LFCC offering cybersecurity engineering associate degree

An innovative, lucrative career pathway is now available for LFCC students with their eyes on the future and a knack for math.

The cybersecurity engineering degree is designed to transfer into a bachelor’s degree program, with some students going for more advanced degrees.

“It’s unique to be able to offer an associate degree in cybersecurity engineering,” said IT Professor Henry Coffman. Dr. Coffman is the manager of LFCC’s cybersecurity program, which is a National Security Agency/Department of Homeland Security-designated Center of Academic Excellence.

He cited the Mars Rover project as a development that relied heavily on cybersecurity engineering through every phase of the process.

“The careers in this field are futurist-type jobs,” said Dr. Coffman.

Another unique aspect of LFCC’s cybersecurity engineering program is if the student maintains an A or B grade in the required calculus classes, they can co-enroll in cybersecurity engineering classes taught by faculty at George Mason University. They will still be paying LFCC tuition rates.

Not only will this save students money, but it also means they won’t have to re-apply to the program, according to Dr. Coffman.

The degree is designed to seamlessly transfer into GMU’s cybersecurity engineering bachelor degree program, although graduates can transfer to other universities. GMU has an accelerated master’s degree for the field, as well.

Because this new degree is highly specialized, Dr. Coffman and his counterpart at GMU will serve as advisors to students in the program.

“They’re going into a degree pathway that will serve as a good career move for the job market,” Dr. Coffman said. “I think they will have a great opportunity to be hired by a major employer possibly even before they graduate with their bachelor’s degree.”

The threat cyber-terrorism poses to industrial and municipal financial networks, utility systems and communication networks make this field especially relevant.

Learn more about the program at lfcc.edu/cyberengineering.