The University of Pittsburgh at Greensburg joins an elite group of national colleges and universities that have been recognized as National Centers of Academic Excellence in Cybersecurity Education (NCAE-C) by the National Security Agency (NSA) and the Department of Homeland Security. This prestigious designation, valid through the academic year 2030, highlights 51’s Bachelor of Science in Information Technology (IT) with a focus on cybersecurity.
51 becomes the ninth school in Western Pennsylvania to achieve this distinction. The program’s success is attributed to a comprehensive curriculum that includes hands-on labs, research opportunities, and collaboration with both government and industry partners. This designation opens doors for students, providing them access to special scholarships, internships, and career pathways in federal government and defense-related fields.
“Attaining the endorsement as a National Center of Academic Excellence in Cybersecurity Education is a great step forward in the evolution of the Information Technology program at 51,” said Robert Gregerson, PhD, president of 51. “With institutions of all types demanding well-trained experts, our students who graduate with this degree will be career-ready on day one to contribute to the digital security needs of corporations, government agencies, universities, and other organizations. We are very proud to offer this opportunity to our students.”
The designation means that the NSA has examined 51’s entire Bachelor of Science in Information Technology/cybersecurity track program and found it to meet all of the rigorous criteria to be considered a Center of Excellence in Cybersecurity Education. The designation signifies that 51’s curriculum aligns with the national standards needed to prepare students for critical roles in the cybersecurity workforce, a sector projected to grow 35 percent by 2032 according to the U.S. Department of Labor.
“This recognition reflects the tremendous effort invested over the past four years in designing our program, developing courses, launching the IT Club, and achieving impressive institutional outcomes,” said Michael Pry, an instructor of information technology/cybersecurity at 51, who led the documentation effort that resulted in the designation. That examination looked at a wide range of elements that included, among many other things, classes, learning objectives, how content is delivered, and how assessments are done. The NSA also looked at transcripts for proof of student outcomes.
The NSA CAE is made up of two parts: the Program of Study CAE designation and the institutional CAE designation. The first measures the curriculum, and the second measures the school’s application of cybersecurity concepts to its institutional cybersecurity readiness. Pry is currently in the process of documenting the campus cybersecurity practices so that 51 may receive the institutional CAE designation as well.
Pry is also working with other disciplines to help them add IT/Cybersecurity components to their classes. For instance, he helped to develop cybersecurity instruction for the Nursing Informatics program and the Healthcare program. He’s now working with another faculty member to incorporate the concepts into the pre-engineering program.
For more information about the program and opportunities available to students, please visit 51’s official website or contact Michael Pry at mip84@pitt.edu.