Middle Georgia State University’s master’s degree in information technology is now a designated program of the National Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense (CAE-CDE).

The designation specifically applies to the cybersecurity and forensics concentration of the master’s program. In 2016, the cybersecurity concentration of Middle Georgia State’s (MGA) bachelor’s degree in IT earned the same designation.

“We are now the only institution in Georgia to have both an undergraduate and graduate-level program designation,” said Dr. Kevin Floyd, associate dean of MGA’s School of Information Technology. “There are several advantages for students who earn a degree from a CAE-CDE school, including the fact that potential employers can be confident they are hiring a well-prepared graduate for this important and lucrative field.”

The CAE-CDE program is jointly sponsored by the U.S. National Security Agency and the Department of Homeland Security. Universities are designated based on their robust degree programs and close alignment to specific cybersecurity-related knowledge units, validated by subject matter experts in the field. CAE-CDE graduates help protect national security information systems, commercial networks, and critical information infrastructure in the private and public sectors.

Middle Georgia State information technology majors can now complete the bachelor’s degree with a concentration in cybersecurity and the master’s degree with a concentration in cybersecurity and forensics and know that both programs align with the rigorous CAE-CDE criteria. Floyd said that students who complete these degree programs will have the designation reflected on their official MGA academic transcript and will also be eligible to apply for scholarships and grants through the Department of Defense Information Assurance Scholarship Program and the Federal Cyber Service Scholarship for Service Program.

“Our graduates can be assured they are completing program coursework that is deemed important by the NSA and DHS and other employers in the cyber security sector,” Floyd said. “Students have the opportunity to learn by doing and to contribute their efforts to the protection of our nation’s infrastructure from the threat of cyber attacks.”