Computer Networking: Cybersecurity Option, A.S.

The Computer Networking: Cybersecurity Degree Program Option is designed to take a student with little or no information technology experience and prepare them for entry-level work in Cybersecurity. The degree prepares the student for the foundational CompTia Security Plus certification and provides the student with skills needed to implement, maintain, and administer secure local and wide area networks. Curriculum in this program is based on topic areas, learning objectives, and goals for educating the workforce prescribed by the cybersecurity community, including the National Institute for Standards and Technology (NIST) and the National Initiative for Cybersecurity Education (NICE).

Students will learn to design, configure, and secure LANs and WANs, install networking security appliances and software, understand and configure firewalls, maintain network intrusion systems, monitor and analyze network performance, identify network vulnerabilities and exploits, develop  risk mitigation strategies, detect and prevent threats to information systems, establish and maintain security policies and procedures, design and optimize secure access to network resources.

The computer networking profession is growing extremely rapidly as the need for global interconnectedness increases, especially in the cybersecurity area. This program fills the critical gap between the skills that are needed by today’s new students and workers that need to be retrained for careers in this field. Upon completion, students will be prepared for an entry-level networking/ cybersecurity position, advancement in their current position, or transfer to a four-year IT program.

Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion of all program requirements, graduates will be able to:

1. Demonstrate an understanding of the fundamentals of information security technology and information systems and their importance and impact in business and society
2. Identify and describe basic secured communication technologies, devices, and components used to protect the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of data in Local and Wide Area Networks
3. Identify and describe various types of malicious software detection and removal
4. Demonstrate the use of appropriate tools to assist with administering and troubleshooting computers, media, and detect malicious network traffic
5. Setup, configure, and secure network servers and client workstations in workgroups and domain based networks
6. Design, build, and maintain scalable and secured networks using routers, switches, firewalls, network intrusion detection systems, proxies, secured transmission media, patch management, and vulnerability assessment tools
7. Identify and describe information assurance fundamentals and techniques used to protect the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of the data
8. Design and optimize secured local and wide-area networks
9. Detect and prevent threats to information systems
10. Establish and enforce corporate/organizational security policies and procedures
11. Identify appropriate security controls and mitigation strategies
12. Apply comprehensive theoretical knowledge, problem-solving skills, and ethical principles to address case studies and practical applications in networking and cybersecurity

Please see Becoming Connecticut State Community College  for important information regarding this program and Fall 2023 opening of Connecticut State Community College.