The Cybersecurity Certified Associate program is designed to help students gain the knowledge and skills necessary to be confident and ready to work in the Information Technology field. Completers will be prepared to work in a variety of positions including Help Desk Support, IT Support Specialist, Network Technician, Information Security Analyst, Network Administrator, Computer Network Architect, Computer Systems Analyst, or other similar jobs.

Students will gain security and risk management skills that are among the most highly sought-after skills in networking. Additionally, completers will have hands-on knowledge of server configuration, client connectivity, security, networking, Active Directory, DNS, DHCP, troubleshooting, optimization and backup/recovery of critical data.

Courses include preparation for industry standard certification in CompTIA IT Fundamentals, CompTIA A+, Microsoft Technology Associate (MTA) Windows Operating Systems Fundamentals, Microsoft Technology Associate (MTA) Networking Fundamentals, Microsoft 365 Certified Modern Desktop Administrator Associate, Microsoft 365 Certified Fundamentals, Microsoft Certified Azure Fundamentals, CompTIA Network+, CompTIA Security+, and Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA).

Competency Goals

• Identify best practices followed by professional personal computer technicians
• Identify, install, configure, and troubleshoot computer system components and operating systems
• Maintain and troubleshoot installations of Microsoft Windows
• Identify network technologies and personal computer security concepts; install and manage network connections
• Support laptops, portable computing devices, printers, and personal computer security
• Deploy, maintain, and update Windows operating systems
• Manage devices and data, and configure connectivity
• Manage and protect devices; manage policies and profiles; and manage apps and data
• Understand host-to-network and network-to-network connections
• LAN wiring components and conventions; Wireless networking components
• Differentiate between wired networking devices
• Configure your workstation, switch, and router; control access to the network; and troubleshoot the network
• TCP/IP communications protocols basics
• Perform security assessments and identify social engineering attacks and malware types
• Summarize basic cryptographic concepts and implement public key infrastructure
• Implement authentication controls; identity and account management controls; secure network designs, appliances, network protocols
• Implement host, embedded/Internet of Things, mobile security solutions, and secure cloud solutions
• Explain data privacy and protection concepts
• Perform incident response and digital forensics
• Summarize risk management concepts and implement cybersecurity resilience
• Describe the features and functions of the Cisco Internetwork Operating System (IOS®) software, the TCP/IP Internet layer, IPv4, its addressing scheme, subnetting, the TCP/IP Transport layer, and Application layer
• Explore functions of routing Implement basic configuration on a Cisco router
• Identify and resolve common switched network issues and common problems associated with IPv4 addressing
• Describe, implement, and verify Virtual Local Area Networks (VLANs) and trunks
• Describe the application and configuration of inter-VLAN routing
• Explain the basics of dynamic routing protocols and describe components and terms of Open Shortest Path First (OSPF)
• Explain how Spanning Tree Protocol (STP) and Rapid Spanning Tree Protocol (RSTP) work
• Configure link aggregation using EtherChannel
• Describe the purpose of Layer 3 redundancy protocols; Describe basic WAN and VPN concepts
• Describe the operation of Access Control Lists (ACLs) and their applications in the network
• Configure Internet access using Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) clients; explain and configure Network Address Translation (NAT) on Cisco routers
• Describe basic Quality of Service (QoS) concepts
• Describe concepts of wireless networks, which types of wireless networks can be built, and how to use Wireless LAN Controllers (WLCs)
• Describe network and device architectures and introduce virtualization
• Introduce the concept of network programmability and Software-Defined Networking (SDN) and describe smart network management solutions such as Cisco DNA Center™, Software-Defined Access (SD-Access), and Software-Defined Wide Area Network (SD-WAN)
• Implement a basic security configuration of the device management plane; Implement basic steps to harden network devices

This program is 720 total contact hours over a 24-30 week period. Classes are offered in the daytime Monday through Thursday from 9:30am until 2:30pm; or in the evening from 5:30pm until 10:30pm. In order to complete the Cybersecurity Certified Associate program, students must complete all seven of the courses listed below:

Location(s) Program Offered: Memphis, Nashville

Learning Methodology: Blended

Credential Awarded: Certificate of Completion

Length of Program: 720 Clock Hours (7.5 Months)

Lecture/Lab Hours: 288/432

Maximum Student/Teacher Ratio: 25:1

Withdrawal Fee: $100.00

Prerequisites: None

Tuition for Program: $19,300.00

Course Materials Fee (nonrefundable): $2,850.00

Tuition and Fees Breakdown by Course:

Included in Course Materials Fee (nonrefundable)