Northern Virginia Community College’s (NOVA) Woodbridge Campus and The George Washington University (GW) have partnered together to offer two Bachelor’s degree completion programs, in the areas of IT and cybersecurity.
According to a release, the programs will be ‘Cybersecurity and Integrated Information’ and ‘Science and Technology (IIST)’ and will both have the opportunity for completion on the NOVA Woodbridge campus.
This partnership will create a pathway for NOVA graduates to continue their education, and complete their Bachelor’s at a well-known university, like GW, according to a release.
“Students will be able to use their community college education as a pathway to GW. Both IIST and Cyber curricula offer learning strategies and hands-on practices that will equip the students with a set of technical, as well as soft, skills to be successful in their future professional and academic endeavors,” stated Dean of the College of Professional Studies at GW Dr. Ali Eskandarian in a release.
The partnership also offers opportunities for adult learners, or those serving in the military, that would like to further their education.
“The IIST and Cybersecurity bachelor’s degree programs offer several advantages for adult learners through evening courses and it is also military friendly. NOVA alumni now have the option to finish their degree in a familiar environment, without having to travel to GW’s Northern Virginia campus locations in Arlington and Ashburn,” stated NOVA Woodbridge’s Assistant Dean of Information Technology Paula Ford.
More on the programs, from a release:
The IIST and Cybersecurity programs (offered by the College of Professional Studies at GW) are designed to meet the needs of community college graduates, non-traditional students and working professionals and each can be completed in as little as two years. The IIST program prepares students for careers in information technology, consulting and technology management, while the Cybersecurity program prepares students for careers protecting digital environments and assets from internal and external threats. The programs are designed to prepare students for the latest advancements in these fields and provide them with hands-on experience and technical skills that will make them competitive in the job market.
Classes will be offered as an evening and Saturday cohort program and taught by GW instructors at the NOVA-Woodbridge campus. Tuition assistance is available for active duty service members and veterans through the Yellow Ribbon Program and for Virginia residents transferring from a two-year institution through the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia (SCHEV) grants.
A 2-plus-2 transfer agreement between NOVA and GW has been established to detail the required set of courses to be completed at NOVA in order to transfer to GW. Students who successfully complete an associate degree in IT or Cybersecurity or 60 credit hours of suitable coursework, can transfer to GW with a junior standing.
Applicants are required to have an associate degree, with at least a 2.70 GPA or have earned at least 60 credit hours of suitable coursework. Official or certified copies of academic records from all colleges and universities attended, results of the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), a 250-500 word statement of purpose and two professional or academic letters of recommendation are also required for consideration. For additional information on George Washington University’s tuition assistance for military veterans – Yellow Ribbon Program, visit their website.
Students interested in applying for either of these programs should contact Paula Ford,NOVA-Woodbridge Assistant Dean of IT at paula.ford@nvcc.edu.
The launch for the cybersecurity program is set for fall 2016, and the science program is set to launch spring 2017, according to a release.
