Information Systems Assurance - A.A.S. Degree (Career)
Application Code 306
For curriculum information, contact the Business and Computer Systems Division—Room DH-239—443-518-1520.
This area of study is designed to meet the needs of the business community and industry in the expanding field of computer network engineering and administration. Graduates will be qualified for a variety of technical and administrative positions including client needs assessment, network design, network installation and maintenance, inter-network communication and connectivity, specialized network functions, and on-site network administration. Extensive lab instruction will provide exposure to real-world network scenarios. The required courses related to major prepare students for four respected industry certification exams including: CompTIA A+, Network+, Security+, and Cisco’s Certified Entry Networking Technician (CCENT). Each student will then complete additional coursework in one of the specialized areas. Students who complete the Cisco area of study will be prepared for Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA) Routing & Switching, CCNA Security, and CCNA Voice certifications. Students who complete the Cybersecurity area of study will be eligible for certification to the 4011 and 4013 standards by the Committee on National Security Systems (CNSS).
General Education Core
English Composition
Arts & Humanities
| SPCH-105 | Fundamentals of Public Speaking | 3 |
Social & Behavioral Sciences
Biological & Physical Sciences
Mathematics
Core Electives
Required Courses Related to Major
| CMSY-105 | Managing and Maintaining PCs and Mobile Devices I | 3 |
| CMSY-106 | Managing and Maintaining PCs and Mobile Devices II | 3 |
| CMSY-158 | Fundamentals and Practice for Network+ Certification | 3 |
| CMSY-162 | Introduction to Network Security Systems | 3 |
| CMSY-219 | Operating Systems | 3 |
| CSCO-291 | Introduction to Networks | 3 |
| CSCO-292 | Routing and Switching Essentials | 3 |
| - | Additional Courses in Major* | 15 |
*Students will choose 15 credits from the courses listed below according to their specific career plans. The courses are grouped into three interest areas, but students are free to select 15 credits from any area. Since this is a rapidly changing field, students should consult a faculty advisor each semester.
Cyber Security
This area of concentration will prepare students to take a number of independent industry certification exams including CompTIA A+, Network+, Security+, and CISCO Certified Entry Networking Technician (CCENT).
| CMSY-163 | Introduction to Firewalls and Internet Security | 3 |
| CMSY-164 | Introduction to Intrusion Detection and Prevention Systems | 3 |
| CMSY-172 | Introduction to Programming with JavaScript | 3 |
| CMSY-255 | Introduction to Unix and Linux | 3 |
| CMSY-262 | Encryption and Secure Communications | 3 |
| CMSY-263 | Ethical Hacking and Cyber Defense | 3 |
Networking Technologies/Cisco
This area of concentration will prepare students to take a number of independent industry certification exams including CompTIA A+, Network+, Security+, Cisco Certified Entry Networking Technician (CCENT), Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA), CCNA Security, CCNA Voice, Cisco Certified Network Professional (CCNP) Switching, and AMP Netconnect.
Network Management/Microsoft
This area of concentration will prepare students to take a number of independent industry certification exams including CompTIA A+, Network+, Security+, CISCO Certified Entry Networking Technician (CCENT), and Microsoft Technology Associate (MTA).
A graduate should be able to
- 1. Identify appropriate network topologies and equipment related to client-server environment.
- 2. Demonstrate the ability to install, configure, and troubleshoot and apply security configurations to various host and network devices.
- 3. Utilize the ability to install, configure, manage, and troubleshoot Windows Server environment.
- 4. Develop ethical hacking skills and apply these in countermeasures and cyber defense as necessary.
- 5. Identify, understand, evaluate, and apply ethical reasoning in business practices.
Total Credit Hours: 60