Cybersecurity

Defined Standards for Academic Excellence

By establishing cybersecurity criteria at both the two-year and four-year levels, ABET sets clear standards that guide institutions in shaping high-quality cybersecurity programs. These standards, ABET’s standards, influenced by the 2017 curriculum guidelines from leading organizations in the field, assure industry and academic institutions that graduates are equipped with the skills needed for today’s workforce.

Holistic Cybersecurity Program Criteria

ABET cybersecurity program criteria are holistic, requiring coverage of eight different categories of security (data, software, component, connection, system, human, organization, and societal), five of which are technical and the other three being more multidisciplinary.

Improved Academic Progression

ABET accreditation serves as a trusted “seal of approval,” confidence to both lower-division and upper-division institutions that the content and rigor are comparable. In turn, students realize improved academic progression when matriculating from an ABET-accredited two-year cybersecurity program into an ABET-accredited four-year cybersecurity program.

Enhanced Articulation Agreements

ABET accreditation supports the establishment of articulation agreements between two- and four-year institutions, simplifying the process of course equivalency and ensuring that courses at two-year and four-year institutions meet the same quality standards.

Recognition as a Leader in Cybersecurity Education

ABET accreditation positions programs as recognized leaders in cybersecurity education, strengthening an institution’s reputation in this critical field. Institutions benefit from ABET’s independent validation, reinforcing their role in advancing cybersecurity education at the two-year college level.

Competitive Advantage in Student Recruitment

ABET accreditation offers a distinct advantage for student recruitment, especially in competitive regions. Being able to state, “We are ABET accredited. Are they?” creates a powerful message for prospective students and differentiates ABET-accredited programs from others in the region.

External Validation and Peer Recognition

For peers unfamiliar with a specific program, ABET accreditation serves as a clear quality indicator, verifying that the program meets rigorous professional standards. This external validation is recognized by peer institutions and prospective students similar to the NSA CAE designation. ABET program accreditation and the NSA CAE institutional designation differ but are complementary to each other.

Continuous Improvement and Quality Assurance

ABET accreditation requires institutions to demonstrate a commitment to continuous improvement by regularly assessing the impact of teaching on student learning outcomes. ABET requires a team of professional peers to visit the institution as an integral part of the program review process, ensuring that standards for student outcomes assessment, up-to-date curriculum, faculty qualifications, and institutional support are met consistently over time.

Clarified Definition of Cybersecurity

For those seeking clarity on what a “cybersecurity program” should include, ABET accreditation assures that the program meets established professional standards. This standardization helps distinguish the program’s quality within the vast array of cybersecurity interpretations and program offerings at two-year and four-year colleges.

Broad Impact and Growing Recognition in the Field

Today, approximately 700 computing programs across over 500 institutions are ABET-accredited, including over 40 cybersecurity programs at the two- and four-year levels. This broad and growing network underscores ABET’s influential role in shaping quality cybersecurity education on an international scale.