SAN ANGELO, Texas -- Angelo State University and the National Cryptologic School held an articulation agreement signing ceremony at ASU’s Houston Harte University Center Aug. 16.
The agreement allows National Security Agency employees to transfer their NCS credits into seven different undergraduate and graduate degree and certificate programs offered through ASU’s Kay Bailey Hutchison Center for Security Studies.
“These agreements will benefit both organizations,” said ASU Border Security Studies and Intelligence Associate Professor, Dr. Jeff Daily. “They will benefit NCS and NSA because many of those employees do not have their degrees. They received the best intelligence training in the world, and they are focused on defending this country.
“It helps them because no matter where they go they can obtain the online degree and further their careers. It helps us because we get some of the best students in the world.”
Prior to their schooling with the NCS, some of the NSA employees received their education at Goodfellow Air Force Base, which trains intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance service members.
“This is enormous for the up to 14,000 service members we train each year,” said Col. Thomas Coakley, 17th Training Group commander. “The articulation agreement between Angelo State and the NSA’s National Cryptologic School enables educational opportunities for Airmen, civilians and other service members.”
NCS Commandant, Dr. Leonard Reinsfelder, and ASU President, Dr. Brian May, signed matching copies of the agreement during the ceremony.
“The National Cryptologic School was created in 1965 and when it was created it was operating much like a trade school,” said Reinsfelder. “Where we are today is a very different place. What we teach at the National Cryptologic School is targeted at students in uniform. One of the things that concerns me is, we push our men and women, civilian and military and they don’t get credits towards degrees. Agreements like this allow people to get the national recognized credit that they deserve.”
ASU has seven different programs that NCS employees can get credits toward.
NCS students who complete the CYBR 3422 cybersecurity course can transfer 12 credit hours into the Master of Science in homeland security or Master of Security Studies in intelligence, security studies and analysis both ASU graduate degree programs.
NCS students who complete the CYBR 3410 cybersecurity course can transfer nine credit hours toward ASU’s undergraduate Cybersecurity Certificate program.
NCS students who complete a 13-course track in counter-terrorism can transfer up to 42 credit hours into either the Bachelor of Arts in criminal justice or Bachelor of Science in criminal justice both ASU undergraduate degree programs.
NCS students who complete a prescribed homeland security course track can transfer up to 66 credit hours into the Bachelor of Security Studies in border and homeland security or Bachelor of Security Studies in intelligence, security studies and analysis both ASU undergraduate degree programs.
“This is a huge deal,” said May. “When the military come to our campus, whether it’s veterans or active duty, we try to find a way to say, ‘Yes, we can give you credit for the training you’ve had. We will help you get a degree.’”
For more information on transferring credits, contact ASU at 325-486-6682.