Career Description

IT professionals work together to design and improve existing networking and security communication between systems and support end-user technologies to increase productivity in any business environment. They lead the way through the planning and development of new systems using knowledge of hardware, software, and best networking and security practices. IT professionals are not “one size fits all,” especially when it comes to business. Different companies have different needs. IT professionals use skills from multiple areas to plan, design, implement, secure, or troubleshoot endpoint communication, cloud-based or server-based systems on a networking level. This program will prepare students for a wide range of careers in the IT field.

Program Information

This program is designed to teach students the core fundamentals of hardware, networking, and security in an IT environment. This program will prepare students for CompTIA’s A+, Network+ and Security+ certifications.

Program Outcomes

Graduates will be able to:

• Describe and apply the concepts of computer hardware and system components;
• Design, configure, and implement various networking architectures utilizing best practices, and security methods;
• Revise, configure, harden, and implement operating systems;
• Implement IT security principles, methods, and controls;
• Outline IT Support techniques and hierarchy; and
• Produce and modify IT policies within a business environment.

Special Program Requirements

In addition to the program requirements, students must meet the following conditions in order to graduate:

• College Cumulative GPA Requirement: cumulative grade point average (GPA) of credits attempted and completed at CLC must be at least 2.0;
• College Technical Core GPA Requirement: cumulative GPA of credits attempted and completed towards the technical core of the diploma or degree must be at least 2.0;
• Residency Requirement: students must complete 25% of their credits at Central Lakes College.

Certification

This program will prepare students for the following certifications from CompTIA: A+, Network+, and Security+. Note: Students are encouraged to pursue certifications; however, they are not required for program completion and require additional costs per exam. Certification educational discounts are available to CLC Students through CompTIA and Microsoft.