Get the Skills to Become a Computer Networking & Security Professional
30-Month* Online Computer Networking & Security (AAS) Degree Program
Computer Networking & Security professionals play a pivotal role in managing, securing, and maintaining the network systems of organizations. They safeguard an organization’s network infrastructure, ensuring its smooth operation, security, and legal compliance.
The CW’s Computer Networking & Security program will prepare you with the cyber security training needed for a new career path!
The best way to see if the College of Westchester is the right fit for you is to attend an online or in-person information session. You’ll get a true feel for what it’s like to be a part of the CW community. Schedule an information session now or Get more info.
Becoming a Computer Networking & Security Professional
The Computer Networking & Security program provides students with a leading-edge career education to succeed in today’s technical world. Students study administration, design, support and maintenance of local area and wide area networks through lecture and using Microsoft Windows operating systems and Cisco IOS.
The program includes additional non-technical courses to enhance the student’s career opportunities. Graduates of this program are qualified to seek positions in the computer networking field.
Program Learning Objectives
- Demonstrate hardware and software competencies through planning and building personal computers.
- Develop, test, and debug programs using relevant programming and scripting languages.
- Install, configure, manage, monitor, and secure local area networks (LANs) and wide area networks (WANs) including various network devices to meet logical and physical business design goals.
- Define the concepts and perform necessary tasks to ensure confidentiality, availability, and integrity of network resources as they relate to information security.
- Apply critical thinking and problem-solving skills by analyzing and evaluating user, application, host, and network environments to novel situations in network administration for various business environments.
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Required Courses
| Course No. | Course Title | Semester Credits |
|---|---|---|
| NET111 | PC Technology (A+) » | 3 |
| This course is designed to provide students with the knowledge and troubleshooting skills needed to provide capable hardware support of personal computers. Students will identify proper procedures for installing and configuring system components and devices; diagnose and troubleshoot system problems; identify safety procedures; identify motherboards, types of memory, bus architectures and CMOS; define the print process and identify procedures for servicing printers; identify the components of portable systems; define networks. This course aligns to one of two CompTIA A+ exams.
Number: NET111 Credits: 3.00 Type: Network Administration |
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| NET117 | Operating System Technologies (A+) » | 3 |
| This course is designed to provide students with the knowledge and troubleshooting skills needed to provide capable software support of personal computers. Students will learn the basic system administration knowledge of command line prompt and Windows operating systems for installing, configuring, upgrading, troubleshooting, and repairing desktop computer systems. This course aligns to one of two CompTIA A+ exams.
Prerequisites: NET111 or permission of Chair Number: NET117 Credits: 3.00 Type: Network Administration |
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| NET125 | Cisco Networking Basics » | 3 |
| This course provides students with a basic understanding of the way networks operate. Student will learn about network components and their functions, as well as how a network is structured, and the architectures used to create networks, including the internet. Student will be able to build local area networks (LANs), configure basic settings on routers and switches, and implement internet protocol (IP). This is the first course of a three course Cisco Academy program that aligns to the CCNA certification exam.
Prerequisites: NET111 or permission of Chair Number: NET125 Credits: 3.00 Type: Network Administration |
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| NET145 | Linux Administration » | 3 |
| This course presents an overview of various Linux operating systems used by information technology (IT) professionals. Students will install, configure, and troubleshoot the Linux operating system, both on-premises and cloud-based server environments. Security best practices, scripting, containerization, and automation will also be covered. This course aligns to the CompTIA Linux+ certification exam.
Prerequisites: NET125 or permission to waive Number: NET145 Credits: 3.00 Type: Network Administration |
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| NET151 | Windows Server Administration » | 3 |
| This course presents an overview of the Windows operating system used as a server in a client/server network. Students will install, configure, and troubleshoot a Windows server; examine the file systems; plan, implement and administer Active Directory Services; administer print services; examine network protocols and services; monitor and optimize system resources.
Prerequisites: NET117 or permission of Chair Number: NET151 Credits: 3.00 Type: Network Administration |
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| NET163 | Cisco Switching, Routing, and Wireless Essentials » | 3 |
| This course is a continuation of the Cisco Academy Program.
This course advances one’s knowledge of the operation of routers and switches in small-to-medium business networks and includes wireless local area networks (WLANs) and security concepts. Students learn key switching and routing concepts. They can perform basic network configuration and troubleshooting, identify and mitigate LAN security threats, and configure and secure a basic WLAN. This is the second of a three course Cisco Academy program that aligns to the CCNA certification exam.
Prerequisites: NET125 Number: NET163 Credits: 3.00 Type: Network Administration |
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| NET215 | Network Essentials (Network+) » | 3 |
| This course is designed to prepare students to become foundational-level IT network practitioners. Through scenario-based assignments, students will be presented with the opportunity to perform real world tasks in a simulated environment. Students will implement, configure, maintain, secure, and troubleshoot network architectures. This course is aligned to the TestOut Network Pro certification exam and the CompTIA Network+ certification exam.
Prerequisites: NET125 Number: NET215 Credits: 3.00 Type: Network Administration |
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| NET265 | Cisco Enterprise Networking, Security, and Automation » | 3 |
| This course describes the architectures and considerations related to designing, securing, operating, and troubleshooting enterprise networks. This course covers wide area network (WAN) technologies and quality of service (QoS) mechanisms used for secure remote access. ENSA also introduces software-defined networking, virtualization, and automation concepts that support the digitalization of networks. Students gain skills to configure and troubleshoot enterprise networks and learn to identify and protect against cybersecurity threats. They are introduced to network management tools and learn key concepts of software-defined networking, including controller-based architectures and how application programming interfaces (APIs) enable network automation. This is the third course of a three-course Cisco Academy program that aligns to the CCNA certification exam.
