Career Changers program aids transition into cyber field

Have you dreamed of launching a career in cybersecurity but are missing some of the academic background or work experience needed to embark on a master’s degree in the field? If so, Capitol’s Career Changers program could be the answer.

The uiniversity has created a sequence of bridge courses that provide students with a technology or computer science background with the foundation they need to make the transition. After completing these courses, students can then continue on to earn their master’s in cyber and information security from Capitol Technology University.

“The program is geared towards those who want to make the move into cybersecurity but have been held back because they lack the credentials,” said Director of Graduate Recruitment Xavier A. Richards. “The bridge courses allow them to get up to speed and then progress through the full program.”

The first of the bridge courses, Intro to Information Assurance (IAE 500), covers computer, data communications, internet and database fundamentals. Labs, simulations and other resources help students quickly learn what they need in order to progress to the more technical application and analysis skills they’ll be using in the rest of the master’s program.

A second course, Operating Principles (CS 620), provides an overview of UNIX and includes programming projects focused on solving cybersecurity problems using C.

“The program is most suitable for folks who have some sort of technical background but are new to cybersecurity,” Richards explained. “You’ll need some level of computer literacy.”

A key advantage the bridge program offers such students is the ability to proceed into master’s-level education without having to go back and complete another bachelor’s, she said. Typically, a bachelor’s degree in the field is required before embarking on a master’s program.

Capitol, however, recognizes that people with various computer science, technical and even engineering backgrounds have the capability to succeed in a graduate level cybersecurity, even if they did not obtain a field-specific bachelor’s degree. The bridge courses are designed to facilitate that.

“There’s a huge demand for cybersecurity expertise right now, and working professionals in computer and technology fields often see opportunities that they’d like to pursue. However, that means having the right credentials, whether in the form of certifications or a master’s degree. Our program  helps open some of those doors.”

For more information about the Career Changers program, contact the graduate admissions office at gradadmit@captechu.edu.