Which Courses Require Accreditation?
Becoming a Cisco Academy is your choice, but being affiliated with NetAcad gives you 1500+ hours of free content. The programme has been operational in the UK and Ireland since 1998, connecting a community of Cisco Academies from Schools, Colleges, Universities, and other types of organisations. Some courses require prior accreditation for teachers before you offer these to students. However, many others simply require registration as a Cisco Instructor via an approved Cisco Academy.
Courses that can be taught without prior accreditation
IT Essentials (CompTIA A+): An extensive 70 hour course covering everything you have ever needed to know about computer systems, computer hardware, operating systems and hardware support. Aimed at the IT Technician, the IT Essentials from Cisco Systems is designed to align with the CompTIA A+ certification. Like all Cisco courses, there is a strong practical element; work can be accomplished using Packet Tracer as well as hands on and virtualised lab activities.
Networking Essentials: Designed as a comprehensive introduction to networking. Like IT essentials and the model for all industry focussed courses, it is set at 70 hours. Any national (or degree) programme with a generic networking principles module can be supported by the content in this course. Like all Cisco courses, there is a strong practical element; work can be accomplished using Packet Tracer as well as hands on lab activities.
Get connected: This is a short course (under 15 hours) that can be used for students requiring digital literacy.
Introduction to CyberSecurity: This is a single short course set at under 15 hours. Designed to take any student from no knowledge to informed on the fundamentals of cybersecurity. It covers the technical and legal aspects as well as offers a set of practical activities using the free Packet Tracer network simulator.
CyberSecurity Essentials: Set at approximately 30 hours of study and designed to follow on from the Introduction to Cybersecurity. This course offers the student an insight into the professional expectations around being a cybersecurity professional as well as exploring the technologies used to secure the system and recognising commonplace exploits and risks.
Programming Essentials in Python: This short course includes an inbuilt browser based development environment that provides support and feedback to the student. This course is 70 hours, and is split into two sections covering 'procedural' (40hrs) and 'object oriented' (30hrs) programming.
JavaScript Essentials: This course introduces the student to some universal computer programming concepts, such as data types, type casting, containers, comments, operators, conditional execution, loops, functions, errors, exceptions, troubleshooting, and code debugging. The course guides the student step-by-step to understanding and using the core JavaScript language to design, build, and improve simple JavaScript programs. No prior programming knowledge is required. The course begins with the very basics, guiding students step by step until they become adept at solving more complex problems.
C/C++ Essentials and Advanced: A core language of many different systems, including Linux and many embedded systems. These courses are designed to take students from a low experience level to moderately advanced programming skills. All of these courses can be used in conjunction with any computer science programme. Each course is approximately 70 hours in length.
Cloud Security: This course is designed to provide in-depth understanding of the full capabilities of cloud computing and the knowledge to develop a holistic cloud security program. The estimated time to complete the course is approximately 35 hours.
Linux Unhatched/Linux Essentials: These courses are supported by Cisco learning partner NDG and is accompanied by an in built browser based virtual machine. These courses provide a practical introduction to the open source Linux operating system.
Internet of Things (Introduction and Fundamentals): These are a range of courses that enable students to discover home and industrial automation technologies. Supported by Packet Tracer, these courses explore integrated technologies as well as programming skills. The course is approximately 24 hours. There are additional IoT courses covering Big Data + Analytics, Security and Connecting Things. Each of these require prior accreditation (offered for free) and are an estimated 50 hours each.
Packet Tracer: This educational software tool is a free network simulator. Any Cisco Academy can use it for all of their students, on all computers in all classes. Packet Tracer covers an extensive range of technologies, including programmable IoT devices. This 10 hours course is useful to quickly learn about the tool.
To teach the most of the courses listed above, you do not need to be connected to an ASC, however it will help as you will be able to obtain support. Each course is based on the assumption that as an experienced educator you know your capabilities and will, if required, review each course before teaching it to your students.
To learn more about this and other course, please visit the Courses page.
Stop Press - Currently (Aug23) anything on Skills for All can be taught without prior accreditation - so long as you have Instructor Status
Courses requiring prior teacher accreditation
Cisco, the Open University, and all other Cisco Networking Academy Instructor Training Centres (ITCs) maintain an open model for training and accreditation. This means you can go to any ITC that you like. The following courses require prior teacher (known as instructor in Cisco Networking Academy lingo) accreditation based on their direct route to industry accreditation and employment. You must be connected to an ASC to access this. At the bottom of this page is a link and an associated video explaining the application process.
CCNA: CCNA the flagship industry associate level certification and sits at the core of the Cisco Networking Academy experience. The CCNA consists of a portfolio of three separate sequential courses, each at a duration of 70 hours. Each course includes practical, hands on and Packet Tracer based activities. This programme is a combined learning experience set at around 210 hours.
Network Security: This course is designed to follow the first two courses from the CCNA (Introduction to Networks; and Switching, Routing, and Wireless Essentials). It is a 70 hour course focussed on securing network infrastructures using Cisco technologies.
CyberOps Associate: Designed to follow on from the earlier cybersecurity courses, CyberOps is focussed on the professional practice of managing and defending networks against 'back hat' and cyber attack vectors.
DevNet Associate: This 70 hours course introduces the methodologies and tools of modern software development, applied to the IT and Network operations. It covers a 360° view of the domain including microservices, testing, containers, and DevOps, as well as securely automating infrastructures with Application Programming Interfaces (APIs).
CCNP: Route, Switch and TSHOOT are three professional level courses, all also set at 70 hours a piece. Following on from the CCNA Routing and Switching, each of these courses explore core advanced certifications from Cisco Systems. Ideally set for degree level programmes, these can be offered by a range of Cisco Academies. However, anyone embarking on CCNP delivery must be aware of the hardware commitments associated with these courses.
To learn more about this and other course, please visit the Courses page.
Submitting an application to become a Cisco Academy
You simply need to fill in the form available at netacad.com/become-an-academy. Learn more at the Become an Academy page.