Network Design and Administration

Southwestern Illinois College's Associate in Applied Science Degree in Network Design & Administration is designed to prepare students with the necessary skills to obtain entry-level positions in the growing field of networking.

The core curriculum prepares students to successfully complete the following professional certifications: Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA) Microsoft Certified Professional (MCP), and CompTIA's Security+ certification.

Other professional certification target areas include CompTIA's A+ certification and the CCNA Security certification from Cisco Systems, Inc.

For more information on the Network Design and Administration program, please contact the program coordinator, Matt Swinford at 618-931-0600, ext. 6674 or matt.swinford@swic.edu.

Educational Program

• Associate in Applied Science (0007)

Southwestern Illinois College's Associate in Applied Science Degree in Network Design and Administration is designed to prepare students with the necessary skills to obtain entry-level positions in the growing field of networking.

• Network Associate Certificate (007A)

The Network Associate certificate provides course work for a range of networking subjects—from basics such as making cables and setting up simple networks, to the more complex concepts of IP addressing strategies and wide-area network technologies. Courses also include the topics of basic network design, network components and router configurations. Individuals will gain hands-on experience with network equipment—including routers and switches— as part of their education.

Four classes are required to achieve the Network Associate certificate from SWIC. These courses also prepare the student for the Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA) certification exam through Cisco Systems.

Accelerated Degree Option

Anyone who has completed an associate or bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited college may earn an Associate in Applied Science Degree in Network Design and Administration by completing at least 27 semester credit hours of program related course work. See the program coordinator for more information.

Cisco Networking Academy 

Southwestern Illinois College is a Regional Networking Academy using official Cisco online curriculum. A Regional Academy not only teaches students, but also provides support and training for instructors at other local networking academies.

Career Opportunities