The National Cybersecurity Institute at Excelsior College and the InfraGard National Members Alliance (INMA) have signed an educational agreement that will provide a pathway for InfraGard’s members to pursue advanced degrees in cybersecurity from Excelsior.
“Cybersecurity is critical to the protection of our nation’s critical infrastructure. Providing these educational opportunities to our members will enhance our posture and, in turn, improve national security,” said Sheri Donahue, INMA President.
Under the agreement, InfraGard members, employees and their spouses can pursue degrees from any of Excelsior’s five schools at reduced tuition and fee rates. InfraGard anticipates high demand among its members for Excelsior’s technology programs, in particular bachelor-level programs in Information Technology and Cyber Operations, and a Master of Science in Cybersecurity. Excelsior also offers a cybersecurity management concentration within its MBA program and certificate programs at both the graduate and undergraduate levels.
Five of Excelsior’s programs have been certified to meet the National Security Agency’s Committee on National Security Systems (CNSS) Training Standards, making Excelsior College part of an elite group of academic institutions. To achieve the certification, Excelsior’s programs had to achieve six standards:
- NSTISSI 4011 Information Systems Security (INFOSEC) Professionals
- NSTISSI 4012 Senior Systems Managers
- NSTISSI 4013 System Administrators (SA)
- NSTISSI 4014 Information Systems Security Officers
- NSTISSI 4015 Systems Certifiers
- NSTISSI 4016 Risk Analysts
InfraGard is a public partnership between the FBI and the private sector, an association of persons who represent businesses, academic institutions, government agencies, and non-profit organizations dedicated to collaboration and information sharing. The National Cybersecurity Institute is an academic and research center located in Washington D.C., dedicated to assisting government, industry, military, and academic sectors meet the challenges in cyber security policy, technology and education. It is part of Excelsior College, a private, nonprofit, accredited distance learning institution in Albany, New York.
“InfraGard and the National Cybersecurity Institute share a common mission – to educate and forge the necessary coalitions to strike back against cybercriminals who seemingly grow bolder and more cunning by the day,” said Dr. Jane LeClair, COO, National Cybersecurity Institute at Excelsior College. “We’re thrilled to team up on this initiative and help build a stronger cyberworkforce. For if recent experience has taught us anything, it’s that no organization, large or small, is immune to cybercrime.”
InfraGard
InfraGard is an information sharing and analysis effort serving the interests and combining the knowledge base of a wide range of members who represent the private sector, government agencies and non-profit organizations. This public-private partnership is sponsored by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.