Page 23 - Cybersecurity Career Guide, 4th Edition

often much lower than what college credits cost, helping families ultimately save money on tuition. And get- ting the hang of college-level work while still in high school sets up students for contin- ued success once they move on to full-time, on-campus studies. Indeed, studies show that dual enrollment experience increases both high school and college grad-
uation rates, especially for the kinds of students who might not think higher edu- cation is for them — low-in- come and first-generation students as well as under- represented minorities.
And for a subject like cy- bersecurity, dual enrollment programs deliver even greater benefits. Outside the sphere of typical high school teach- ing and learning activities, cy-
bersecurity is nevertheless a topic of growing importance in education. For example, North Dakota recently passed a law making cybersecurity a required subject in high school; as of 2025, all stu- dents will take at least one course in either cybersecurity or computer science.
COLLEGE PROGRAMS
But it can be hard for schools to find teachers or resources to make the subject accessi- ble for students. Colleges, meanwhile, can provide both experts in the field as well as robust learning materials to their dual enrollment part- ners in the pre-college realm. As cybersecurity education takes root in North Dakota and elsewhere, dual enroll- ment programs can help schools both deliver rich learning content and launch students into hugely in-de- mand careers.
Tennessee Tech Univer- sity, for example, runs the Golden Eagle Cybersecurity Certificate Program through a dual enrollment operation that has recently expanded to reach the entire state A three-course sequence of- fered entirely online, the pro- gram addresses both techni- cal and non-technical
aspects of cybersecurity. No experience with computer science is required, and it is free to students who qualify for admission.
In Maryland, Howard County Community College operates an “early college” cybersecurity program, open to 10th-12th graders in the area. Those who complete the full sequence of courses during their high school years graduate with an entire year of community college credits under their belts. They need just one more year of com- munity college coursework to get an associate degree in cybersecurity and sit for their first professional certifica- tion exam in the field.
WHAT YOU CAN DO
Even if your school does not offer dual enrollment pro- grams itself, investigate what local community col- leges or four-year schools might be doing. In many cases, simply being a resi- dent of a county or state will make you eligible to partici- pate. Getting a leg up on your undergraduate education while you’re still in high school will make the time when you do finally pack up and leave for college a whole lot easier and even more fun!
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