• University of Tulsa (TU) Oklahoma Department of Career & Technology Education

Tulsa, OK
Stillwater, OK

• Forty-four member institutions in 8 states offer or plan to offer CSEC core curriculum that is aligned to Committee on National Security System (CNSS) standards.
• Strategic centers of excellence in secure coding, automation and control systems, and mobile communications devices address national homeland security concerns.
• Model faculty development programs and virtual laboratories promote wide-scale dissemination and program replication—already educating 182 instructors.

CSEC Fuels Economic Development in 8 States

CSEC’s goal is to bring jobs to its 8-state region where the quality of life is good and costs are low. CSEC is a cohesive partnership of community colleges and career and technology centers in Oklahoma, Arkansas, Colorado, Kansas, Louisiana, Missouri, Tennessee, and Texas, and the University of Tulsa.
CSEC has a 3-fold mission:
(i) Develop and disseminate cybersecurity curricula for 2-year institutions;
(ii) Offer professional development to instructors and help them build programs; and
(iii) Design and implement workforce development programs that contribute to economic development and national homeland security efforts.

CSEC Offers Many Options for Acquiring Cybersecurity Credentials

In spring 2010, CSEC institutions had 1,396 students enrolled in degree programs and 602 students enrolled in certificate programs or non-degree security courses. Since 2004, 402 CSEC students have received associate degrees, 136 students have received bachelor’s degrees, and 765 students have received cybersecurity certifications. CSEC institutions have also issued 919 CNSS certificates since 2004, with many students receiving multiple certificates.
During the 2009-2010 academic year alone, CSEC institutions served 466 military, industry, or incumbent workers who attended symposia, workshops, courses, or degree programs.

Nearly 200 Faculty Teach CSEC’s Cybersecurity Core Courses

CSEC offers a comprehensive 25-day faculty certification course for instructors who intend to teach its 5 core courses: Information Assurance Principles, Secure Electronic Commerce, Network Security, Enterprise Security Management, and Digital Forensics. To increase capacity, CSEC offers this certification in all 8 states using its cadre of master instructors. By mid-2010, 182 faculty members were prepared to teach CSEC’s core curriculum.

As a result, CSEC institutions currently offer 104 core cybersecurity courses and 4 new centers of excellence courses. Mature CSEC institutions have established 25 associate of applied science and associate of science degree programs. To date, 44 2-year institutions offer or are preparing to offer cybersecurity courses based on CSEC’s core curriculum. One CSEC institution now offers a bachelor’s of technology degree and has established articulation agreements with 2 other member institutions. Two CSEC members earned the prestigious Center of Academic Excellence designation in the National Security Agency’s National IA Education and Training Program. They are cascading their program models throughout the consortium.

In 2010, CSEC launched a series of automation and control systems security workshops that provide instructors with the core knowledge and skills required to offer courses in control systems security. Automation and control systems are used in the nation’s critical infrastructure. Securing them is vital to national security, public health, and safety. CSEC is also launching mobile communications device and secure coding centers of excellence.

CSEC Informs State Employees About Latest Security Issues

CSEC offers an annual Cyber Security Seminar, sponsored by the Oklahoma Office of Homeland Security and Office of State Finance, for information security professionals employed by state government agencies. CSEC members in other states are planning to replicate this seminar to bring the latest security information to government workers.