Texas Border Business
By Amanda Sotelo
The South Texas College Cybersecurity Program has been recognized as a top associate degree program in the state for its affordability and student job-readiness by Programs.com for building a strong foundation for entry-level cybersecurity roles.
“This recognition is a testimony to the efforts of faculty and how they work with our students,” said Francisco Salinas, STC Cybersecurity program chair. “It’s an honor that validates we’re moving the program in the right direction and giving our students the tools they need to succeed.”
Programs.com is a New-York based education platform that helps students discover the top Cybersecurity programs across the U.S. Colleges are evaluated on curriculum strength, career outcomes, affordability and overall academic reputation.
“Programs are selected based on a weighted scoring model that includes cost, student outcomes, admissions flexibility and applied learning,” said Brian Dean, founder of Programs.com. “We start with verified data sets and then evaluate how each program performs across these categories relative to its peers. Based on these criteria, South Texas College’s Cybersecurity Associate of Applied Science stood out for its emphasis on practical, job-ready skills and clear alignment with entry-level cybersecurity roles.”
STC’s Cybersecurity program is offered as in-person, 100% online or hybrid, with a total in-state tuition around $9,840 or out-of-state tuition around $15,200, making it one of the most affordable programs in the state.
The 60-credit hour program offers training in operating system security, network administration, network defense and countermeasures, incident response and handling, computer system forensics and more.
Salinas said, what sets STC’s Cybersecurity program apart from others throughout the state is its capacity to stay ahead of new developments in technology because of research and bold innovations set forth by faculty members, who always strive to be proactive and knowledgeable in industry trends.
“Our level of success comes from working closely with industry partners to design curriculum that fit their needs,” he said. “This ensures that our students are trained and ready to enter the workforce with everything they need to succeed.”
Hector Trevino, STC Cybersecurity faculty member, added that it’s vital to continuously research and talk to industry professionals to not only enhance curriculum, but to implement new technologies, such as artificial intelligence (AI).
Implementing AI in Cybersecurity, he said, brings to the classroom a new way of learning and teaching.
“AI is here to stay and it’s evolving quickly in the arena of technology, especially cybersecurity,” said Trevino. “We are now teaching our students how to use AI to write scripts for vulnerability testing and updates, how to integrate with Python and programming. It’s all being used out in industry, and our students are learning it right here at STC.”
Students like Erik Ryan,19, who is working toward an associate degree in Cybersecurity, said the program is building his confidence and preparing him for a successful career when he graduates next year.
“I’m honestly not surprised that STC’s Cybersecurity program has received this recognition,” said the Pharr native. “It’s an honor being a student in this prestigious program that is helping students like me get trained, certified and become marketable in the industry.”
As a student, Ryan has already earned numerous industry certifications from reputable companies such as Cisco and is now working toward a certification in CompTIA A+, an industry-recognized, entry-level credential that validates technical proficiency in information technology (IT) support, networking, security and troubleshooting.
STC President Ricardo J. Solis, Ph.D., said what STC’s Cybersecurity program offers students like Ryan, is invaluable, and this unique aspect of the program is what has earned it its No. 2 spot in the state.
“It takes dedication, commitment to create a top program, and our Cybersecurity faculty and staff have proven that their hard work has taken this program to a new level,” he said. “We are proud of the work they’re doing – educating the future of cybersecurity professionals and ensuring they’re workforce-ready. We congratulate them on this well-deserved honor.”
Information source: STC
