| What is Cybersecurity? |
Cybersecurity is a career that has the responsibility to protect the information assets of the entity that employs them. Cyber Technicians perform different functions in this effort. These functions include detecting and preventing cyber-attacks, monitoring network activity to prevent internal attacks, encryption techniques, disaster and incident recovery, auditing, and system testing. |
| Degree and Certificates |
- Cybersecurity, AAS
- Cybersecurity, Diploma
- Cyber Crime Specialist, Certificate
- Cybersecurity, Certificate
|
| Length of Program |
5 semesters minimum |
| Semester Program Begins |
Fall, spring, and summer semesters. |
| Application Process |
Applicants to the Cybersecurity program must meet all Admission requirements: complete an application and pay the application fee. Individuals apply to Gwinnett Technical College at GwinnettTech.edu and submit all transcripts from high school and previous college work, and take the ACCUPLACER test, if required. |
| Prerequisite Courses |
- Degree level proficiency is required to take degree level General Education courses.
- Diploma level proficiency in English, reading, and math is required for most CIST technical courses. Please refer to course desciptions in the online catalog for specific prerequisites.
- CIST 1001 *
- CIST 1122 *
*These courses should be taken in the first semester.
|
| Program Deadlines |
You may enter in the fall, spring, or summer terms. |
| Program Costs and Requirements |
Tuition and books |
| For more information, contact: |
Karen Benson, program director, KBenson@GwinnettTech.edu, 678.226.6674. |
| For admission and enrollment, contact: |
Enrollment Support Center in Building 100 at the Lawrenceville campus, or Building A at the Alpharetta-North Fulton campus, or email CISTeam@GwinnettTech.edu. |
Quick Facts
|
| (This data was compiled from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.) |
| 2017 Median pay |
$90,120 per year/ $43.33 hour |
| Entry level education |
Associate degree |
| Number of jobs, 2017 |
82,900 |
| Job growth, 2017 - 2024 |
18% (much faster than average) |
Nature of the Work
Monitor their organization’s networks for security breaches and investigate a violation when one occurs. Install and use software, such as firewalls and data encryption programs, to protect sensitive information. Prepare reports that document security breaches and the extent of the damage caused by the breaches. Conduct penetration testing, which is when analysts simulate attacks to look for vulnerabilities in their systems before they can be exploited. Research the latest information technology (IT) security trends. Help plan and carry out an organization’s way of handling security. Develop security standards and best practices for their organization. Recommend security enhancements to management or senior IT staff. Help computer users when they need to install or learn about new security products and procedures
Work Environment
Most information security analysts work full time. Information security analysts sometimes have to be on call outside of normal business hours in case of an emergency at their organization. While there are some work for home jobs, most are on-site in an office, Network Operations Center, or Security Operations Center. About 1 in 4 worked more than 40 hours per week in 2014.
Employment
Employment of information security analysts is projected to grow 18 percent from 2014 to 2024, much faster than the average for all occupations. Demand for information security analysts is expected to be very high. Cyberattacks have grown in frequency, and analysts will be needed to come up with innovative solutions to prevent hackers from stealing critical information or creating problems for computer networks. The federal government is expected to greatly increase its use of information security analysts to protect the nation’s critical information technology (IT) systems. In addition, as the healthcare industry expands its use of electronic medical records, ensuring patients’ privacy and protecting personal data are becoming more important. More information security analysts are likely to be needed to create the safeguards that will satisfy patients’ concerns. Employment of information security analysts is projected to grow 36 percent in computer systems design and related services from 2014 to 2024. The increasing adoption of cloud services by small- and medium-sized businesses that do not have their own dedicated IT departments could increase the employment of information security analysts in those establishments.
Earnings
Median annual wages nationally of cybersecurity professionals were $90,120 in May 2015. The bottom 10 percent earned less than $51,280 and the top 10 percent earned more than $143,770
Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2016-17 Edition, Information Security Analysts on the Internet
http://www.bls.gov/ooh/computer-and-information-technology/information-security-analysts.htm (visited April 29, 2016).
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