Frequently Asked Questions

If you meet the rest of the admissions criteria but lack computer networking/IT experience, you may still be eligible for the program and can be provisionally admitted as long as you can pass a required Cybersecurity Bridge Course prior to starting your first class. You can also connect with an admissions outreach advisor to discuss your background and determine if the program is right for you.

The purpose of the course is to allow students who lack a strong background in computer networking/IT the chance to upskill and prepare before entering the credit-bearing courses within the online Master’s in Cybersecurity program. This is a unique opportunity offered by the University that differentiates our program and provides students with an equal opportunity for success. You can learn more about the course in this FAQ document.

After you apply to the program, your application will be reviewed by the university to determine whether or not you will be accepted. Students that meet the other admissions requirements but lack the necessary technical background will be informed via their acceptance letter that they have been provisionally accepted. This means that you must first complete and pass the Cybersecurity Bridge Course before you can continue on with the program.

It is a 0-credit course that consists of four modules covering the following topics:

• Introduction to Computer Network Theory
• Network Implementation and Management
• Foundations of Network Security
• Network Security Implementation

Students should expect the following types of engagement and assignments across the modules: viewing content within the modules, readings, formative activities like polls, hotspots, and matching, discussion posts and a final quiz. You will learn the vocabulary and language typically used in the field and throughout the MS courses.

Students will learn how to:

• Describe how the basic network components interact with each other
• Explain the role of CIA (confidentiality, integrity, availability) in cybersecurity
• Analyze the OSI model in data transmission and troubleshooting contexts
• Use basic network management and troubleshooting strategies

Students should expect to spend approximately 8-10 hours per week on course-related activities over a 4-week period.

There is a schedule. The course begins four weeks prior to the start of every term (spring, summer, fall) so that you can finish the course before your first credit-bearing course begins. This is why it is important to submit your application and all necessary documentation as early as possible in the process, so you can be admitted to the program provisionally and submit your tuition deposit in time to start the Cybersecurity Bridge Course.

The course has four Discussions (100 points or 33%) and four Quizzes (200 points or 67%). A total of 70% is required to pass the course.

If you do not pass the Cybersecurity Bridge Course, you will not be able to start the program that term because it is a requirement of provisional admission. However, you may be able to retake the Bridge course the next time it is offered for a later term. Please reach out to your admissions outreach advisor if you do not pass the course so you can determine the best plan of action.

If you'd like to prepare even further before starting the Cybersecurity Bridge Course and the Master's in Cybersecurity program, you may use the free Cybrary resource (https://www.cybrary.it/) to strengthen skills in CompTIA Networking+.

The Cybersecurity Bridge Course is offered 4 weeks before the start of each term so that it will be completed by the time you start your first credit-bearing course in the Master’s in Cybersecurity program. The academic calendar can be found here.

The Cybersecurity Bridge Course is offered at no additional cost, but you must submit your tuition deposit prior to starting the course. There are optional learning resources available within the modules which may have an incremental cost; however, these are not required.

Although the content and quiz questions within the Cybersecurity Bridge Course do follow some of the same content found in the Network+ exam, the preparation required to become Network+ certified requires additional work that is outside the scope of this course. After passing the Cybersecurity Bridge Course and completing the online Master’s in Cybersecurity program, students could take CompTIA Networking+ courses to further prepare for the exam. More information about CompTIA and the Network+ Certification can be found here.