Utica College cybersecurity master’s program designated center of academic excellence

UTICA, N.Y. — The master’s degree program in cybersecurity at Utica College (UC) is now designated as a national “Center of Academic Excellence” (CAE) in cyber-defense education.

The National Security Agency (NSA) and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) made the designation, Utica College said in a news release.

The NSA and DHS jointly sponsor the National Centers of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense (CAE-CD) program. The goal of the program is to “reduce vulnerability in our national information infrastructure by promoting higher education and research in cyber defense and producing professionals with cyber defense expertise,” per the NSA website.

The federal government had previously recognized the school’s bachelor’s program in cybersecurity with the same honor in both 2014 and 2019, per the college. It makes Utica College “one of the first institutions in the U.S. to earn Center of Academic Excellence designations for both its undergraduate and graduate programs,” it added.

“This is a major achievement for Utica College,” Joe Giordano, professor and chair of cybersecurity programs, said in the school’s release. “It means getting the seal of approval from two of the foremost cybersecurity organizations in the world.”

As a result of the new designation, Utica College will award graduates of the master’s degree program certificates from CAE along with their cybersecurity degrees, which Giordano said will provide a “considerable advantage” in the current job market.

“Employers recognize the CAE designation as the gold standard,” said Giordano. “Our students are now in an even better position when they graduate with a Utica College cybersecurity degree.”

Programs applying for CAE certification are evaluated on several standards, Utica College said. They include curriculum relevance, multidisciplinary courses, participation in cyber competitions, collaboration with local high schools and colleges, and faculty research and publications.

Institutions must also demonstrate students’ ability to successfully complete the program requirements, the school noted.

Contact Reinhardt at ereinhardt@cnybj.com