Curriculum
About Program/Degree
Students successfully completing the program coursework will earn an Associate of Applied Science (AAS) Degree in Cybersecurity.
The Associate’s degree program combines general education coursework with core network implementation, administration, and security classes. The degree requires students to complete 60 credit hours (SCH) that include 15 technical courses and 5 general academic courses.
An Advanced Technical Certificate in Digital Forensics is available with includes 16 hours of additional courses over two semesters.
Technical Courses
Technical Courses include extensive hands-on experience with installing and configuring network devices (switches, routers, firewalls, wireless routers, access points, cabling); configuring/ securing end-user workstations/ devices, to include mobile devices; configuring/securing physical/virtual (cloud) network services; and controlling/monitoring network traffic on internal and external networks.
The CYS degree course development/criteria is derived and based on industry skills standards.
Academic Courses
Students in Technical Programs at TSTC must earn 15 credits from the General Academic Core of Classes. To meet SACS guidelines, each degree must have a minimum of 15 semester hours in general education. The 15 hours of general education must include at least one course in each of the three areas shown in the table below (Courses are transferable to other public colleges or universities):
Humanities/Fine Arts
Humanities, Literature, Journalism, Drama/Art/Music, Philosophy, Cultural Studies, Classical Languages, Ethics
Social/Behavioral Science
Government, History, Psychology, Sociology, Anthropology, Economics
Natural Science and Math
Biology, Chemistry, Physics, College-level Math (must be academic, not applied), Geology
Course Credit
Credit awards for TSTC courses may be granted for education obtained through a variety of methods to students who plan to enroll at TSTC and to currently enrolled students. TSTC awards credit for various examinations published by the College Board, including the AP and CLEP exams. TSTC may also award credit for training received while in the United States Armed Services, for credit earned through the International Baccalaureate® (IB) Diploma Program, and for credit earned in high school dual credit courses. Additional non-traditional educational training such as TSTC continuing education units (CEU), corporate or industry certifications and trainings, TSTC Challenge Exams, and life experiences may also be considered for TSTC credit award based on supporting documentation on course equivalency and approval by the faculty subject matter expert. Reference: TEXAS STATE TECHNICAL COLLEGE STATEWIDE OPERATING STANDARD, No. ES 2.10 Page 1 of 11 Effective Date: 02/05/2019; SUBJECT: Credit Award for Assessment and Training.
Articulation Agreements
TSTC has several articulation agreements with Partner Universities that facilitate the transfer process and ensure that students seamlessly advance to institutions of higher learning.
Industry Certifications
The Cybersecurity AAS Degree and Advanced Digital Forensics ATC prepares students for industry-recognized certifications by tailoring lab exercises and assignments to the following certifications:
