The South College Network Administration and Security program is designed as a two-year program leading to an associate of science degree. The purpose of the program is to provide students, through completion of courses consisting of lecture and hands-on computer instruction, with the knowledge and skills necessary to install, configure, support, and maintain computer network systems in a wide range of computing environments, and to implement and monitor computer security measures within these networks. The major curriculum courses included in this program are supplemented with courses in humanities, social science, mathematics, and business areas in order to broaden students' overall knowledge, oral and written communication skills, and critical thinking skills.

Through this training, students will be prepared for the Microsoft Certified Systems Administrator certification examination (though the passing of examinations is not guaranteed). Students are also prepared for other certifications such as CompTIA's A+, Network+, and Security+ exams, as well as Cisco's CCNA exam. By passing these exams, student can earn marketable and industry-recognized credentials that validate their technical proficiency with computer hardware and software. Indepth coverage of current network security methods and tools also prepare students to design secure networks and to properly monitor and react to network intrusion attempts. Using the skills and knowledge gained through this program, graduates will be prepared for entry into such career paths as entry or junior level systems administration, and security, LAN/WAN administration, technical support to end users, or technicians in a variety of professional environments.

Major curriculum courses required in this program include courses in these areas:

• Spreadsheet Applications
• Database Applications
• Network+
• Windows XP Professional
• Programming
• Web Page Design
• Windows 2003 Server
• Networking with A+
• CCNA
• Network Security Fundamentals
• Network Defense Methods
• Computer Forensics
• Information Security Principles