6 San Diego programs skilling up cybersecurity and IT professionals

Nov 04, 2022 - Heather Dewis

Looking to grow your cyber and IT skills? Whether you’re going back for a master’s degree, looking for an advanced certification, or applying for one of San Diego’s 15,000 cybersecurity job openings, our region offers a wide variety of resources to advance your career. Here are a few picks for mid-level cybersecurity and IT professionals looking to level up their careers in 2024.

1. MiraCosta College

With 56 certificate programs and four North County locations, MiraCosta College offers accessible opportunities to grow your tech, cybersecurity, and IT skills and advance your career. Located in Oceanside along SR 78, a popular North County commuter corridor, MiraCosta’s programs are especially convenient for professionals working at North County tech and life sciences companies like Thermo Fisher Scientific, Viasat, and FoxFury.

• Associate of Science: Systems Administration
• Associate of Science: Cybersecurity

2. San Diego College of Continuing Education

San Diego College of Continuing Education‘s variety of free classes offers an accessible opportunity to grow your technical skills and advance your career. IT and security classes are offered both online and at its campus near Clairemont Mesa.

• Certificate: Network Technician
• Certificate: Security Essentials

3. UC San Diego Extended Studies

UC San Diego Division of Extended Studies offers more than 4,700 courses and a wide range of certificates. In addition to its La Jolla location, it recently opened UC San Diego Park & Market downtown, a 66,750-square-foot, four-story, mixed-use building to engage more than 10,000 regional members through community programs, exhibitions, and events.

• Bootcamp: Cybersecurity
• Certificate: Database Management
• Certificate: Linux System Administration
• Course: Certified Risk and Information Systems Control (CRISC)
• Course: Governance of Enterprise IT

4. San Diego State University

Ranked in the top 100 in the nation for social mobility (U.S. News & World Report, 2022) SDSU offers a wide array of advanced degrees and certifications toward cybersecurity skills and complementary areas of professional growth. And for transitioning military members, SDSU also ranks among the nation’s veteran-friendly schools (U.S. Veterans Magazine, 2021).

• Bootcamp: Cybersecurity
• Master of Science: Cybersecurity Management
• Certificate: Artificial Intelligence for Cybersecurity
• Certificate: Cloud Security and Governance
• Certificate: Cyber Governance and Risk Management
• Certificate: Cybersecurity in Healthcare
• Certificate: Ethical Hacking

5. San Diego City College

With its Associates offerings designated as Verified Programs of Cyber/IT Talent by regional employers and an array of certifications for all professional levels, San Diego City College offers numerous opportunities to expand technical IT and cybersecurity skills. Located conveniently in San Diego’s East Village downtown, it’s especially accessible to professionals working at tech startups like Trust & Will and ClickUp.

• Certificate: Microsoft Technology Specialist
• Associate of Science: IT Management
• Certificate: Cyber Incident Response
• Associate of Science: Cybersecurity

6. California State University San Marcos

CSUSM shines in its commitment to inclusion. Ranking 32nd nationally out of more than 1,500 schools measured in the eighth annual Social Mobility Index (2021), the university is an eight-year winner of INSIGHT Into Diversity’s Higher Education Excellence in Diversity Award, based on its ability to support a broad definition of diversity on campus. Fortune magazine ranked CSUSM’s Master of Science in Cybersecurity was ranked #7 in 2022’s best online cybersecurity master’s programs in the U.S.

• Master of Science: Cybersecurity
• Certificate: Cybersecurity Technologies
• Certificate: Cybersecurity Management, Risk and Governance