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CORVALLIS, Ore. - A growing need for computer scientists and engineers trained in cybersecurity has led to collaboration between Oregon State University and Intel Security to offer an experiential course in that field, taught by field experts from around the world.

McAfee Labs, part of Intel Security, reported that in 2014 they detected 307 new cyber threats every minute, and the number of malware exploits increased by 76 percent compared to the prior year. In 2015, company officials said they expect an increase in cyber warfare, espionage attacks and new vulnerabilities for mobile devices and cloud computing.

The "Defense Against the Dark Arts" course, designed by Intel Security, was welcomed by OSU as part of its efforts to build a program in computer security. Intel Security previously delivered the course at California Polytechnic State University, and plans to work with OSU to expand the program to other universities in the future through video recordings.

"We are passionate about this field of work and study, and believe that one of the best avenues for combating cybercrime is to educate the next wave of university graduates with the skills necessary to make the cyber world a safer place," said Candace Worley, senior vice president and general manager for Endpoint Security at Intel Security.

The course offers practical, hands-on experience on topics such as malware and defenses against them; software vulnerabilities; network, web and mobile security tools and techniques.

The class filled to capacity when it opened with 45 computer science majors and 15 electrical and computer engineering majors.

"It's a remarkable opportunity for our students to have such cutting-edge knowledge, and a workforce development benefit to the industry," said Ron Adams, interim vice president for research. "It's a win for everyone."