Technical Support Engineer Certificate
Degree
Certificate (Federal aid eligible if certificate is combined with Associate of Science degree, Associate of Applied Science degree, or Bachelor of Applied Science degree. Not eligible for federal aid as a stand-alone certificate.)
Overview
This certificate is designed to help someone get into the IT industry as quickly as possible. It focuses on the key skills that are most necessary in helpdesk roles or technical support functions, including PC Hardware, networking, client and server operating systems. It also introduces the student to programming, which is a valuable skill for any IT professional. This certificate also prepares the student to sit for several industry certification exams which can be included on the resume to show a hiring company that proficiency has been met for a specific technology.
Career Opportunities
The most common entry level job in IT is a technical support engineer or Help Desk professional. These people need to know how to troubleshoot and resolve all sorts of technical problems. For those students wanting to get into the technology field as quickly as possible, this will be the quickest option. Many IT professionals start in some sort of technical support role before moving on to other technology departments within the company.
Learning Outcomes
Upon completion of the certificate, successful graduates will be able to:
- Write a simple program using a common programming environment
- Install a Windows desktop environment and configure key desktop settings
- Identify and describe the function of key hardware in a desktop or laptop computer
- Design and configure a basic corporate network, identifying the key hardware and infrastructure devices needed to connect systems together
- Install a Windows Server environment and configure key security settings
Course Requirements
Students are responsible to examine the course description of each course listed below for details of prerequisites, which must be satisfied before registering for the course.
| CS 104 | Python Scripting | 3 credits |
| IT 102 | PC Hardware Technician | 3 credits |
| IT 125 | Introduction to Information Technology | 3 credits |
| IT 235 | Cloud Server Administration | 3 credits |
| IT 255 | Networking Fundamentals | 3 credits |
| Total Credit Hours: | 15 |
Graduation Requirements
1. Minimum of 15 total semester credits hours as outlined
2. Grade of C- or higher in all IT courses
3. Certificate grade-point average of 2.0 or higher
Recommended Sequence of Courses
Individual student circumstances, such as the need for a smaller course load or the number of preparatory English or Math courses a student must take, may require additional semesters to complete the program. Please see your Student Success Advisor for assistance.
Note: While a student may choose to take all 6 Certificate Core courses at one time, caution is advised as each class does require significant amounts of study and project/assignment work. It is recommended you split this into at least 2 semesters. Please see your Student Success Advisor for assistance. The following IT certifications can be obtained at the completion of the corresponding course (assuming final exam scores meet the established requirements.)
- PC Pro - Certification of proficiency in PC hardware, software, and Windows
- Client Pro - Certification of proficiency in Windows Client Operating System environments
- Network Pro - Certification of proficiency in basic networking technologies and environments
First Semester
CS 104, Python Scripting, 3 credits
IT 102, PC Technician, 3 credits
IT 125, Introduction to IT, 3 credits
Total Semester Minimum Hours 9
Second Semester
IT 235, Windows Server Fundamentals, 3 credits
IT 255, Networking Fundamentals, 3 credits
Total Semester Minimum Hours 6
Total Technical Support Engineer Certificate Minimum Credit Hours 15