IT Certificates FAQ
The Non-Credit IT certificates offered through Columbus State’s Accelerated Training are short-term educational programs that teach new skills and build relevant proficiencies for in-demand IT jobs. Upon completion, students receive a ‘Certificate of Completion’ (in both print and digital formats) to share and celebrate their accomplishments with current and future employers, colleagues, friends, and family. Non-Credit courses are not transferable to accredited degree-granting programs, and do not count towards college credit.
Credit-bearing courses are designed for students who have interest in earning measurable educational units toward a college degree or certificate recognized by an accrediting body in higher education.
Non-credit courses and programs are typically pursued by individuals who are interested in furthering their education or building on skills that will help expand knowledge and deepen their understanding in a discipline area with a purpose to become more effective in their careers or areas of interest.
Non-Credit IT certificate courses are NOT financial aid eligible through federal funding sources at this time. If you are seeking financial assistance, we suggest contacting your employer’s human resource department to learn about tuition assistance and reimbursement models the organization may offer. For more information on how your employer can get started in offering funding to employees for Non-Credit IT certificate programs, please visit the State of Ohio's TechCred website.
Depending on your specific financial situation, supplemental funding opportunities may be available through the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA). Both the Data Analytics and Cybersecurity programs are included on the list of eligible programs.
Students interested in using federal financial aid are encouraged to review the College’s credit-bearing IT offerings.
Every employer is different. If you are seeking financial assistance we suggest contacting your Human Resource department to learn about tuition assistance and reimbursement models that may be available.
Employers interested in sponsoring a student should contact acceleratedtraining@cscc.edu to discuss invoicing options.
Instructors are subject matter experts working in IT roles throughout Central Ohio organizations, including Columbus State Community College! Our instructors regularly use their skills and expertise in real-world settings for the subjects they are teaching. We believe that our instructors’ ability to share real-life experiences and knowledge adds unique value to the learning experience for students.
Time with the instructor includes a weekly class meeting averaging 2.5 hours of in-class time. In addition, students may join weekly study sessions for up to an additional hour with instructors for a total of 3.5 instructional hours. For the most successful learning outcomes, we recommend students dedicate 10-15 additional uninterrupted, independent study hours per week.
Courses in each program are offered in a live online (synchronous) HyFlex+recording format and are recorded. Students do not have to attend every class meeting; however, students need to regularly use our learning management system and participate in class discussions and exercises.
Class start and end times vary depending on the program, but classes generally take place between the hours of 5:00 pm to 8:30 pm.
Online: All programs are currently offered in a live online format, to meet the needs and demands of working adult students. Optional, live online study sessions with instructors are offered once per week, with the time and date determined by the instructor.
The certificate programs are designed to build relevant, employer-desired skills to prepare you for in-demand jobs in IT; however, Columbus State is unable to guarantee employment of graduates after completion of Non-Credit IT Certificate programs. Students have access to Columbus State’s existing Career Services’ online and in-person resources as a student of Columbus State.
In some cases we are able to allow students to rejoin a later cohort of students in the same program at a later date. Please be aware that we cannot guarantee timeframes at this time since each cohort is scheduled based on a variety of factors which are different than the typical college semester schedule, and it may be up to a year before a given class can be offered with a subsequent program.
Students must earn a score of at least 80% in a course to continue to the next course. When a student has successfully completed each course in a chosen certificate program and participated in a culminating capstone course/project, the student will be awarded a printed certificate of completion, and a digital badge (through our 3rd- party provider, Credly).
The Data Analytics and Cybersecurity programs typically offer two cohorts per year, usually near or just after the college Spring and Autumn semesters begin. We have additional program offerings for DevOps, Software Development, and Artificial Intelligence which are planned and offered annually based on employer and prospective interest levels.
All books needed for the program are online and access is available free of cost to registered students.
Students must also have regular access to a laptop to complete coursework. Students are expected to bring the laptop to class each week.
Recommended Minimum Hardware Specs:
- 1.9 GHz (3.0 GHz preferred) or faster processor
- 8 GB (32 GB preferred) Storage Disk Space Available
- 8 GB (16 GB preferred) RAM
- Operating system: Windows 10 or higher, macOS 14.10+
Certificates are usually attained by undergoing an educational process or program that demonstrates knowledge and shows successful completion of educational coursework or programs.
Certifications usually entail a formal assessment or exam process to earn a credential in a specialized area. Certifications typically require prior knowledge and expertise in a given domain of knowledge, and often require proof of experience in addition to any exam or formal assessment process demonstrating such knowledge.
A credential, much like a certification, involves an assessment or exam process, and is typically awarded by an industry or domain-specific organization. Credentials may involve proof of prior experience but are typically awarded after passing an exam or assessment of knowledge.
By successfully completing a Columbus State Non-Credit IT Certificate program, students earn a completion certificate, not a certification or credential. However, our certificates do specifically prepare students to attempt further certifications and credentials after completing a given course or program. For instance, the Cybersecurity program prepares students for to take the (ISC)2 Systems Security Certified Practitioner (SSCP) exam, and provides students with a study guide and exam voucher to earn this credential. Our Scripting with Python course is designed to prepare students to take the Python Institute’s exam to earn the Python Certified Entry-Level Programmer (PCEP) credential.
Cybersecurity FAQs
The (ISC)2 SSCP credential provides confirmation of a practitioner's ability to implement, monitor and administer information technology infrastructure in accordance with information security policies and procedures that ensure data confidentiality, integrity and availability.
Upon passing the (ISC)2 SSCP exam, students will be eligible to earn the industry-recognized credential after demonstrating one year of experience in the field of cybersecurity.
Upon passing the course, students are given a voucher for the exam during the last week of class. The voucher is good for one year.
No, students receive their certificate upon successful passage of all courses in the program.
The city of Columbus has several locations that offer the exam. Location and registration information can be found on both the Pearson and (ISC)2 websites. Students have up to 3 hours to take the exam.
Students have the OPTION to take the (ISC)2 SSCP Certification exam. The cost of the (ISC)2 SSCP Certification exam and official study guide are included in the cost of the Cybersecurity SSCP course. The (ISC)2 SSCP exam voucher is provided during the Cybersecurity SSCP course to those students that are on track to complete the program, and the exam voucher is redeemable up to one year after issuance.
The Certificate for the Network Intensive Cybersecurity (8-week bootcamp) course or the Certificate for the Cybersecurity (31-week) program can benefit a student professionally, with or without taking the (ISC)2 SSCP Certification exam.
After passing the ISC2 SSCP Certification exam, students can begin the endorsement process to confirm they have the necessary work experience to become fully certified. Students with a year of relevant experience and endorsed by “another ISC2-certified professional in good standing,” will likely qualify for full ISC2 SSCP certification.
Students without the required work experience can still sit for the ISC2 SSCP Certification exam and be recognized as an ISC2 SSCP Associate. Completion of Columbus State’s Workforce Innovation (Non-Credit) IT Cybersecurity programs does not waive the one-year experience requirement for full certification. For more information view ISC2 Endorsement Information.