Two new online Master’s degree programs designed primarily for non-lawyers, a Master of Science in Cybersecurity Law and a Master of Science in Homeland Security & Crisis Management Law, are now being offered by the University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law.
Both programs draw upon the expertise of professional staff at the distinguished University of Maryland Center for Health and Homeland Security, which melds academic and practical expertise. This university academic center works side-by-side with the nation’s top federal, state and local emergency responders, as well as helping to navigate the burgeoning issues surrounding cybersecurity.
The Master of Science in Cybersecurity Law and Master of Science in Homeland Security & Crisis Management Law are both overseen by the University of Maryland Carey Law’s Professor Michael Greenberger, who also heads up the center.
“With instruction by key subject-matter experts, including distinguished law faculty and leading practitioners, each program boasts instructors that are second-to-none,” the university said in an announcement, adding, “The selection of the two online Masters programs is not a coincidence. The state of Maryland is the epicenter for Cybersecurity, with leading cyber agencies such as the National Security Agency, US Cyber Command, and the National Cybersecurity Center of Excellence located in the state, in addition to a wealth of private sector cybersecurity firms.”
The Baltimore-Washington metropolitan area also contains some of the most important government offices in the country in the field of Homeland Security & Emergency Management, including the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and Department of Homeland Security.
Designed primarily for non-lawyer professionals who need legal and regulatory knowledge, the Master of Science online programs are a perfect fit for today’s professionals who are fully employed and in need of enhancing their professional skillsets.
"The MSL degree will give students, especially those who are interested in law but do not want to pursue a JD degree, the specialized legal knowledge to succeed in jobs that require or are complemented by an understanding of the law," says Maryland Carey Law dean Donald B. Tobin, JD.
Courses in both programs are taught asynchronously online, meaning that enrolled students can log in and participate in course lectures and assignments on their own schedule, which provides great flexibility for those who are juggling both professional and personal obligations.
The announcement said, “The popularity of Cybersecurity and Homeland Security & Crisis Management is growing at a rapid pace. Degree conferrals for master’s programs in these fields have risen at a compound annual growth rate of more than 30 percent in recent years.”
“Current environmental factors and risks, such as the recent rise in data breaches, international terrorism, and a pronounced increase in the number of natural disasters, support the increase of interest in these areas. In addition, these factors will likely create greater demand for skilled professionals,” the university said.
Maryland Carey Law started residential versions of five programs last year but will shift the Cybersecurity and Homeland Security & Crisis Management program to the online format in 2017.
The programs take four semesters to complete, and are recruiting and accepting applications for the first cohort of students for February of 2017.
