May 22, 2019 – The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board staff has approved Collin College’s new Bachelor of Applied Technology (BAT) degree in cybersecurity. The new BAT will consist of face-to-face and online courses.
The BAT in cybersecurity meets one of the college’s current priorities to expand workforce programs in response to labor market demands. The new bachelor’s degree will include 120 semester credit hours, 42 general education credit hours, and 78 credit hours dedicated to specific skills for industry professionals.
“We are ushering in an innovative frontier in higher education at Collin College with new baccalaureate degrees,” said Dr. J. Robert Collins, founding trustee and Collin College board chair. “This is yet another example of how our flexibility as a community college allows us to continually address and meet our community’s high-growth industry needs.”
Collin College was among certain community college districts in Texas authorized to offer selected baccalaureate degrees with the passage of Senate Bill 2118, which was signed into law by Gov. Greg Abbott in 2017. The new BAT approval will be reported to the full THECB at the July 25, 2019 board meeting and is pending approval by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) at their meeting in June. The college’s first planned bachelor’s degree, the Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN), is also pending approval from SACSCOC. Several degree fields are currently under consideration for the college’s third bachelor’s degree.
According to District President Dr. Neil Matkin, labor market analysis shows a rising demand for information technology industry employees, especially individuals with bachelor’s degrees in cybersecurity.
“From health care to finance, the critical need for cybersecurity and securing information is growing,” said Matkin. “This bachelor’s degree will provide students with a robust pathway to high-paying careers while simultaneously meeting the needs of Collin County businesses.”
A 2018 report from the International Information System Security Certification Consortium indicates that there is a shortage of approximately 498,000 professionals in the U.S. and close to three million worldwide in the cybersecurity field.
According to Collin College Executive Vice President Dr. Sherry Schumann, the new BAT was designed to align with the college’s existing cybersecurity offerings.
“The new cybersecurity baccalaureate degree features applied skills and is an extension of our current certificates and associate degree,” Schumann said. “We created stackable credentials with student success in mind. As students complete certificate levels they earn credentials which are respected in their career fields.”
For information regarding the BAT in cybersecurity, email Dr. Don Weasenforth, vice president and provost of the Frisco Campus (Preston Ridge), at dweasenforth@collin.edu. For information about the associate degree in cybersecurity, visit https://www.collin.edu/academics/programs/CYBR_1Overview.html.
Collin College serves more than 55,000 credit and continuing education students annually and offers more than 100 degrees and certificates. The only public college based in Collin County, Collin College is a partner to business, government and industry, providing customized training and workforce development. In addition, the college operates the Collin Higher Education Center, which has an enrollment of 3,500 each year in partnership with The University of Texas at Dallas, Texas Woman’s University, Texas A&M Commerce, Texas Tech and the University of North Texas.