Top 25 in the US: UW-Stout’s cybersecurity program listed among nation’s best

UW-Stout’s Bachelor of Science in cybersecurity was named a Top 25 Best Value Cybersecurity Degree Bachelor’s Program in the U.S. by Programs.com.

The only institution in Wisconsin listed, No. 22-ranked UW-Stout’s cybersecurity program stands out for its exceptional educational quality and strong return on investment for students. The Programs.com recognition reflects UW-Stout’s commitment to offering a rigorous and respected cybersecurity education that remains accessible, affordable, practical and career-focused.

The program is recognized as a Cisco Certified Networking Academy, an AWS Certified Academy, and a Microsoft Certified IT Academy. Real-world lab experiences and courses are taught by faculty members with advanced IT industry credentials.

“Being recognized among the nation’s top cybersecurity programs is an honor that reflects the dedication of our students and faculty. This recognition reinforces our commitment to applied, hands-on education that makes a real difference for our students,” said Holly Yuan, program director of B.S. cybersecurity and B.S. computer networking and infrastructure engineering and founding director of UW-Stout’s Cybersecurity Research and Outreach Center, which promotes cybersecurity research, education and workforce needs for the state of Wisconsin.

“Generative AI is reshaping cybersecurity – both as a threat and as a defense. At UW-Stout, our Cyber@Stout Student Club is collaborating with faculty to build our first AI-powered cyber range and Capture the Flag (CTF) challenges focused on the security of large language models. These innovations ensure our students stay ahead of emerging trends and graduate prepared to meet the evolving needs of Wisconsin’s workforce and beyond,” Yuan added.

The Cyber@Stout team won first place at the 2025 Wisconsin Collegiate Cyber Defense Competition and placed second overall across Wisconsin, Illinois and Missouri in January. This year, the team is focusing on red-team strategies, including finding vulnerabilities in cloud environments and Generative AI large language models.

"We are now a member of the Palo Alto Networks Academy, thanks to the support of one of our advisory board members, who is a vice president at Palo Alto and helped us build this connection. This partnership further strengthens our students’ access to world-class cybersecurity training resources,” Yuan said.

UW-Stout has the most technology and engineering graduates of any school north of Madison. From engineering to communication and counseling, manufacturing, marketing and design, construction, supply chain and more, UW-Stout is preparing graduates to meet the needs of a rapidly evolving workforce by embedding AI training in all of its degree programs. UW-Stout’s AI Fellows, centers, and services collaborate with community, business and industry partners to help Wisconsin leverage AI-driven solutions that put it ahead of the curve.

Programs.com works to connect students with programs that combine quality, reputation, and real-world value, whether they’re launching a new career or advancing in their field.

National Center for Cyber Defense

All programs on the Top 25 list are designated as a National Center of Academic Excellence by the National Security Agency and/or the Department of Homeland Security.

UW-Stout is designated as a National Center of Academic Excellence in Cybersecurity for Cyber Defense through the 2028 academic year. In 2017, UW-Stout was the first four-year university in the state to receive this designation, a standard that only about 4% of schools in the United States earn.

The computer networking and infrastructure engineering program is the only such program in the state to receive the National Center of Academic Excellence Program of Study honor. Along with the cybersecurity and CNIE majors, UW-Stout has programs in computer science and applied mathematics and computer science.

“The CAE-CD designation is a testament to the hard work and dedication of our faculty and students. It highlights our commitment to excellence in cyber defense education and positions UW-Stout as a leader in cybersecurity education. We’re all very proud of this achievement,” Yuan said.

Preparing students for cybersecurity careers

For leading the way in cybersecurity and for her outstanding educational contributions to the industry, Yuan received the Visionary Academic Leadership Award at the Cyber Security Summit last fall. She has integrated courses, including Application of Generative AI in Cybersecurity, to engage students in cutting-edge research involving cybersecurity, AI and cloud computing.

“AI can be leveraged to enhance cybersecurity controls and processes, helping our students stay ahead of emerging trends. In the field of cybersecurity, generative AI is quickly becoming a tool for both defensive and offensive measures. We’re focused on integrating these aspects into our curriculum to ensure our students are well-equipped to address challenges,” Yuan said.

With UW-Stout’s focus on applied learning, Yuan believes graduates are equipped not just with theoretical knowledge but also with practical skills through internships, capstone projects and industry certifications, ensuring they will be successful in their careers, she said.

“Holly regularly keeps up with people in the industry to ensure that the program is up-to-date, and the employers are happy with Stout graduates. She supports the students in a variety of ways, encouraging employers to hire Stout students throughout the semester, giving students hands-on work experience before they graduate,” said Owen Pryga, cybersecurity senior and president of the university’s Collegiate Cyber Defense League.

Addressing Wisconsin’s cybersecurity and AI needs

UW-Stout created ACCESS – the AI-Powered Cloud Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification and Education Support System – with the aid of a $124,555 federal grant from the U.S. Department of Defense Cyber Service Academy.

The DoD program helps businesses guard against cybersecurity threats and requires defense supply chain partners that handle sensitive unclassified information to meet stringent cybersecurity standards. 

The certificate program strengthens career opportunities and industry workforce readiness for UW-Stout cybersecurity and CNIE majors, prospective students and professionals in the field.

In spring 2023, UW-Stout received a $298,771 cybersecurity internship grant to address Wisconsin’s workforce and infrastructure needs. The Fast Forward grant is from the state Department of Workforce Development and Universities of Wisconsin. 

It provides paid industry internships to students enrolled in cybersecurity-related programs, where they apply skills learned in their labs and courses to work on real-world projects for employers looking to make their organization, services, products and data more secure.

More than 30 companies have partnered with UW-Stout’s Career Services through the DWD internship program to recruit students.

Student leadership in AI

AI Student Club members are helping to lead a community of learners and enthusiasts who are passionate about artificial intelligence. They are involved in applied learning activities both on and off campus and work to support UW-Stout’s goal of a 360-degree AI education approach.

AI Student Club members won first place at the 2024 DigiKey DKC3 Coding Competition last fall, defeating 20 teams from 11 Midwest universities. The club’s goals are to collaborate with university partners such as K-12 schools, two-year colleges and industry partners to develop hands-on AI applications in areas such as electronic vehicles, vision inspections, community services and more.

“The club plays an important role in embedding AI in every curriculum by exploring the diverse potential of AI across different disciplines because club members come from different majors,” said engineering and technology Assistant Professor Yuan Xing, club advisor.