Computer Security and Data Assurance Associate Degree Program

In response to the national need for information technology workers with expertise in information systems security, this project has developed an associate degree program in computer security and data assurance at Norwalk Community College. The program leads students either to immediate employment or to a related four-year degree at Western Connecticut State University. In developing the curriculum, investigators examined existing computer security curricula and standards in order to adapt and build on exemplary resources. The investigators also introduced a faculty externship program, which provides faculty members with relevant workplace experiences so they can better prepare their students for careers in the computer security field. Although the project's primary audience is two-year college faculty and students, the goal is to create a computer security career pathway from secondary schools to two-year colleges and on to universities. Objectives and activities in the project include: adapting computer security curricula to create a career pathway from secondary schools to two-year colleges and four-year universities; implementing an externship program for faculty; creating practical lab experiences with a Unix/NT "anti-hackers" lab and teleconferencing equipment for distance learning; utilizing a faculty externship and student outreach coordinator to administer externship placements and recruit students for the computer security program; disseminating the computer security materials, curriculum, and model throughout Connecticut; and hosting an annual cybersecurity conference. The project is guided by an advisory committee of representatives from business and industry, professional associations in the computer security field, other colleges and universities, and law enforcement.