eLearning

The University of Fairfax recognizes full-time employees’ need for our specialty courses. eLearning is convenient for cybersecurity professionals who need to be mobile and responsive in a demanding and fast-paced field. We have a state-of-the-art eLearning platform that would be perfect for busy professionals like you who want to stack more skills on top of your qualifications. eLearning does not have to be a boring, one-sided affair. We have designed our platform to be interactive so you can collaborate with our faculty and your fellow students and get the immersive study experience while remaining employed.

Secure your future and advance your cybersecurity career as you learn through distance education and blended programs at the University of Fairfax.

A Unique eLearning Approach

We utilize a unique approach to education — one that blends several types of delivery methods to provide the most effective learning experience for adult learners. To enhance learning, our programs include opportunities for both real time (synchronous) and asynchronous interaction.

All our accredited, practitioner-oriented graduate programs are delivered through an accessible, interactive, platform that provides you with the:

• Convenience of 24/7 access to your courses from any location
• Flexibility to better juggle your work, family and educational commitments
• Opportunity for one-on-one support
• Ability to collaborate and engage with faculty and fellow student professionals

Threaded Discussions

Asynchronous interaction occurs by participating in instructor-led “threaded discussions.” Students participate at times that best fit their schedules.

Chat Rooms

Your instructor holds “office hours” at a prescribed time each week in the evening. These sessions are not required, but are available to help support you. Each chat is automatically archived and can be viewed after the session.

SyncSessions™

These sessions are scheduled every other week and provide a forum for collaborative learning by enabling real-time interaction between faculty and students. They are recorded and archived for student use.

AWS (Amazon Web Services) Academy

As an AWS Academy member, we have access to AWS Academy curricula and the AWS Academy Learner Lab that can be delivered to students by AWS Academy approved educators. The AWS Academy provides cloud computing curriculum developed and maintained by AWS. With professional development opportunities and courses aligned to AWS Certifications, AWS Academy empowers educators to deliver hands-on learning experiences that prepare students for industry-recognized certifications and in-demand cloud jobs. Overall, 16 tracks are available in the following areas: Cloud – Architecture, development, operations, and security; Data/Data Center – Architecture, Analytics, and Engineering; Machine Learning and Natural Language Processing. All AWS courses are fully deployed on Canvas (our Learning Management System). The AWS courses are designed to help students develop technical expertise in cloud computing, help them prepare for AWS Certification, and upskill and prepare them for high paying cloud jobs. Upon successful completion of an AWS Academy course, students get access to certification style practice questions and serialized discounted certification coupon for AWS Certification exams.

CompTIA/TestOut

University of Fairfax provides a subscription for CompTIA/TestOut at no cost to students. CompTIA/TestOut’s full feature learning platform, LabSim, enables students to access a broad range of hands-on learning content that builds “career-ready IT skills” while providing educators with the tools they need to help these students succeed. Many of our courses have integrated LabSim course material directly in Canvas course portal. CompTIA/TestOut’s “show what you know” philosophy creates a unique training experience that seamlessly integrates learning content, hands-on simulations, assessments, and educator tools into an effective online platform and nearly 20 technology courses. CompTIA/TestOut’s scaffolded approach to learning help students effectively obtain workforce skills and prepare for industry certifications. Students have access either through canvas learning management system or directly to many certification course materials such as CompTIA A+, Security+, Network+, Linux+, ITF+, CySA+, CyberDefense Pro, Microsoft AZ-800, TestOut Server Pro Identity, Install, Storage, & Networking, Client/Server Pro, EC Council Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH), Microsoft Office Specialist (MOS), and Cisco CCNA. While in their academic programs, students have an opportunity to earn multiple industry-recognized certificates. Although getting certified is not mandatory in any of our degree programs, many UF courses are based on the contents of such certificates. The recent acquisition of TestOut by CompTIA, the world’s leading information technology (IT) certification and training body, opens up many more training and certification opportunities for our students.

Technology Requirements

Following are the recommended general technical hardware/software specifications for students enrolled in all academic programs at the University of Fairfax. Please note that

a) these specifications are sufficient for the entire duration of the program,
b) need for specific applications/software would be determined by the actual course(s) registered and the availability of the applications, and
c) although students with Mac computers can access any applications/software by leveraging remote access tools, Mac platform is not recommended and supported. and
d) doctoral students will be required to user several open-source applications, hosted services, and publicly available virtual machines. This may include but is not limited to SAS (Statistical Analysis System) OnDemand, Oracle Virtual Box, Kali OS, Apache Web Server, GNU/Linux, OpenSSL, ROS (Robot Operating System), Blender (3D computer graphics), and Orange (Data Mining).

Minimum Recommended Specifications

1. Ownership of either laptop or desktop is mandatory. Mobile devices such as Tablets/Smart Phones cannot be used for running any applications. Mobile devices may be used for simple tasks such as accessing Canvas courses for checking messages, grades, due dates, and reading slides. For other tasks such as taking tests, uploading assignments, and participating in discussion forums, mobile devices are not recommended and must not be used.

2. These recommendations are universal across all academic programs and provide a basic format for all courses. As you move further into a degree program, these requirements may increase (only minimal) based on the expectations of the program and the availability of applications.

Educational Benefits

Our expert practitioner faculty and practitioner-oriented curriculum will help you apply what you learn right away. Through rigorous, engaging courses you will:

• Learn current best practices from leading expert practitioner faculty
• Share your ideas and collaborate with fellow students and faculty
• Enhance your critical thinking and problem-solving skills
• Improve your communication skills
• Complete real world projects, which apply to your workplace

Career Benefits

Through its collaborative, interactive eLearning programs, you’ll build your professional network as you complete your education. The practitioner faculty who teach your courses, as well as the colleagues with whom you collaborate online, will become an integral part of your professional network throughout your career as you:

• Increase your visibility with peers in the field
• Apply what you learn on the job and are recognized for your contributions
• Network with faculty and fellow students
• Find rewarding professional opportunities

Support for eLearning

The University of Fairfax eLearning programs provide you with the tools and support you need to succeed as you learn. This educational platform is both user-friendly and easy-to-navigate. To ensure that students have a productive and beneficial educational experience, all new students participate in orientation on how to utilize the platform.

In addition, many support services enhance your learning experience, including:

• Mobile access to courses through smart phone technology, such as Android, iPhone
• Twitter feeds for timely notice of important deadlines and announcements
• For technical assistance with Canvas, support is available 24/7 via phone (+1-833-741-0035)
• Electronic Library resources available for conducting secondary research 24/7
• Online Librarian
• Library Tutorials/Webinars on secondary research