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QUANTICO, Va. — The U.S. Naval Community College selected University of Maryland Global Campus as one of the Pilot II cybersecurity associate degree programs Feb. 11, 2022.

This continues the relationship developed during the USNCC’s first pilot program and provides active duty enlisted Sailors, Marines, and Coast Guardsmen the ability to earn cybersecurity certificates or associate degrees that will directly contribute to the naval services and set them on a path of lifelong learning.

“It is important that we have a high-quality cybersecurity degree program that our Sailors, Marines, and Coast Guardsmen know will help them do their jobs better today and into the future,” said Randi R. Cosentino, Ed.D., president of the USNCC. “This is why we chose an institution that has demonstrated a history of excellence in working with military students and the cybersecurity community.”

“We are proud to continue to be part of this important process in launching the USNCC,” said Douglas Harrison, Ph.D., dean of UMGC’s School of Cybersecurity and Information Technology. “UMGC offers cutting edge learning tools and cybersecurity faculty who are working every day in the field to provide students with skills to succeed right away in this extremely fast evolving and in-demand industry.”  

This agreement provides active duty enlisted Sailors, Marines, and Coast Guardsmen an opportunity to earn naval-relevant certificates and an associate degree in cybersecurity that will directly contribute to the readiness of the naval services and set them on a path of life-long learning.

Naval professionals who pursue the Associate of Arts in General Studies with Concentration in Computer Studies degree through the USNCC will have an opportunity to gain an in-depth understanding of technical development and operational implementation of cybersecurity skills to design, administer, secure, and troubleshoot computer networks, as well as the data protection skills needed to safeguard critical cybersecurity infrastructure and assets. The degree will also have an established transfer path to four-year degree programs in cybersecurity.

The degree pathway also includes a certificate in Naval Studies taught by the USNCC’s faculty and a professional cybersecurity certificate through UMGC. 

UMGC is regionally accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education and has been designated as a National Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense school by the National Security Agency and a center of Academic Excellence in Digital Forensics school by the Defense Cyber Crime Center. While the USNCC is pursuing accreditation, UMGC will be the primary degree grantor for this associate degree program, ensuring the service members who graduate from this program receive a transferable degree from an accredited institution.

Active duty enlisted Sailors, Marines, and Coast Guardsmen can fill out an application on the USNCC website, . The first courses will start in the fall of 2022.

The United States Naval Community College is the community college for the Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard. To get more information about the USNCC, go to . Click on the  link to learn how to be a part of the USNCC Pilot II program.