Students in the inaugural cohort of City College’s new baccalaureate in Cyber Defense and Analysis. The program offers students hands-on training, state-of-the-art technology, and a curriculum designed to meet the demands of the rapidly evolving cybersecurity industry.
SDCCD welcomes in fall semester with new programs, new sports teams, and more
August 14, 2024 |
Students from high school age to retirees will find new programs, new courses and new services at the San Diego Community College District’s four colleges – San Diego City College, San Diego Mesa College, San Diego Miramar College and San Diego College of Continuing Education – when the fall semester kicks off on Aug. 19.
Highlights for the more than 50,000 students enrolling this fall include the launch of a new bachelor’s degree program at City College, new apprenticeship and transfer opportunities at College of Continuing Education, additional sports programs at Miramar College and a new Mathematics, Engineering, Science, Achievement Center at Mesa College. The district itself will get a new look this fall with a new logo, a new visual identity and a new tagline – “ Be. Belong. Become.”
“The San Diego Community College District continues to be a national leader in delivering affordable, high-quality academic programs and in-demand workforce training to meet the needs of our regional economy,” said SDCCD Chancellor Gregory Smith. “With a 100% acceptance rate, we provide pathways to economic prosperity for every member of our San Diego community.”
Among the highlights:
- City College is launching a four-year baccalaureate program in cyber defense and analysis, complete with hands-on training, state-of-the-art technology and a curriculum designed to meet the demands of the rapidly evolving cybersecurity industry. The nearly 1,400 information security analysts now working in the region are earning an average wage of $120,980, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, and demand for cybersecurity specialists remains robust. Three of four local cybersecurity firms say they are finding it hard to find qualified applicants, according to a 2023 report from the San Diego Regional Economic Corporation.
- Thanks to a $1.7 million grant, Mesa College has a new MESA (Mathematics, Engineering, Science, Achievement) Center to assist students in those areas of study seeking to transfer to a four-year college or university. Mesa College also continues to celebrate its 60th anniversary with a weeklong exhibit Sept. 9-14 – “A Journey Through Time” – along with additional events throughout the calendar year. (For more information, visit sdmesa.edu/60thanniversary.) Additionally, students will have expanded access to essential over-the-counter items from a new Wellness Vending Machine, stocked with free and reduced-cost items such as menstrual products, pain relievers, and pregnancy tests, in the Student Services Center.
- Miramar College is expanding its intercollegiate sports programs by adding three new sports for the upcoming academic year: men’s soccer, men’s swimming and women’s swimming, bringing its total offerings to 10 sports. Men’s soccer will begin competition in the fall, while the men’s and women’s swimming programs will begin competition in the spring of 2025. The SDCCD Board of Trustees unanimously approved the new sports programs in April. The teams will compete in the Pacific Coast Athletic Conference and will add to the expanding number of Miramar College options for athletes in the region.
- San Diego College of Continuing Education is making history by partnering with Sacramento State University’s groundbreaking Black Honors College, providing a pathway for College of Continuing Education graduates to transfer to one of the nation’s leading universities for Black students. A key goal in creating the Black Honors college is boosting Black college graduation rates. The College of Continuing Education has also introduced all-new curricula and certificates in its Clothing and Textile Arts program. Building on sustainability and advanced digital technology, students now have the opportunity to learn new skills in a more eco-friendly fashion.
While City, Mesa and Miramar colleges launch their fall semester on Aug. 19, College of Continuing Education, the adult, noncredit division of the SDCCD, starts its new semester Tuesday, Sept. 3.