Computer hacking, espionage and cyber security are all on the menu of a new degree at the University of Hawaii – West Oahu that aims to meet the ever-growing demand across the state and country for experts in information security, according to a press release. 

The Bachelor of Applied Science degree is being dubbed “Information Security and Assurance,” and it’ll be offered starting this fall.

It’s all part of an effort in partnership with Honolulu Community College to offer an expansive security education program that includes coursework in digital forensics, cyber conflicts, system security and more.

Honolulu Community College is also offering an associate degree in Computing, Electronics and Networking Technologies that will lead into UHWO’s information security degree.

The UHWO program includes a course in “proactive system security” that teaches students about computer hacking. It also introduces the legal and ethical implications of those techniques, including discussion of current events such as the National Security Agency’s wire-tapping surveillance controversy. 

Other courses look at tactics used in today’s cyber conflicts and espionage detection and defense. 

Photo courtesy of Christopher Schirner via Flickr. 

— Alia Wong