What is the Cybersecurity Nexus Program?
CSU’s unique and effective response to help rapidly solve the world’s shortage of trained, work-ready cybersecurity professionals. Our students gain both theoretical knowledge and hands-on skills that help them become ready for a career in cybersecurity in 12 months! The Certificate is a “Rapid Workforce Development” program that consists of ten 3-hour classes for a total of 30 hours. The program is cohort-based, so Nexus students stay with their “team” the entire duration of the program. This allows rich community and collaboration to develop within and between cohorts.
The Certificate is delivered in a boot-camp style with classes meeting from 9:00 am until noon Monday through Friday each week. We stay on the same academic calendar year with the University.
The Nexus degree is a 2-year program combining 18 hours of the certificate plus 42 hours of general education for a total of 60 hours for the Nexus degree. The courses in both the Nexus Degree and the Practitioner’s Certificate are “stackable,” so they count toward the Bachelor of Science degrees offered by CSU.
Some classes in the Cybersecurity certificate are shown below:
- Information Technology (IT) Fundamentals (CompTIA’s ITF+)
- Fundamentals of Computer Networks (CompTIA’s Network+)
- Penetration Testing or “Ethical Hacking” (INE’s eJPT)
- Fundamentals of Information Security (CompTIA’s Security+)
- Professionalism in the Cybersecurity Workforce
- Cybersecurity Apprenticeship
Cybersecurity Practitioner Program of Study
Nexus students learn how to create an effective resume, successfully prepare for an interview, build their “brand” online, develop a professional network, and much more. Students also participate in Mock Interviews with cybersecurity professionals, recruiters, and executives to practice their interviewing skills.
Every Nexus student gets an internship as part of the Certificate program. Most Nexus students work in the CSU Security Operations Center (SOC) defending the networks at CSU from attacks. Students learn and utilize professional tools that will help them land cybersecurity jobs when they complete the program. Many Nexus students secure external internships in cybersecurity, networking, or other technical areas.
Nexus students get to defend against real-world cyberattacks on our Cyber Range
Nexus students are also encouraged to participate in the many cybersecurity competitions available to them because CSU is a Center of Academic Excellence (as designated by the US National Security Agency) and through our many partnerships with companies who host such competitions.
Nearly every week, industry professionals visit the students and give them insight into careers they are preparing to start. These professionals also help Nexus students get jobs as they finish the program. They become part of our students’ professional networks.
All of these attributes of this one-of-a-kind Cybersecurity program help prepare our students to look, talk, and perform more like an industry professional than a student when they complete the program.
For more information, please contact:
Patrick Aiken - aiken_patrick@columbusstate.edu
Elke Brumbaugh - brumbaugh_elke@columbusstate.edu
Armando Fernandez - fernandez_armando@columbusstate.edu
