Cyber Security

The Cyber Security programme is offered via traditional delivery and distance education delivery and provides training for an entry-level career in the cyber security industry. It focuses on security information, procedures and processes used in all types of business, governmental, and non-profit environments, with training in security basics, network basics and defense, identity and access management, cryptography concepts, system administration, logging and monitoring, programming, web security, project management, and threats and vulnerabilities.

Graduates will be able to implement and maintain security procedures and processes, apply practical skills to interpret and investigate security incidents, evaluate and communicate the human role in security systems, analyze and resolve security issues to secure an IT infrastructure, and develop policies and procedures to manage enterprise security risks.

The programme includes 380 hours of lab work, cryptography and access management training, network defense training, a group portfolio project, 10 career skill badges, and preparation for a career certification.

Southern Careers Institute was founded in 1960 and received its initial accreditation from the Council on Occupational Education in 1991. It trains students at eight Texas campuses and online, and its campuses are authorized testing sites for the National Healthcareer Association and Certiport. Students earn skill badges as they progress, and SCI Connect, the school’s career services portal, lets students build a profile with their resume, skill badges and videos of them performing job tasks for employers who post jobs there.

Before you start. Prior to the start date, you must visit the school and tour the campus (if you are enrolling in a programme with on-campus classes) and complete an interview with a licensed representative in the Admissions department.

Age and education. You must be at least 16 years of age. An applicant who is under 18 at the time of admission must provide proof of a high school diploma or GED and have written permission from a parent or legal guardian, who co-signs the enrollment agreement. You must provide verifiable official documentation of completion of secondary education within 21 calendar days of starting school: a high school diploma or transcript showing the graduation date, a home school transcript, a recognised high school equivalency certificate, an associate degree from an institution accredited by an agency recognised by the US Department of Education, or a foreign credential evaluated by a NACES member or a TEA-listed evaluation service.

Criminal history. Prospective students must provide criminal history information. Anyone with a convicted or pending felony violent crime, a convicted or pending serious felony drug crime, any sex offense conviction or pending felony sexual case, or who is a registered sex offender is not eligible for enrollment in any programme. SCI reserves the right to conduct criminal background checks.

English. SCI does not provide ESL instruction; classes are taught in English. Students whose primary language is not English must document English proficiency, for example graduation from an English-speaking secondary institution, a TOEFL iBT score of 61, an IELTS level of 6, or a grade of C in an intermediate ESL course.

SCI admits students without regard to race, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, religion, creed, color, national origin, ancestry, marital status, age, disability, or any other factor prohibited by law.

Computer requirements. Minimum: a PC (Windows 10/11) or Mac (Big Sur or Monterey) laptop with 8GB RAM, 512GB storage and an Intel Core i5 (6th generation or newer) or AMD Ryzen 5 quad-core processor; 16GB RAM, a 1TB SSD and a Core i7 or Ryzen 7 are recommended. Macs with M1 or M2 chips require students to purchase their own software, and tablets and Chromebooks are not acceptable.

Technology requirements. To be admitted to a programme that includes virtual or online learning, you must have regular, daily access to a computer (minimum a Windows 10 or newer PC/laptop or a MacBook with 8GB RAM, 256GB storage and a Core i5 processor) with speakers, a microphone and a webcam; regular, daily broadband or 3G/4G/LTE internet access; the ability to use email, a web browser and the learning management system; and word processing software such as Microsoft Word or OpenOffice.

Format. The programme is offered via traditional delivery and distance education delivery; not all programmes are offered at all campuses. The estimated completion time is 33 weeks for 700 clock hours.

Modules. SCI programmes run in three-week modules scheduled continuously; the externship module is six weeks. Students registered for distance-education courses attend an online orientation and gain access to their courses after passing it; online courses may combine live virtual sessions with asynchronous work, and asynchronous attendance is measured by completing the defined activity benchmark.

Tuition: $15,800.00; mandatory fees: $0.00; total: $15,800.00.

Graduates may pursue careers as a cyber security specialist, computer network architect, cryptographer, forensic computer analyst, information security analyst, penetration tester, security architect, security management specialist, or security systems administrator.

People who work in cyber security hold jobs in government, companies, banks, hospitals, and schools, and can also work independently as consultants or freelancers on specific projects.

Career services. Career Services are available to active students and graduates. Staff strive to meet every student before graduation for an exit interview that includes a customised job-search profile, an entry-level resume and a mock interview; they provide resume and interview help and work with local employers to match their needs with graduates’ skills. SCI does not guarantee employment or a specific starting salary.

Orientation. Before beginning their programmes, all new students attend an orientation session to hear about the campus and the learning experience and to meet the administrative staff, faculty and other students. Campus department directors explain the student support available and clarify students’ responsibilities and expectations. Students registered for distance-education courses also attend an online orientation that introduces the learning platform and the standards for postings, plagiarism, online etiquette and attendance.

Classes. SCI programmes run in three-week modules scheduled continuously (the AAS in Nursing runs in 15-week terms), and the externship module, where a programme has one, is six weeks. Learning new material may require at least five additional outside hours for every 20 hours spent in lecture or laboratory. To graduate you must complete all courses within the maximum time frame and earn a cumulative grade point average of 2.0; graduation ceremonies are typically held twice a year.

Support. Student services include tutoring, attendance advising and academic advising, and SCI gives referrals to community resources for housing, childcare, employment, transportation, mental health services and alcohol and drug counselling. SCI does not provide housing. Students receive skill badges to mark milestones and help market their skills.