The U.S. Department of Homeland Security and the National Security Agency recognized the University of Hawaii-West Oahu’s cyberdefense education program as one of the top in the nation, the university announced last week.

The Kapolei campus was designated as a National Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense for offering “robust degree programs and close alignment to specific cybersecurity-related knowledge,” joining UH Manoa, Honolulu Community College and about 200 other colleges in 44 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico in receiving the recognition.

To qualify to become a National Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense, two- and four-year accredited colleges must submit cyberdefense curriculum and demonstrate, among other things, program outreach and collaboration, student development and research initiatives. The national program was established in 1998 by the NSA to formally recognize schools deemed to have high-quality cybersecurity academics in response to a need for more professionals to protect networks in public and private sectors.

UH West Oahu was recognized for its education program, which has 20 students currently enrolled and 15 graduates over the past two years. UH Manoa had earned the national designation for its research efforts in cyberdefense, and HCC for its education program as a two-year school. The designations are valid for five years.

“Certification as a Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense Education is a tremendous honor for our program that will benefit our students for many years,” said Matthew Chapman, UH-West Oahu assistant professor of information security and assurance, in a statement. “As our primary mission is to provide all students — including Native Hawaiian, local, and regional students — opportunities to prepare for employment in cybersecurity career fields, this certification recognizes our students as cyber defense subject matter experts, who will be leaders in protecting both Hawaii and national critical infrastructure.”

Chapman will attend a summit next month in Alabama to receive the university’s certificate.

UH West Oahu’s Bachelor of Applied Science degree with a concentration in information security and assurance offers courses in, among others, digital forensics, secure software programming and information security management in partnership with community colleges.

Nearly 1 in 5 Americans has been a victim of cybercrime, costing the average U.S. company more than $15.4 million annually, according to Homeland Security. The U.S. Department of Labor estimates that the number of information security analysts and computer network architects will grow by 18 percent and 9 percent respectively from 2014 to 2024, which ranks above the national average for all jobs at 7 percent.

UH-West Oahu Interim Chancellor Doris Ching said in a statement that the university “prides itself in offering essential programs that fill a community need and provide our graduates with opportunities for fulfilling careers where they make a difference. Our information security and assurance program is a shining example of this.”