Network Security Engineering: CP
Certificate of Proficiency | 36 credit hours minimum
Area of Interest: Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM)
Program Description:
Network Security Engineering Certificate of Proficiency is a skill-oriented program that prepares students to design, implement, troubleshoot, maintain, and secure enterprise network infrastructure. It starts with the foundation principles of local and wide-area, multi-segmented networks, and then covers a wide range of skills associated with all aspects of enterprise level networks for business. The design and implementation skills developed include those required for network and application servers, desktop hosts, infrastructure cabling and connection devices such as switches and routers (including wireless), security appliances, and virtualization of resources for performance optimization. The courses in the program provide a combination of online, distance learning, and intensive, classroom-based, hands-on skills development. The demonstration of hands-on skills is critical to employers. Students completing the program are prepared for a variety of industry certification exams as well as entry-level employment technical interviews.
Location. This program is offered in its entirety at Forest Park.
Related Programs. The Computer and Information Technology Department offers an associate and certificates in the following areas:
Cisco Networking Academy: CCNA, Certificate of Specialization
CompTIA A+ Certification, Certificate of Specialization
CompTIA A+ and Security+ Certifications, Certificate of Specialization
IT Help Desk/End User Support, Certificate of Specialization
Network Security Engineering, Associate in Applied Science
Cost of Attendance. For more information on cost of attendance visit MoSCORES.
Program Career and Salary Information. Pursuant to Missouri HB 1606 (2018), information regarding the number of credit hours, program length, employment rate, wage data, and graduates employed in careers related to their program of study at St. Louis Community College can be found at the following URL: https://scorecard.mo.gov/scorecard/. Search using School / Program “St. Louis Community College” and choose the degree or credential type of interest.
The following limitations to the data apply: Information provided is based on the most recent cohorts available. Typically, most recent cohorts for wage and completion data are six years prior to the current academic year. Time to complete a program of study varies depending on the number of credit hours students earn per semester.
Interested in this program? Start the enrollment process by visiting the Apply to STLCC page.
At the completion of the program, students are expected to:
- employ the command line interface (CLI) to implement, troubleshoot, maintain, and secure an enterprise network.
- use network methodologies to implement a secure Local Area Network (LAN) network.
- describe the proper implementation and use of Virtual Local Area Networks (VLANs), trunks, Etherchannel, Spanning Tree Protocol (STP), routing, and First Hop Redundancy Protocols (FHRP).
- explain the network layered models and the use of global, local, and internal network addressing.
- explain how to initiate, monitor, and secure data as it is traveling across the network.
Program of Study
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Program Requirements | ||
| IS 229 | Unix/Linux I | 3 |
| IS 237 | Fundamentals of Information Assurance/Security - CompTIA Security+ | 3 |
| IS 280 | Python | 3 |
| IT 100 | Introduction to Cybersecurity | 1 |
| IT 101 | Cisco Networking Academy I: Introduction to Networks | 5 |
| IT 201 | Cisco Networking Academy II: Switching, Routing, and Wireless Essentials | 5 |
| IT 202 | Cisco Networking Academy III: Enterprise Networking, Security, and Automation | 5 |
| Select 1 (5 credits) | 5 | |
| Cisco Networking Academy: CCNA Security | ||
| Cisco Networking Academy: CCCA Cybersecurity Operations | ||
| Select 2 of the Following Electives (6 credits minimum) | 6 | |
| Hardware Support - CompTIA A+ Core 1 (Hardware) | ||
| Unix/Linux II | ||
| Desktop Software Support - CompTIA A+ Core 2 (Software) | ||
| Enterprise Security Management | ||
| Secure E-Commerce | ||
| Introduction to Virtualization and Cloud Computing | ||
| Ethical Hacking | ||
| Cloud Security | ||
| Digital Forensics | ||
| Cisco Networking Academy: CCNA DevNet Associate | ||
| Total Credit Hours | 36 | |
Full-Time Academic Plan
PLEASE NOTE: If you originally enrolled at STLCC prior to Fall 2025, you may need to view an archived catalog for your correct program requirements. Please speak with an advisor or the program coordinator for more information.
| First Year | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fall | Credit Hours | Prerequisites | Milestones/Notes | |
| IS 229 | Unix/Linux I | 3 | Reading Proficiency | Gateway Course, Critical Course. Offered Fall and Spring |
| IT 101 | Cisco Networking Academy I: Introduction to Networks | 5 | Reading Proficiency | Exploratory Course, Gateway Course. Offered Fall and Spring, First 8 weeks |
| IT 201 | Cisco Networking Academy II: Switching, Routing, and Wireless Essentials | 5 | IT 101 with a minimum grade of "C", and Reading Proficiency | Offered Fall and Spring, Second 8 weeks |
| Credit Hours | 13 | |||
| Spring | Credit Hours | Prerequisites | Milestones/Notes | |
| XXX xxx | Program Elective | 3 | See options listed below. | |
| IT 100 | Introduction to Cybersecurity | 1 | Reading Proficiency | Offered Fall and Spring |
| IT 202 | Cisco Networking Academy III: Enterprise Networking, Security, and Automation | 5 | IT 201 with a minimum grade of "C", and Reading Proficiency | Offered Fall and Spring First 8 weeks |
| IT 208 or 250 | Cisco Networking Academy: CCNA Security or Cisco Networking Academy: CCCA Cybersecurity Operations | 5 | IT 201 with a minimum grade of "C" or a Cisco CCENT or CCNA certification and Reading Proficiency | One of the two courses are offered Fall and Spring Second 8 weeks. |
| Credit Hours | 14 | |||
| Second Year | ||||
| Fall | Credit Hours | Prerequisites | Milestones/Notes | |
| IS 237 | Fundamentals of Information Assurance/Security - CompTIA Security+ | 3 | IT 102 or IS 229 with a minimum grade of "C" and Reading Proficiency | Offered Fall and Spring |
| IS 280 | Python | 3 | Reading Proficiency | Offered Fall and Spring |
| XXX xxx | Program Elective | 3 | See options listed below. | |
| Credit Hours | 9 | |||
| Total Credit Hours | 36 | |||
Program Electives
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| IS 130 | Hardware Support - CompTIA A+ Core 1 (Hardware) | 3 |
| IS 264 | Unix/Linux II | 3 |
| IT 102 | Desktop Software Support - CompTIA A+ Core 2 (Software) | 3 |
| IT 120 | Enterprise Security Management | 3 |
| IT 121 | Secure E-Commerce | 3 |
| IT 211 | Introduction to Virtualization and Cloud Computing | 3 |
| IT 212 | Ethical Hacking | 3 |
| IT 215 | Cloud Security | 3 |
| IT 216 | Digital Forensics | 3 |
| IT 251 | Cisco Networking Academy: CCNA DevNet Associate | 5 |
Critical Courses: Critical courses are most important to a student's declared major and most strongly predict later success in the major. A critical course requires a minimal grade to progress to higher-level courses.
Exploratory Courses: Exploratory courses are first-semester courses that introduce the program and career field.
Gateway Courses: Gateway courses are courses in many career pathways that must be completed before progression in higher-level courses. These may be the same as critical and/or exploratory courses.
*Click on the hyperlinked course number to view additional information about the course.
**Students completing a course that has been assigned a MOTR number may transfer that course to any public institution in Missouri. Those who complete CORE 42 requirements will have that verification on their transcript.
*** It is your responsibility to verify that the courses listed above will transfer to the four-year institution of your choice. Maximize your transfer credits/classes by meeting with an academic advisor.