Illinois Tech has expanded its commitment to preparing the next generation of cybersecurity leaders with the launch of three new online graduate programs. Developed in partnership with education technology company Risepoint, these degrees are crafted to meet the pressing demand for cybersecurity expertise across industries, government, and critical infrastructure. The programs build on Illinois Tech’s earlier online initiatives, offering a portfolio of career-focused, flexible graduate education designed to equip working professionals with the advanced skills employers require.
The new offerings are highly specialized, with tracks in Cybersecurity Management, Cybersecurity Technology, and Computer Engineering. This structure allows learners to tailor their education to distinct career pathways—whether leading security operations, designing and deploying advanced security technologies, or engineering secure systems. Importantly, all three programs are delivered entirely online, ensuring accessibility for professionals balancing the competing demands of work, family, and personal responsibilities without sacrificing the rigor associated with Illinois Tech’s academic reputation.
The need for such programs is underscored by the local and national job market. In Illinois alone, CyberSeek reports that employers posted over 19,000 openings for cybersecurity roles in 2025, a figure that reflects both the intensity of demand and the shortage of skilled talent. Illinois Tech’s Vice President for Enrollment Management and Student Affairs, Mallik Sundharam, emphasized that the university’s graduates will leave with not just theoretical grounding but also the applied, job-ready experience that employers are actively seeking.
For Risepoint, this initiative represents another milestone in a growing partnership with Illinois Tech. CEO Fernando Bleichmar noted that the collaboration is directly tied to addressing workforce needs in critical fields like cybersecurity, with programs designed to ensure graduates can make an immediate impact from their first day on the job. His comments highlight the larger trend of universities working alongside edtech companies to align academic offerings with market realities, closing the gap between education and employment outcomes.
By creating degrees that marry flexibility with technical depth, Illinois Tech is positioning itself as a key contributor to both local workforce development and the broader national push to strengthen digital defenses. These programs are more than new credentials—they are a direct response to the evolving security landscape, ensuring that industries and communities have the skilled defenders they need to remain resilient in the face of relentless cyber threats.