The UWI Mona to launch cybersecurity major in September

The Faculty of Science and Technology at The University of the West Indies (The UWI), Mona, will be launching a cybersecurity major in September.

The new major, being offered through the Department of Computing, is designed to prepare a new generation of cybersecurity professionals equipped to protect Jamaica’s digital infrastructure and support regional security efforts, the faculty said.

The cybersecurity major will offer students practical and advanced training in areas such as malware analysis, penetration testing, countermeasure development, and risk management. A key feature of the programme is its partnership with a globally recognised cybersecurity certification body, providing students with the opportunity to gain industry-recognised certifications at reduced costs.
“This is the premier programme of its kind in Jamaica and the region,” said Dr Curtis Busby-Earle, senior lecturer in the Department of Computing. “We are offering students the technical and scientific foundation they need to thrive in a fast-evolving digital landscape,” he added.

Plans for the new major come on the heels of the July 3 announcement for the building of the Precision Cybersecurity Lab on The UWI’s Mona Campus — a collaboration between The UWI and Precision Cybertechnologies and Digital Solutions Limited (PCDS) — and is supported by a US$75,000 investment aimed at strengthening Jamaica’s digital security infrastructure.
The lab, which will be located within the Department of Computing, will serve as a hub for student training, applied research, and real-time threat detection and analysis.

Dr Busby-Earle, also heads the CIFER Group (Computer Intrusions, Forensics, and Exploitations Research) at The UWI, which is the Caribbean’s leading research group in cybersecurity. Its work forms a core component of the academic and practical experience UWI Mona students will receive. “The lab and the major together will provide the hands-on training necessary to build Jamaica’s cybersecurity workforce,” said Dr Busby-Earle.

He said the curriculum is designed to develop well-rounded professionals with a balance of theory and application. Graduates will be able to understand key computing principles, analyse and manage cyber risks and threats, gain hands-on experience through labs and real-world projects, apply problem-solving skills to complex cybersecurity challenges, use contemporary operating systems and programming tools and enter the workforce in technical and leadership roles or continue into graduate study.
At the same time, Professor Michael Taylor, Dean of the Faculty of Science and Technology, emphasised the national importance of the programme.
“Cybersecurity is now a cornerstone of national security, economic resilience, and digital innovation. As Jamaica and the Caribbean accelerate their digital transformation, we must also grow the expertise to secure our systems, data, and infrastructure. This major is one way The UWI is contributing to national development through science and technology.”
Jamaica reportedly faces millions of cyberattacks annually and the Faculty of Science and Technology says the
cybersecurity major and the Precision Cybersecurity Lab will place The UWI Mona at the forefront of digital security education in the region, providing students with the skills, experience, and certifications needed to protect national and regional interests.