by Kevin Dicciani

Chestnut Hill College’s cybersecurity major is one of the country’s best value programs for students looking to earn a bachelor’s degree in the discipline, according to a recent ranking by Affordable Schools.

The College’s program was recently ranked No. 19 on a 2020 list of the 25 best affordable cybersecurity and computer forensic bachelor’s degrees in the U.S.

Affordable Schools, a higher education resource established to guide students toward affordable, high-quality colleges and degree programs, selected schools for the list based on tuition rates, student-to-faculty ratio, and graduation rates.

Pamela King, M.A., an instructor of digital forensics at the College, said the program prepares students to begin working in the field of cybersecurity as soon as they receive their degrees.

“Students are going to have the ability to find jobs and lucrative careers — they're not going to get a degree and never be able to use it,” King said. “They're immediately going to be able to go into the field and start working and using their skills.”

Experts from both industry and government aided in the development of the College’s cybersecurity program. It follows the academic guidelines established by the United States Department of Homeland Security and the National Security Agency in partnership with the National Initiative for Cybersecurity Education and the National Institute of Standards and Technology.

“We want our students to get the best education possible, and they’ll get it from these experts because their knowledge is high-level, it’s current,” King said.

On Affordable Schools’ website, the description of the College’s cybersecurity program reads:

“Recognized as one of the most affordable colleges for a cyber/computer forensics degree, CHC offers an economical Bachelor of Science in Cybersecurity. The low-cost degree program explores key topics in the field of cybersecurity like operating systems, security and defense, database design and development, digital forensics, and database security. Outside of the classroom, students apply what they have learned through hands-on internship experiences that utilize the latest software and hardware. Undergraduates also have the opportunity to engage in service work and obtain industry certifications after completing certain classes.”

For more information, visit affordableschools.net/bachelors-cyber-computer-forensics/