In a field that is experiencing a shortage of experts, a recent IBM-sponsored survey indicates businesses are looking for college graduates that have both technical expertise and business skills in cyber security, which is exactly what the Decision and Information Sciences program at OU's School of Business Administration delivers.
A strong program taught by recognized experts in the field, the SBA is enriching the student experience with the new Security Network Instructional Lab that opened this spring.
Information Systems Security class instructors can create a sand box for students, isolated from the Internet and Oakland’s internal systems. This enables students to experiment with malware and simulated attacks in a realistic environment that is safe. In this way, the lab expands classroom learning with hands-on experience in the complex field of network security by offering opportunities to explore the constant threat of viruses, worms, spy-ware, zero-day attacks and much more, while developing critical business management skills.
"All too often graduates know the theory, but not the real-life practice of IT implementation and security," said Aaron Kazmierczak, senior systems engineer, Blackhawk Systems. "The new SBA lab fills the gap by looking at industry needs and changing issues and bringing that knowledge right into the curriculum."
Integrating experiential learning into the program is exactly what employers in the IBM-sponsored survey are looking for. In the survey, one-third of the companies said they are seeking professionals and managers who can bridge the divide between IT and business, and eight out of 10 companies indicated they seek problem-solving and technical skills when hiring college graduates.
Within OU's SBA, students of the MIS program graduate with the ability to apply information technology to business problems and to find solutions using information technology as a tool. With a curriculum steeped in business courses such as accounting, management, marketing and more, the MIS program focuses on how to harness the power of information technology in business.
"Recent surveys show that universities as a whole are not preparing students well for IT jobs. The SBA is changing that for OU students with this lab," said Tom Lauer, professor, MIS, and DIS chair. "With the escalation of cyber security’s importance, there will be a critical need for professionals with a solid technological grounding."
Lauer is a founding member of SurPriSe, an OU faculty learning community leading the exploration of the emerging issues in the areas of surveillance, privacy and security.
Business leaders who learn about OU's interdisciplinary approach in this area agree; this type of collaboration is laying the groundwork for projects that could have an immediate impact on today's business world.
"The approach is brilliant," says Ken Janke, SBA MBA '85, senior vice president, Aflac. "Before now, I had not spent any time thinking just how closely the three topics are interrelated and, more likely, in potential conflict. This integrated approach is not only timely and necessary, but reflects very advanced thinking and will be critical in the future."
In addition to giving business students the hands-on experience to augment their business education, the lab will be used to explore other emerging trends, including simulation of networked economies. SBA faculty members will also be able to use this new resource to conduct research and explore issues relating to desktop virtualization, surveillance, and information systems security.
The lab will also support education across disciplines within SBA and OU. In addition to MIS security courses, the SBA will hold courses such as Audit and Control, Business Application Architecture, Business Object Development, Advanced Auditing, and Enterprise Risk Management and Control. Across campus, the new lab can support programs in medicine, engineering, nursing and the liberal arts.
For more information about the SBA's Security Network Instructional Lab, view the website at
oakland.edu/sbasecuritylab.
