The University of Maryland has officially launched two new massive open online courses (MOOCs) on Coursera: Cybersecurity Risk Management Across Critical Systems and A Strategic Approach to Cybersecurity, completing a three-course Cybersecurity specialization on the platform. The courses, developed and taught by Charles Harry, the Director of the Center for Governance of Technology and Systems (GoTech), continue the university’s mission to make high-quality cybersecurity education accessible to a global audience.
Designed for learners of all backgrounds, from seasoned professionals to those with little or no technical experience, these courses offer complementary perspectives on today’s cybersecurity landscape, blending technical foundations with strategic decision-making, risk management, and policy insights. Drawing on Harry’s front-line experience with the National Security Agency and his advisory roles to national and corporate leaders, the courses reflect a distinct and valuable perspective on today’s cyber threat environment.
Cybersecurity Risk Management Across Critical Systems equips learners to manage cybersecurity risk across essential systems by exploring technical foundations alongside governance, privacy, and policy considerations. This course emphasizes real-world applications for building resilience at the enterprise, institutional, and national levels.
A Strategic Approach to Cybersecurity focuses on the interdependence of public and private systems, providing a strategic framework for understanding cybersecurity infrastructure and risk. It builds on foundational concepts introduced in Cybersecurity for Everyone and is suited for a wide range of learners looking to engage with the broader business and policy landscape of cybersecurity.
These new offerings build on the success of Harry’s acclaimed Cybersecurity for Everyone course, which is expected to surpass 500,000 enrollments within the next six weeks. That course was recently recognized by Class Central as one of the “9 Best Cybersecurity Courses for 2025,” earning top marks for its accessibility, clarity, and relevance in a fast-changing digital security landscape. All three courses are now bundled into a new Coursera Specialization, allowing learners to take them individually or as part of a structured, stackable curriculum. The specialization offers both flexibility and depth, equipping participants to address cybersecurity challenges across various sectors and at a large scale.
The launch reflects UMD’s leadership in online education and its commitment to building cybersecurity capacity across industries and borders.
