- Enrollment Paused - Temporarily closed to new enrollees
Cybersecurity
Secure business data with a new career path in cybersecurity
Get trained in one of the fastest growing tech occupations, and learn how to combat the costly threat of data security breaches. Prepare to earn the industry-recognized CompTIA Security+ certification.
Join Calbright's Cybersecurity Program
Learn the principles and best practices of information technology security and risk management on your way to certification and job opportunities in this rapidly expanding field. The program helps develop the core skills and training required to pass the industry-recognized CompTIA Security+ exam.
Important: Program prerequisite required for enrollment.
Cybersecurity Program Prerequisite:
Entry into this program requires one of the following:
- Completion of Calbright’s Network Technology program
- CompTIA A+ Network+ certification
- One year of related job experience in any of the following areas, verified and approved by the faculty review panel:
- Network Administrator
- Network Technician
- Network Engineer
- Security Analyst
- Cloud Engineer
- Systems Administrator
Other qualifications may be considered on a case-by-case basis.
If you haven’t fulfilled one of these prerequisites, we encourage you to consider our Information Technology (IT) Support or Network Technology programs.
Right now, all Californians over the age of 18 can apply for and enroll in this program with all tuition, course materials, and exam fees covered.
Start Your Journey in a Growing Job Market
Get started with Calbright’s Cybersecurity Program
Topics Covered
Build your knowledge and skills in the core Cybersecurity areas that help businesses operate safely. The program covers these topics and more:
- Security Fundamentals
- Threats & Vulnerabilities
- Network Security
- Identity & Access Management
- Risk Management
- Compliance & Operational Security
- Cryptography / PKI
- IT Architecture
- Disaster Recovery / Business Continuity
Note: While Calbright programs are flexibly paced, enrollment agreements are limited in duration.
Students are enrolled in successive 6-month terms for a maximum program length of three years.
Tuition-Free Programs
Our online community college is currently tuition free for residents of California, over the age of 18, with a high school diploma or GED.
Certificate in Less Than One Year
We measure progress by the skills you’ve mastered — not by how many hours you’ve spent in the classroom — so you can move at the speed that’s right for you. Students can complete their certificate in less than six months with an average weekly commitment of 6-12 hours (8-10 months for Calbright's IT and Cybersecurity programs).
Academic and Career Support
In addition to tutoring and academic support, our career services team can help you prepare for your job search, from practicing interviews and refining your resume to virtual events with employers and industry professionals.
“If I didn’t get the IT certificate at Calbright, I probably would not be here now. That triggered everything else that happened afterwards. I’m happy that Calbright is doing this in California: there are a lot of students who do not go through the more standard ways of going to college and universities. Calbright makes it easy and simple. It helps a lot of people break into tech.”
“I’ve taken a lot of classes, I’m a lifelong learner, and what I like so much about Calbright is that it has such a holistic approach. That’s different from other self-paced courses I took. The support at Calbright is exceptional.”
“Calbright provided a lot of what I think of as connective tissue, the hands-on labs, the real experience, the support structures. That helped me stay the course. My success now was hard won, and I certainly didn’t do it alone. I had faculty at Calbright who were there to answer every question, not just about the technology but about the career.”
“I have quite a bit of experience with online learning and training, and Calbright’s classes are really good, really enjoyable, and the staff were all great. I really enjoyed being able to get in there and go at my own pace. I charged right into it. And when I graduated, Calbright’s career services helped me rewrite my resume to get a job.”
FAQs
Who can be a student at Calbright?
Calbright is open to all California residents aged 18 years or older who have a high school diploma or GED equivalent.
All Californians — regardless of immigration status — are welcome to enroll.
It is really free? How?
Yes! All of our programs are currently free thanks to public funding from the State of California. That includes program tuition, testing costs, and technology resources like laptops and WiFi devices from our lending library.
Because our programs are free, we don’t need to offer financial aid.
Why should I attend Calbright?
First, our training programs prepare you to earn industry-recognized certifications (via exams offered by third-party providers like CompTIA and Salesforce), proof to employers that you’re ready to succeed in a new career on day one of employment.
Second, every student that completes a program also gets a dedicated team of professional experts that will coach you to be the best version of yourself during your job search.
Third, all of our courses are flexibly-paced and 100% online — designed around your own unique life circumstances so school never gets in the way of other priorities.
Plus, Calbright comes at no out-of-pocket cost to you. Even the cost of the exams to receive industry-recognized certifications (such as the CompTIA A+, Security+, and Salesforce Certified Administrator exams) in your program of choice are covered.
We also offer resources that include (but are not limited to) technology support through our Chromebook and WiFi hotspot lending library; career counseling; and mental health services. All this and more make Calbright a great choice if you’re looking to level up your skillset.
What job training programs do you offer? What makes them unique?
We currently have five online, flexibly-paced training programs: IT Support, Medical Coding*, Cybersecurity, Customer Relationship Management (CRM) Platform Administration, and Equitable Health Impacts: Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion.
These programs are the first of many, with each fitting into wraparound services designed to prepare you for success in the job market.
*Please note that we are currently not accepting new applications into the Medical Coding program.
What kind of time commitment should I expect as a Calbright student?
That depends on you and the pace you want to set, but all of our courses are designed to be completed in the shortest time possible — generally under a year. Your specific estimated time of completion will be determined when you meet with your Academic Success Counselor to develop your Comprehensive Student Education Plan (CSEP).
You can expect complete a Customer Relationship Management (CRM) certificate in less than six months with an average weekly commitment of 6-12 hours.
For our IT and Cybersecurity programs, expect to complete your certificate in eight to ten months, assuming the same weekly commitment of 6-12 hours.
With consistent time and progress, you could complete the Equitable Health Impacts: DEI program in as little as 10 weeks.
How long does it take to enroll and start classes?
Starting an application is easy! If you’re ready to begin your journey with us, click here. If you still have questions or would like to get in contact another way, you’ve got plenty of options.
You can always reach out to success@calbright.org and someone from our team will get back with you via email ASAP.
You can also use the webchat function on our homepage, call us at 1-833-956-0225, or text us at (510) 330-1817.
