Utica College's Cybersecurity Program Recognized as Academic Center of Excellence

UTICA, N.Y., Sept. 9, 2015 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The EC-Council, a premier certifying body in the cybersecurity industry, has designated Utica College as an Academic Center of Excellence. This prestigious program strives to recognize and honor academic institutions nationally whose cybersecurity curricula, faculty and facilities meet its high standards. Utica College has long been a pioneer in cybersecurity, economic/financial crime and related fields.

Utica College's bachelor's in Cybersecurity program, offered on campus and online, has recently expanded to offer five areas of specialization: information assurance, cybercrime and fraud investigation, network forensics and intrusion investigation, homeland security and emergency management, and cyber operations. In such a broad and diverse industry, these specializations allow students to develop skills that are unique to the area of the field they want to enter.

The information assurance specialization is for students interested in network and IT system security. Cybercrime and fraud investigation integrates digital forensic investigative techniques with an understanding of fraud, white collar crime and financial crime. The network forensics and intrusion investigation specialization deals with investigating cyber-related incidents that occur in complex computer networks, offering a mix of both computer forensics and computer science courses. The homeland security and emergency management specialization is for students interested in gaining an understanding of cybersecurity related to policies, procedures and issues related to securing the homeland and dealing with cyber-related incidents. Cyber operations is heavily oriented in computer science and computer programming. Students will learn how to actively defend cyber infrastructure by searching for vulnerabilities and performing penetration tests.

"This allows students to focus on their particular area of interest. As the need for cyber professionals grows, these specializations better prepare the workforce of tomorrow," said Joseph Giordano, professor and chair of cybersecurity programs at UC.

Graduate students enrolled in UC's Master of Science (MS) in Cybersecurity online program can specialize in intelligence, computer forensics and cyber operations. Beginning in the fall, UC will offer a new online degree, Master of Professional Studies (MPS) in Cyber Policy and Risk Analysis. This program will prepare students for a variety of policy-related challenges that can arise in the dynamic field of cybersecurity.

The International Council of E-Commerce Consultants (EC-Council) is a member-based organization certified by the American National Standards Institute. The EC-Council's main objective is to provide individuals with the tools and education they need to prevent cyber crime by offering various certifications in electronic business and information security. The EC-Council is working to create a network of academic partners and cyber professionals.

"Utica College's partnership with the EC-Council is held in very high regard by cybersecurity employers. It allows UC students the opportunity to obtain technical certifications at a discounted price," Giordano said.

In addition to Utica College's designation by the EC-Council, UC was also recognized by the National Security Agency (NSA) and the Department of Homeland Security as a National Center of Academic Excellence in Information Assurance and Cyber Defense Education. UC was the seventh institution in the nation to earn a National Center for Digital Forensics Academic Excellence award from the Defense Cyber Crime Center, a U.S. Department of Defense agency.

For more information on Utica College's cybersecurity programs, visit www.utica.edu/academic/ssm/cybersecurity/.

About Utica College – Utica College, founded in 1946, is a comprehensive private institution offering bachelors, masters and doctoral degrees. The College, located in upstate central New York, approximately 90 miles west of Albany and 50 miles east of Syracuse, currently enrolls approximately 4,500 students in 44 undergraduate majors, 30 minors, 21 graduate programs and a number of pre-professional and special programs.

Contact: Christine Leogrande, Director of Media Relations, (315) 223-2519 [email protected]
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SOURCE Utica College

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