Cyber Security and Assurance Certificate

  • Program Description 

    The Baltimore City Community College Cyber Security and Assurance Program provides students with practical experience in understanding the threats and dangers, security assessments and analysis to a wide range of different businesses, and the steps that need to be taken to mitigate these vulnerabilities by using state-of-the-art technology.  The program prepares students for vendor-specific or commercially available security certification. The program also emphasizes the need to build a wall between our information and those that want to exploit it.  The recurring events such as virus and worm attacks and the success of criminal attackers illustrate the weaknesses in current information technologies and the need to heightened security of these systems.  

Career Options and Occupation Outlook

  • The rise in cyber-crimes has outpaced the knowledge base needed to provide the required counter measures.  There is a growing need for cyber security careers within the geographic region.  Much of this demand is fueled by the growing information technology (IT) industry, which is particularly strong in MD, DC, and VA because of the large federal infrastructure including intelligence and Department of Defense government agencies and related contractors. The State of Maryland is the national epicenter of federal cyber security activities and the home to:

    • The National Security Agency

    • The Intelligent Advanced Research Projects Activity

    • The National Institute of Standards

    • Defense Information Systems Agency headquarters

    • U.S. Cyber Command headquarters

    • Department of Defense expansions of the intelligence and communications responsibilities at Fort Meade and at Aberdeen Proving Ground through the BRAC initiatives

    Maryland is the base for our nation's effort to defend and protect U.S. information networks.

Program Faculty

  • Dr. Denise Holland 
    Assistant Professor & Program Coordinator
    Liberty Campus, Life Sciences Building, Room 342
    410-462-8540 (office)
    dholland@bccc.edu

Job Description

  • Jobs opportunities that are available to students who complete the program are:

    • Cyber Security Technician

    • Chief Security Operator

    • Cyber Security Analyst

    • Cyber Security Risk Assessment Support

    • Cyber Data Security

    • Cyber Security Associate

    • Situation Awareness Solutions Support

Skills Needed

  • The Cyber Security and Assurance professional must have the analytical skills on a wide range of businesses necessary for computer security assessment.