Central Texas College Online Cyberdefense - Information Assurance AAS

This is a 60-credit associate of applied science from a public community college, built to get you into hands-on defensive security work rather than onto a bachelor's track. It includes a 3-credit internship, and a 45-credit Level II certificate stacks toward it, so you can stop with a credential early or keep going. It's a low-cost, practical start, and a transfer-minded student should check how the credits move.

Central Texas College is a public community college in Killeen, Texas, and it serves the Fort Hood area as well as distance students. It's accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) to award associate degrees. The Cyberdefense and Information Assurance AAS is 60 credits and can be completed entirely through distance education.

The college also lists a Network Cloud Support and Cybersecurity AAS, which it treats as a network and cloud support degree. This one is the cyber defense program. If your goal is defending systems and checking that controls work, you want this degree. If your goal is running cloud and network infrastructure, the other one is closer.

Federal data shows a charge of $250 per credit for Central Texas College, which is a campus rate, so confirm the distance rate and fees with the college before you plan.

The 45-credit Level II certificate is a way to spread cost. You can earn that first, then finish the remaining credits to reach 60.

Community college tuition is the reason many students start here. Texas residency can affect the rate, so ask about it.

Who It Fits

• You want a first college credential in security and plan to start working in defensive roles, not transfer to a four-year school right away.
• You live near Fort Hood or have a military connection. The college serves that area as well as distance students.
• You want to take it in steps. A Level II certificate of 45 credits stacks toward the 60-credit degree, so you can earn the smaller credential first.
• You want real work experience built in. The degree lists a 3-credit internship, ITNW-2388, in computer systems networking and telecommunications.

Who Should Skip It

• You're sure you want a bachelor's and need every credit to transfer. An applied science degree is aimed at employment, so confirm transfer terms with the school you plan to attend.
• You want certification prep built in. The degree isn't tied to named exams, so you'd choose and prepare for those yourself.
• You need strong completion numbers. Federal data shows an 11% graduation rate school-wide and 30.5% of transfer-in students earning an award within eight years, so a plan for persistence matters.

Four course titles tell you the focus. Information Technology Security covers the basics of protecting systems. Firewalls and Network Security Design is about building the perimeter. Network Defense and Countermeasures moves from design to responding to attacks. Security Assessment and Auditing is about testing whether controls hold up and documenting what you find.

That sequence runs from foundation to design to defense to verification, which is the work of a junior analyst or technician. The internship, ITNW-2388, gives you a place to try it in a workplace.

The degree is all defense. If you're curious about offensive testing or malware analysis, you'd go further on your own or at a later degree.

Courses the School Names

• Firewalls and Network Security Design
• Network Defense and Countermeasures
• Security Assessment and Auditing
• Information Technology Security

Standout Features

• Stackable Level II certificate (45 credits) toward the AAS

The college states that the program may be completed entirely via distance education, online or through other delivery modes. Ask which modes your courses use and whether any are scheduled meetings.

Federal data shows 52% of undergraduates at the college enrolled exclusively online, with 8,373 students overall. That's a school where online study is common, and distance students aren't an afterthought.

The credential is an Associate of Applied Science, and institutional accreditation comes from SACSCOC. With no cybersecurity-specific designation on the degree, employers will judge it on your skills and internship.

Federal records count 8 awards a year in this field, a small program. The stackable Level II certificate gives you a midpoint credential you can list while you finish.

Where this degree can lead: Cybersecurity Degree Jobs.

The full rubric is on the methodology page.

• An associate degree opens fewer doors than a bachelor's for senior roles, so many students plan a later transfer.
• The 11% graduation rate school-wide is low, and the 30.5% transfer-in measure is only moderate.
• The $250 per credit federal figure is a campus rate, so your actual online cost and fees need confirming.
• Certifications aren't built into the degree, so earning one is your own project.

• What is the online per-credit rate for Texas residents and for non-residents, and what fees apply?
• Which courses are in the 45-credit Level II certificate, and how do they map onto the 60-credit degree?
• How does the ITNW-2388 internship work for a distance student, and can my current job count?
• Which bachelor's programs accept these credits, and has the college signed transfer agreements?
• Do any courses have scheduled meetings, or is everything self-paced?
• What military benefits and credit for service training does the college offer?

Public community college in Killeen, Texas serving Fort Hood and distance students.

• Best Information Assurance Degrees Rank 3 of 3, associate
• Best Programs With Internships Rank 8 of 10, associate
• Best Online Programs in Texas Rank 1 of 2, associate

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