KENNESAW, Ga. | Feb 11, 2020

Board of Regents approves bachelor's in hospitality management, master's in cybersecurity

The Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia has approved two new degree programs at Kennesaw State University.

A Master of Science in Cybersecurity and a Bachelor of Business Administration in Hospitality Management will be offered starting in the 2020-21 school year.

“The addition of these two degree programs is further evidence of Kennesaw State’s commitment to developing academic programs that serve the interest of our students and, at the same time, support the growing marketplace demands of the state and region,” said KSU President Pamela Whitten.

With annual revenues exceeding $4.7 billion in the state of Georgia and a 31.6 percent increase in nationwide demand for information security analysts over the next eight years, the M.S. in Cybersecurity addresses a major workforce need. The M.S. in Cybersecurity seeks to build on the success of KSU’s Cybersecurity Institute, a collaboration between the College of Computing and Software Engineering, the Coles College of Business and the College of Humanities and Social Sciences, by offering this 30-credit hour program, which features threat prevention and response, risk management, and applying the appropriate tools and methodologies to solve real-world problems.

The hospitality industry employs approximately 10 percent of the workforce in the United States, and is the fifth-largest employer in the state of Georgia. Yet Georgia’s universities conferred fewer than 100 degrees in hospitality in 2017, the last year for which data were available. With the BBA in Hospitality Management, KSU stands at the forefront of bolstering those numbers as well as the state’s hospitality workforce. The degree will be offered through KSU’s Coles College of Business and will require students to complete 400 hours of work experience in addition to the coursework. To help with enrollment, members of one of the largest hotel associations in the state have pledged nearly $125,000 in scholarships.

KSU Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs Kathy Schwaig says the two programs will position KSU as a leader in two critical, rapidly growing industries.

“Both the hospitality and cybersecurity industries continue to expand, offering growing opportunities for our graduates. These new programs focus on relevant knowledge that addresses industry demand,” said Schwaig.

A leader in innovative teaching and learning, Kennesaw State University offers undergraduate, graduate and doctoral degrees to its more than 47,000 students. Kennesaw State is a member of the University System of Georgia with 11 academic colleges. The university’s vibrant campus culture, diverse population, strong global ties and entrepreneurial spirit draw students from throughout the country and the world. Kennesaw State is a Carnegie-designated doctoral research institution (R2), placing it among an elite group of only 7 percent of U.S. colleges and universities with an R1 or R2 status. For more information, visit kennesaw.edu.