Finger Lakes Community College and SUNY Empire State College has announced a new agreement allowing guaranteed admission of FLCC graduates who have earned an associate degree in networking and cybersecurity into SUNY Empire’s new bachelor of science in security studies program.

SUNY Empire’s bachelor of science in security studies will help prepare qualified professionals to meet the national and global security challenges of the 21st century in high demand areas such as homeland security, emergency management, disaster relief, and law enforcement.

The agreement was formalized with an online ceremony that included faculty and staff from FLCC, Empire State and SUNY administration.

Accepted graduates of FLCC’s networking and cybersecurity program will bring their design, troubleshooting, and security skills to SUNY Empire’s program, the first fully online, accredited bachelor of science in security studies degree program within the SUNY system. Many FLCC students could complete their bachelor’s degree in about three years, saving them time and money on their education. The FLCC associate degree is also fully online, making the complete pathway accessible anywhere in New York state and beyond.

“As the world changes rapidly, we need qualified security professionals who can address the complex issues facing our communities today, from the threats posed by climate change to questions of privacy and security in a networked world,” said SUNY Empire President Jim Malatras.

“Finger Lakes Community College faculty in networking and cybersecurity constantly monitor the industry and pursue advanced certifications to keep our curriculum meaningful and relevant,” said FLCC President Robert Nye. “Now, this agreement with SUNY Empire State College gives our well-prepared students a clear path to specialize and advance their skills. This is the strength of the SUNY system. It enables us to build pathways of opportunity throughout our state.”

The SUNY Empire and FLCC pathway also allows students to transfer as many as 79 lower-division credits to SUNY Empire, more than half of the 124 credits required to earn a bachelor’s degree. In addition to traditional transfer credit for courses completed at FLCC, SUNY Empire also offers the opportunity for students to earn college credits for work and life experience through its prior learning assessment process, which will help to reduce the overall cost of the bachelor’s degree, and help graduates enter the workforce quickly, and without comprising their education.