Cybersecurity

Quick Facts

  • Program: Information Technology
  • Pathway: STEM
  • Campus: All Campuses

Our Cybersecurity program is nationally recognized by the National Security Agency (NSA) as a Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense.

Cybersecurity professionals plan and implement security measures to safeguard critical information and computer networks.

Explore on This Page

Cyber Hub

Cyber Hub: Our Center for Cybersecurity

Explore our Cyber Hub

Our Cyber Hub focuses on:

  • Supporting our students’ academic activities to promote cybersecurity excellence
  • Maintaining and improving our academic programs of study
  • Collaborating with our community to raise cybersecurity awareness
  • Demonstrating best practices in cybersecurity defense
  • Providing current, useful cybersecurity resources for our students and community

Job Titles & Career Info

Our Program

Why Choose Cybersecurity?

Prepare for What You Will Do at Work

  • Implement security best practices
  • Detect intrusions to computer system.
  • Be proactive in addressing hacking attempts with defensive countermeasures
  • Manage security crises
  • Understand cyber law & ethics issues

Marketable Skills You Will Learn

  • Critical thinking
  • Reasoning
  • Communication
  • Personal & social responsibility
  • Teamwork
  • Computer literacy

Before You Enroll, Think About:

  • Being a lifelong learner will help you advance in your career because you will always need to:
    • Stay current with the latest methods attackers use to compromise computer systems
    • Research new security technologies to determine which are the most effective protection for your organization
  • Information security professionals have to be on call outside of normal business hours in case of emergencies.
  • Many employers prefer to hire candidates with information security certifications.
  • 3 skills or work style traits that will help you succeed in this field:
    • Analytical thinking
    • Flexibility
    • Integrity

Need a boost to get ready for college?

Talk to your advisor about Developmental Studies if your TSI scores say you need some help in math or reading and writing.

Degrees & Certificates

Degree

Certificates

Level 1

Level 2

Continuing Education Program

Program Data

Our Associate of Applied Science in Information Technology Cybersecurity degree program requires 60 semester credit hours for completion. The program consists of 2 certificates:

  • Level 1 Certificate in Cybersecurity Specialist
  • Level 2 Certificate in Ethical Hacking

Graduates will be able to apply current industry-accepted practices as well as new and emerging practices when solving real-world coding, cybersecurity, and ethical hacking problems in the industry.

Program Learning Outcomes (PLOs)

The PLOs for the Associate of Applied Science in Information Technology Cybersecurity degree are as follows:

  • Explain information systems security and its effect on people and businesses
  • Describe malicious attacks, threats, and vulnerabilities, and how they impact an IT infrastructure
  • Describe the major categories of scanning (port, configuration, protocol, IP address, internal vs. internal) and analysis tools and describe the specific tools used within each category
  • Explain how businesses apply cryptography in maintaining information security
  • Describe networking principles and security mechanisms (i.e., tools—FW, UTM, HIDs/NIDS), including secure network designs
  • Describe the major components and techniques of incident response, disaster recovery, backups/restores, and business continuity planning
  • Demonstrate an understanding of the typical stages in the hacking/ethical hacking process to include motivations and intentions (white, gray, black)
  • Demonstrate the major activities, tools, and techniques used in each stage (cyber kill chain)
  • Demonstrate an understanding how vulnerability testing results can dictate what actions are required to harden operating systems and ensure they are less vulnerable to attack

How Much Time & Money to Finish?

2023–2024 Academic Year

Degree or Certificate Program Title Semester Credit Hours Total Tuition & Fees
AAS Information Technology: Cybersecurity 60 $4,140
CRT1 Cybersecurity Specialist 27 $1,863
CRT2 Ethical Hacking 47 $3,243

Notes:

  • Tuition is based on in-state, in-county rates.
  • Totals do not include textbooks and other materials.

Continuing Education Programs

Time commitments and fees vary depending on the course.

Earn More Choices & More Money

Transfer to a college or university to continue your studies. Earning a bachelor’s degree opens the door to promotion opportunities.

Next steps

Start on Your Pathway!

Contact

Northeast Campus

Julie Hester
Department Chair

Call 817-515-6660

Email julie.hester@tccd.edu

Northwest Campus

R. Greg Harris
Department Chair

Call 817-515-7453

Email robert.harris429@tccd.edu

South Campus

Michael A. Jackson
Assistant Professor & Department Chair

Call 817-515-4578

Email michael.jackson@tccd.edu

Southeast Campus

James Chegwidden
Associate Professor & Department Chair

Call 817-515-3363

Email james.chegwidden@tccd.edu

Trinity River Campus

Tyson McMillan, Ph.D.
Chair of Computer Science & Business

Call 817-515-1131

Email tyson.mcmillan@tccd.edu

TCC Connect Campus

Kevin E. Moore, DIT, MSIT, MSIM, BSIT
Cybersecurity Program Coordinator / Instructor

Call 870-413-6250

Email kevin.moore@tccd.edu

Updated January 16, 2024