AP Cybersecurity

AP Cybersecurity is a yearlong high school course that offers a broad introduction to the field and aligns closely with a college-level, introductory cybersecurity course. Students learn about common threats and vulnerabilities and how they combine to create risk. Students study how individuals and organizations manage risk and how risk can be mitigated through a defense-in-depth strategy. Students explore specific vulnerabilities, attacks, mitigations, and detection measures across a variety of domains including physical spaces, computer networks, devices, and data and applications. Throughout the course, students consider the impact of cybersecurity on individuals, organizations, societies, and governments. Content and skills taught in the course align with the professional skills outlined in the National Initiative for Cybersecurity Education Workforce Framework. 

AP Cybersecurity is part of the AP Career Kickstart™ group of courses, which are designed to accelerate high school students on their paths to in-demand careers.

Additional Details: Along with the potential to earn college credit, students with qualifying scores on the exam will earn the AP Cybersecurity Credential. Created in partnership with industry experts, AP Career Kickstart Employer-Endorsed Credentials accelerate students’ progress toward in-demand careers and align with the needs of employers, college-level coursework, and secondary CTE programs.  

Additional Expectations: Prior exposure to computer programming is helpful but not needed to succeed in this course.  Students should also have a strong background in mathematics. As with other advanced academic courses, students can expect two to three hours of homework per week, including cybersecurity labs.

IMPORTANT NOTE: Because AP courses are taught at a college level, freshmen should enroll only if they already demonstrate advanced writing, reading comprehension, and communication skills. In addition, students taking an AP Computer Science course should have a strong foundation in math and logical reasoning. Students without this foundation may find the pace and expectations especially challenging.