WCC to offer bachelor of applied science degree in IT Networking
October 28, 2016
Bellingham, Wash. – Whatcom Community College will offer its first applied baccalaureate degree – a bachelor of applied science (BAS) in IT Networking – in fall 2017. But eligible students – including those with an associate degree in an IT-related field – should begin planning now for the competitive entry process, which opens Jan. 17, 2017. Program administrators recommend students meet with a WCC advisor to learn more about the program, career options and the enrollment process. To schedule an appointment, email BAS-ITnetworking@whatcom.ctc.edu or call 360.383.3080.
The degree addresses the growing need for qualified IT networking personnel with enhanced hands-on skills and knowledge in cloud computing, mobile technologies and industrial control systems. The new applied baccalaureate degree is the only one of its kind in the northwest corner of the state and further confirms Whatcom’s stature as a regional and national leader in computer information systems (CIS) and cybersecurity education. The program has capacity for 24 students next fall. Plans are underway to also offer the degree online beginning fall 2018, providing even greater flexibility for working adults. WCC will work closely with area colleges, including Bellingham Technical College, Northwest Indian College and Skagit Valley College, to provide access to students who have earned associate’s degrees in IT.
BAS graduates will be prepared to enter the workforce as network administrators and related job categories such as computer and information systems manager or computer network architect. The new IT Networking BAS will build upon Whatcom’s well-established reputation for excellence in the IT networking field and its current curriculum that trains students on emerging cybersecurity topics. In addition to the BAS degree, WCC offers two-year degrees in computer information systems and cybersecurity (with opportunities to transfer to regional universities) as well as certificates. WCC is a National Center of Academic Excellence in Information Assurance 2-Year Education (CAE2Y) and is the lead institution for CyberWatch West – a National Science Foundation regional center for cybersecurity education. For more information regarding Whatcom’s CIS and cybersecurity programs, visit whatcom.edu/cis.
About Whatcom: Whatcom Community College is a regionally and nationally accredited two-year college with an accomplished faculty and staff who serve 11,000 students annually. On its campus in Bellingham, Wash., and through online courses, Whatcom offers transfer and professional-technical degrees as well as basic education, job skills training, and community and continuing education classes. The College will offer a BAS degree in IT Networking, beginning fall 2017. Based on student outcomes, the Aspen Institute ranks Whatcom among the top nine community and technical colleges in Washington state and among the top 150 in the nation. For more information, visit whatcom.edu.
The degree addresses the growing need for qualified IT networking personnel with enhanced hands-on skills and knowledge in cloud computing, mobile technologies and industrial control systems. The new applied baccalaureate degree is the only one of its kind in the northwest corner of the state and further confirms Whatcom’s stature as a regional and national leader in computer information systems (CIS) and cybersecurity education. The program has capacity for 24 students next fall. Plans are underway to also offer the degree online beginning fall 2018, providing even greater flexibility for working adults. WCC will work closely with area colleges, including Bellingham Technical College, Northwest Indian College and Skagit Valley College, to provide access to students who have earned associate’s degrees in IT.
BAS graduates will be prepared to enter the workforce as network administrators and related job categories such as computer and information systems manager or computer network architect. The new IT Networking BAS will build upon Whatcom’s well-established reputation for excellence in the IT networking field and its current curriculum that trains students on emerging cybersecurity topics. In addition to the BAS degree, WCC offers two-year degrees in computer information systems and cybersecurity (with opportunities to transfer to regional universities) as well as certificates. WCC is a National Center of Academic Excellence in Information Assurance 2-Year Education (CAE2Y) and is the lead institution for CyberWatch West – a National Science Foundation regional center for cybersecurity education. For more information regarding Whatcom’s CIS and cybersecurity programs, visit whatcom.edu/cis.
About Whatcom: Whatcom Community College is a regionally and nationally accredited two-year college with an accomplished faculty and staff who serve 11,000 students annually. On its campus in Bellingham, Wash., and through online courses, Whatcom offers transfer and professional-technical degrees as well as basic education, job skills training, and community and continuing education classes. The College will offer a BAS degree in IT Networking, beginning fall 2017. Based on student outcomes, the Aspen Institute ranks Whatcom among the top nine community and technical colleges in Washington state and among the top 150 in the nation. For more information, visit whatcom.edu.
Contact:
Mary Vermillion, Whatcom Community College PIO
pio@whatcom.ctc.edu , 360.383.3310
