Online degree program earns NSA certification

Online degree program earns NSA certification

Western Governors University, an online education provider, has recently announced that its information security and assurance graduate degree program has been certified by the National Security Agency's Information Assurance Courseware Evaluation (IACE) program.

The new certification confirms that the university's coursework meets the standards established by the Committee on National Security Systems National Training for information systems security professionals and senior systems managers.

In addition to the information security and assurance program, WGU has several other online bachelors degree offerings that include at least one Microsoft certification. The cost of each certification is included in WGU tuition.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that overall employment of computer network, systems and security database administrators is expected to grow by 30 percent over the next 10 years, much faster than the average for all other occupations. Over that period, the IT industry is expected to add nearly 300,000 new jobs.

Online education has been hailed as a cheaper and more flexible instruction option that allows adult learners such as busy parents or working professionals to earn a degree without interrupting their lives.

By Mark Danson