Prerequisites: NET163 Number: NET265 Credits: 3.00 Type: Network Administration |
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| NET283 | Network Security » | 3 |
| This course is designed to help students gain the skills and knowledge in general security concepts, communication security, infrastructure security, basics of cryptography and operational/organizational security. This course is aligned to the CompTIA “Security+” certification exam.
Prerequisites: NET125 or permission of Chair Number: NET283 Credits: 3.00 Type: Network Administration |
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| CIS110 | Programming Logic » | 3 |
| This course introduces the art and science of planning and writing programs and enforces good style and logical thinking. Students will learn the guidelines to developing structured program logic and compose a set of instructions that directs a computers’ behavior.
Number: CIS110 Credits: 3.00 Type: Network Administration |
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| CIS233 | Database Applications (Access) » | 3 |
| Investigation and application of advanced database concepts will be covered including database administration, database technology, and selection and acquisition of database management systems. Through the introduction of Microsoft Access, the students will complete an in-depth practicum in database applications, including database design, relational tables, queries, forms, and reports.
Prerequisites: GEN115 or NET111 or DMD101 or permission of Chair Number: CIS233 Credits: 3.00 Type: Network Administration |
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| Total Networking Course Credits | 33 | |
| General Education Elective | ||
| General Education Elective (1) | 3 | |
| Total General Education Elective Credits | 3 | |
| Elective | ||
| Electives (2) | 6 | |
| Total Elective Credits | 6 | |
| Course No. | Course Title | Semester Credits |
|---|---|---|
| GEN105 | Transformative Learning » | 3 |
| This course will introduce students to the value of change, personal growth, and transformation. Students will engage in activities designed to stimulate reflective thinking, create a positive personal outlook, and foster “behaviors of success.”
Number: GEN105 Credits: 3.00 Type: General Education |
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| GEN125 | English Composition I » | 3 |
| In this course, students develop their reading comprehension and written communication skills. Different styles of writing are examined as students develop writing proficiency through practice in planning, outlining, drafting, revising and editing. In addition to regular class meeting times, Day Division students are required to participate in a ten-week Writing Lab component which counts as ten percent of the grade for English Composition. For the Day Division,
the Writing Lab is graded as Pass or Fail.
Note: Writing Lab is not required in the Evening division or for fully online programs. Prerequisite: Proficiency Examination and/or ACE108. Number: GEN125 Credits: 3.00 Type: General Education |
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| GEN127 | English Composition II » | 3 |
| This course builds on skills developed in English Composition I by presenting additional writing styles and helping students further refine their writing skills. Research skills and MLA documentation are also introduced. In addition to regular class meeting times, Day Division students are required to participate in a ten-week Writing Lab component which counts as ten percent of the grade for English Composition. For the Day Division, the Writing Lab is graded as Pass or Fail.
Note: Writing Lab is not required in the Evening division or for fully online programs. Prerequisite: GEN125 or permission to waive Number: GEN127 Credits: 3.00 Type: General Education |
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| GEN129 | Essentials of Public Speaking » | 3 |
| Communication skills require good speech habits. Therefore, this course covers organization of thoughts, voice control, diction and presentation of ideas to a variety of audiences. The art of listening is also studied. Emphasis will be placed on a series of oral presentations in order to acquire and reinforce these skills.
Number: GEN129 Credits: 3.00 Type: General Education |
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| GEN151 | College Algebra » | 3 |
| Topics include the fundamentals of algebra: the rules of numbers, equations, negative numbers and integers, fractions and rational numbers, exponents, inequalities, graphs, and linear equations. Emphasis will be placed on word problems and business applications.
Prerequisite: Proficiency exam and/or ACE106 or permission to waive Number: GEN151 Credits: 3.00 Type: General Education |
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| GEN157 | Statistics » | 3 |
| This course offers an introduction to basic statistical theory and application. Topics to be discussed in detail include: sampling procedures; finding mean, median and mode; finding the variance and standard deviation; graphing histograms and bell curves. This course also illustrates how statistics are used in the business world as well as in the media and the benefits and drawbacks of statistical information.
Prerequisite: Proficiency exam and/or ACE106 or permission to waive. Number: GEN157 Credits: 3.00 Type: General Education |
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| GEN250 | Ethics and Professionalism » | 3 |
| This course will introduce the student to the moral principles and standards that guide behavior in today’s complex society and business. The definition and application of moral philosophies are used to explore ethical decision-making using a case study approach. Economic, legal, and social dimensions are explored along with interpersonal relationships and the development of morality within individual thinking.
Number: GEN250 Credits: 3.00 Type: General Education |
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| Total General Education Credits | 21 | |
66 CREDITS REQUIRED FOR GRADUATION
Online Training Suited to Your Schedule
The Computer Networking & Security program is offered entirely online. You get the technical skills and practical industry knowledge it takes to pursue a rewarding IT career, with the convenience and flexibility of online training.
Is a Rewarding Career as a Computer Networking & Security Professional Right For You? Get More Info…
If you’re interested in learning more about careers in Computer Networking & Security and exploring whether The College of Westchester is right for you, fill out the form on this page to receive more information.
For immediate questions, call 1-833-768-2842.
*Program length when completed in normal time.