About the Cybersecurity Program
The Carroll College Cybersecurity major is designed with two goals in mind:
- To ensure that students stay one step ahead of evolving cyber threats.
- To provide students with fundamental IT skills.
While the first goal is primary and more foundational to a cybersecurity program, the importance of the second goal should not be disregarded for two major reasons. First, entry-level cybersecurity roles, and roles at smaller organizations, frequently blend elements of cybersecurity and IT work. Second, the cybersecurity function of an organization is inextricably linked with IT since both networks and team members present opportunities to bad actors. To that end, students who complete the recommended IT focus area will be prepared for numerous cybersecurity certifications, including the CompTIA A+ exam.
Within this program, students will assess modern cybersecurity challenges that threaten our privacy, security, and safety and gain both the knowledge and hands-on technical skills to protect digital assets from cyber criminals who leverage sophisticated social and cyber tactics to facilitate attacks.
Furthermore, as the cyber attack surface continues to expand via the proliferation of Internet of Things (IoT) devices, it is increasingly vital that students learn how to “harden” networks, systems, and endpoint devices against cyber attacks, topics which are covered in the course Modern Cybersecurity.
It is, however, impossible to create a perfectly secure system, so students will also learn how to perform cyber forensics to investigate, collect, and preserve digital evidence associated with a breach.
Think Like a Hacker
Finally, students will learn how to think like a “hacker” and use industry standard tools to find weaknesses in systems.
Students who complete this curriculum will not only be prepared for a career as a cybersecurity professional, they will also be well positioned to obtain a number of certifications which will increase their employability later in their career, including Certified Ethical Hacker, Certified Information Systems Security Professional, and Certified Forensic Examiner. Please note these certifications may require additional work experience and exam preparation!