MAC Cybersecurity Program Named “Center of Academic Excellence” by NSA
The select designation is awarded to US colleges and universities who meet the NSA and DHS’ rigorous standards for cybersecurity teaching and awareness. It recognizes colleges whose programs fall in line with rigorous expectations for instruction and support.
The Mount is the only 4-year program in Blair/Cambria Counties with this designation.
Only 16 schools in Pennsylvania and just over 350 institutions across the country hold Center of Academic Excellence status.


Degrees type: Associate
Main Campus
Mount Aloysius College provides students a unique hands-on learning cyber experience with real world applications. Our dedicated Cybersecurity lab includes virtual environments that can be used for classes, competitions, demonstrations, testing and research. In addition to the physical lab space, students utilize the Mount Virtual Lab and the Mount Mini Lab, a portable and scalable lab. Students leverage both Windows and Linux environments, vulnerable applications and websites for testing purposes. Our cyber defense team uses these environments to prepare for cyber competitions and challenges. Our program is under the instruction of diverse faculty with years of professional, government and/or military experience. Courses are offered in the classroom as well as in hybrid and fully online formats.
Program Highlights

Cybersecurity focuses on the measures taken to protect digital information against unauthorized access or attack.
Digital forensics involves the recovery and investigation of digital devices, related to computer crime. Possible careers include:
- Compliance Officer
- Computer Systems Analyst
- Cryptanalyst/cryptographer
- Cyber Risk Manager
- Digital Forensics Specialist
- Ethical Hacker / PentrationTester
- Information Security Analyst
- Intelligence Investigator
- Law Enforcement Officers
- Network Applications Supervisor
- Networks & Systems Engineer
- Security Administrator
- Security Analyst/Architect
- Security Consultant
- Security Engineer
- Security Software Designer
The increase in cyber-attacks today has led to an urgent demand for more experienced and qualified workforce to protect networks and information systems.
According to Forbes, there will be 3.5 million unfilled cybersecurity jobs by 2021.
Cybersecurity professionals report an average salary of $116,000, which is nearly three times the national average (Source: National Initiative for Cybersecurity Careers and Studies https://niccs.us-cert.gov/cybersecurity, DHS).
The following content labels and related descriptions delineate the areas of development expected as a result of completing the program:
- Fundamental Knowledge – Students will demonstrate knowledge and comprehension of core cybersecurity principles.
- Cyber Defense – Students will demonstrate knowledge of threat mitigation and will demonstrate the ability to apply cyber defense methods to a system to repel attacks.
- Digital Forensics – Students will demonstrate knowledge in the rules, laws, policies, and procedures that affect digital forensics and demonstrate the ability to use one or more common digital forensic investigation tools.
- Media Analysis – Students will describe methods and approaches for forensic analysis on specified media, and demonstrate the ability to extract and analyze recovered data using a variety of forensically-sound techniques.
- Device and Network Analysis – Students will demonstrate the ability to use common tools to analyze and decipher network traffic, identify anomalous or malicious activity, and provide a summary of the effects on the system.
Watch a video with alum Jonathan Williams talking about the cybersecurity & digital forensics program.
Watch Jeffrey Sunseri, a professor in the IT department, talking about the cybersecurity & digital forensics program.
Watch a video with alum Bryan Jordan talking about the information technology program.
Watch a video with Justin Williams, an Instructor of Information Technology, demonstrate an example of ethical hacking.
Watch a video about what to expect when visiting Mount Aloysius.
Watch this video featuring aerials views of Mount Aloysius College.
More Information
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