The changing landscape in cybersecurity education, the impact of COVID-19, and the promise of online education programs

Abstract

Over the past few years, the use of technology has increased significantly causing more demand for cybersecurity professionals. During the pandemic universities, companies, and schools transitioned to online courses, seminars, and meetings. This research will demonstrate the perception students and faculty have toward the success of online learning in a cybersecurity program at Purdue Global. This study will be non-experimental and uses quantitative data collected through a survey. This study will help provide an understanding of how students and faculty feel about the current cybersecurity courses, and how the online courses compare to that of a traditional course through literature review. According to Krieder & Almalag (2019), despite the government and NICE framework efforts, there is still a gap between the professional needs and those who are qualified for these positions. The literature focuses on program implementation and less on the quality of outcomes. Therefore, this study will bring value to how well online courses affect outcomes, satisfaction, and job readiness.