Associate in Science

Program Description:

The Computer Science Transfer, Secure Software Development (SSD) track, Associate in Science degree provides the technical and general education courses necessary for transfer to bachelor’s degree programs in computer science. Programming knowledge and training in problem solving and analysis are stressed.  A considerable amount of hands-on computer experience is incorporated into the curriculum. Academic advisors work closely with students to assist them with course planning in accordance with their intended baccalaureate major and transfer institution. The Computer Science Transfer, Secure Software Development (SSD) track, Associate in Science degree consists of a general education core curriculum common to all MCC degree programs. The Computer Science Transfer Associate in Science SSD track conforms to the framework for cybersecurity education developed jointly by the National Security Agency (NSA) and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).

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Career and Transfer Outlook:

The Federal Bureau of Investigation predicts cybersecurity eventually will become the No. 1 threat against the United States. The U.S. Department of Labor projects computer/software programmers’ employment to grow by 12% from 2010 to 2020. The U. S. Department of Labor projects 43,700 new jobs between 2010 and 2020. Graduates of the SSD track will be prepared to transfer to a four-year program. Career opportunities are open to students who complete a bachelor’s degree. Upon completion of a baccalaureate degree, students in secure software development qualify for positions such as incident response analyst, cyber intelligence analyst, software engineer, programmer, systems analyst, computer engineer, and quality assurance engineer. 

Helpful Hints:

Students should plan on taking Mathematics courses immediately, and continue taking math courses until all math requirements are fulfilled.  Students who have not had any prior computer programming experience must take CSC 101 Introduction to Computer Science prior to taking CSC 151.  Students who place into or below MAT 080 on the CPT are encouraged to take ITC 100 Exploring Technology. 

Program Outcomes:

• Software Development:  Students will be able to apply fundamental concepts of programming languages and software development to solve a diverse array of problems and recognize these concepts in different languages.
• Professional Skills:  Students will be able to effectively work with others to design, develop, evaluate, and present solutions to business and software engineering problems.  Students will be able to update their skills when new programming languages, tools, and cyber security challenges emerge.
• Problem Solving:  Students will be able to analyze problem, gather appropriate data, use logic to solve, predict and analyze results for relevance, accuracy, and consistency.
• Solution Patterns: Students will be able to recognize solution patterns of common problems and apply them to new challenges.
• Communication:  Students will be able to communicate clearly, accurately, and succinctly through written and verbal means.