Cybersecurity is one of the fastest growing fields, particularly for those with a security clearance. But what does accreditation mean, and what are Centers of Academic Excellence in Cybersecurity (CAE-C) and Cybersecurity Defense (CD) designations?

The National Security Agency (NSA) and Department of Homeland Security (DHS) teamed up to create three cybersecurity designations. All two-year or higher schools are eligible to apply for the awarding of one or more designations, but only the ones meeting or exceeding the NSA and DHA strict program guidelines are awarded the honor.

Cybersecurity Designations

The designations issued by the NSA are based on the type of school (and type of course in the case of the last designation) and remain valid once awarded for five academic years from date of issuance. The designations are:

  • CAE2Y – Issued to schools that have two-year cybersecurity programs where course completion results in either a certificate or associate degree. This includes community colleges, technical schools and government training centers.
  • CAE-CDE – Issued to four-year schools offering cybersecurity programs resulting in a bachelor or advanced degree. *
  • CAE-R – Issued to schools that have doctoral research programs in cybersecurity. *
  • CAECO – Issued to four-year colleges and graduate-level universities offering courses in Cyber Operations. **

* Students attending schools with either the CAE-CDE or CAE-R designation are eligible to apply for grants and scholarships through either the Department of Defense Information Assurance Scholarship Program or CyberCorps® Scholarship for Service program.

** Student attending schools with the CAE-CO designation are eligible to apply for grants and scholarships through the CyberCorps® Scholarship for Service program and not the DoD program.

Do All Cybersecurity Courses Need a CD?

The answer is no. Some well-respected schools with very good cybersecurity courses do not feel there is enough of an advantage of having a CD, nor is it worth the time and resources it takes to get one, so they forego applying. However, not having a designation eliminates their students in cybersecurity courses from applying for either aforementioned scholarship program.

Cybersecurity Certifications

Now that we talked about accreditations and designations, let’s briefly touch on certifications. While there are many different types of certifications in the cybersecurity world, some are more popular and valuable in terms of employment than others. Having the right certification can take employability to the next level when ready to advance. At some point in their career, almost everyone working in the cybersecurity field adds a certification (or more) to their training portfolio to further their career. At the entry level, the three most popular certifications are:

A basic level of certification is required for those hoping to work for the Department of Defense, in order to be DoD 8570 compliant. Certifications can also help you expand your cyber career and take it into new directions.

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Kness retired in November 2007 as a Senior Noncommissioned Officer after serving 36 years of service with the Minnesota Army National Guard of which 32 of those years were in a full-time status along with being a traditional guardsman. Kness takes pride in being able to still help veterans, military members, and families as they struggle through veteran and dependent education issues.