete four classes in the program receive a certificate in information risk management and cybersecurity, according to a UMass press release.
Students who enroll in the program must take courses in Internet Law and Policy, Cybersecurity, Information Risk Management and a TAC Capstone Course.
The certificate will be headed by a new academic dean, Tracy Mitrano, whose previous experience includes 12 years as the director of information technology policy at Cornell University.
The program will focus on preparing students for the rapidly expanding field of cybersecurity. As Mitrano noted, information technology security is becoming increasingly essential to protecting institutions’ digital privacy, particularly at universities.
“Institutions now need IT policy just like they need HR or facilities or finance policy,” said Mitrano in the press release. “There is an immediate need to bring IT policy up to the highest possible standards, and I greatly welcome the opportunity to help UMass Amherst meet that challenge.”
Mitrano, together with UMass Information and Computer Sciences Professor Brian Levine, will oversee the certificate from UMass’s satellite campus, the UMass Center in Springfield’s Tower Square.
“I like the idea of drawing people there to create innovative approaches to new security and privacy issues facing our country,” she said.
The classes, which are taught at night, are open to anyone and will run for eight weeks. For more information visit tacc.cics.umass.edu.