Cybersecurity program to move to Boston College Law School
The Master of Science in Cybersecurity Policy and Governance program, anchored at the Woods College of Advancing Studies since its inception in fall 2015, will be reconfigured as a new Master of Legal Studies in Cybersecurity, Risk, and Governance program at Boston College Law School, following an announcement from Odette Lienau, the Marianne D. Short, Esq., Dean of BC Law.
BC Law will launch the M.L.S. program as a new graduate degree offering in the fall of 2025 with Kevin R. Powers, founder and current director of the M.S. program, as director and lecturer. The M.S. in Cybersecurity program has stopped accepting applications and will continue to operate at Woods College until the end of the 2026 spring term, which will allow all currently enrolled students the opportunity to complete their program of study. Preparations for the new M.L.S. in Cybersecurity, Risk, and Governance will not affect students currently in the M.S. program.
Odette Lienau, the Marianne D. Short, Esq., Dean of Boston College Law School (Lee Pellegrini)
“This change results from a recent University review process, which considered the current program’s strong curriculum, connection to law and regulation, and many prospective synergies with existing juris doctor and master of laws programs at BC Law,” said Lienau. “Although the Master of Science in Cybersecurity Policy and Governance degree program currently provides students with an excellent experience and the education, training, and skills needed to excel in the cybersecurity field, the program will be enhanced by a redevelopment and relaunch as a new M.L.S. program housed, overseen, and managed by the Law School.”
She added that although there are core continuities, the M.L.S. program is a separate degree, which received formal acquiescence from the American Bar Association last June.
“In preparation for the fall 2025 launch, BC Law is undertaking a curriculum review of the program, aligned with the conditions of the ABA,” she said.
The M.S. in Cybersecurity Policy and Governance degree program was launched nine years ago following a Woods College curriculum overhaul focused on applicability and practicality. It was designed with input from industry professionals and an advisory board that researched the cybersecurity field and determined that BC could fill a substantial gap by creating a more holistic approach to the course of study.
Kevin Powers, director of the new M.L.S. in Cybersecurity, Risk, and Governance degree program at BC Law. (Reba Saldanha)
Powers emphasized that online crime has exponentially increased since 2015, along with the legal and regulatory requirements for private and public organizations, fueling a high demand for professionals with skills in cybersecurity, data privacy, and artificial intelligence.
“As technology evolves and business risks increase, there is a high demand for non-lawyer professionals with a deep understanding of the complex legal and regulatory frameworks governing cybersecurity, data privacy, and artificial intelligence,” said Powers. “Our M.L.S. in Cybersecurity, Risk, and Governance provides those professionals with the necessary legal, risk management, and technical knowledge and skills to advance their careers, lead compliance and information security teams. They are able to work with in-house and outside counsel to develop, implement, and oversee cybersecurity programs that are not only aligned to organizations’ business strategies, but also protect their networks, business operations, and sensitive data.”
Cybercrime Magazine reported that global cybersecurity job vacancies grew by 350 percent, from one million openings in 2013 to 3.5 million in 2021, according to Cybersecurity Ventures, a global cyber economy research firm. “Industry efforts to source new talent and tackle burnout continues, but we predict that the disparity between demand and supply will remain through at least 2025,” the editor noted.
The Identity Theft Resource Center reported in January that there was a 78 percent increase in data compromises year-to-year, from 1,801 in 2022 to 3,205 in 2023—the worst year yet for data breaches—both in the United States and globally. According to cyber security outlet SecurityWeek, ransomware scams had more than twice the number of victims in 2023 compared to 2022, and based on current trends, ransomware threats will continue to increase and evolve in 2024. More than 353 million individuals were affected by data compromises, including data breaches, leakage, and exposure.
Since 2017, the M.S. program at Woods College has annually co-hosted the Boston Conference on Cyber Security with the Federal Bureau of Investigation, featuring lectures and panel discussions given by international leaders in the disciplines of emerging technologies, operations and enforcement, and real-life cyber and national security concerns. The initial conference featured former FBI Director James Comey, followed by current FBI Director Christopher A. Wray as the keynote speaker in 2018, 2020, and 2022. This forum will continue at BC Law School.