With the start of a new year, College Board and Granada Hills Charter (GHC) have introduced a new class: Advanced Placement (AP) Cybersecurity. This class works as an introduction to the field of cybersecurity where students learn about common threats and online vulnerabilities. The class prepares students for not just the AP exam, but also for the CompTIA Security+ certification which College Board provides fee waivers for when students earn a qualifying score on the AP exam.
This class differs from the standard AP Computer Science classes as it centers around protecting systems and data instead of building software. It focuses on the offensive and defensive aspects of digital security. Whether it’s learning about risk management, digital forensics, or system defense, the class allows students to understand how to secure and defend technology.
Additionally, AP Cybersecurity is very hands-on. Students partake in multitudes of activities such as analyzing suspicious emails to identify phishing attempts, investigating WiFi logs to detect unauthorized access, configuring firewalls, and responding to AI-powered cyber attacks. Through the use of simulated virtual environments, students can safely practice defending against cyber threats.
“Students have really embraced this challenge, enjoying the hands-on labs and the opportunity to develop skills that matter in the real world,” AP Cybersecurity teacher Jane Dinh said. “Since this is a brand-new AP course, we’re also exploring and learning together, which makes it a collaborative journey.”
Through this class, students not just learn how to protect themselves but also how to think in the broader digital world. Cybersecurity is something that is in almost every part of daily life. From protecting personal accounts from identity theft to defending hospitals and schools from ransomware, students truly learn about topics that are happening in real time.
The responses to this new course have been overwhelmingly positive. Students enjoy the interactive labs, simulations, and especially the sense that what they’re learning has immediate, real-world value.
“As a member of Cyber Patriots, this class was something that I was truly looking for,” senior Ryan Co said. “This class offers more hands-on experience and allows me to combine what I learn in Cyber Patriots like hashing and encryption services like sha256. This class gives me the opportunity to apply my knowledge in virtual machines and simulations to see tangible effects.”
Through this course, students will walk away with hands-on experiences, exposure to career opportunities in one of the fastest growing fields, and a solid foundation in cybersecurity concepts and terminology. Students also have the opportunity to take AP Networking. Both of these courses have no prerequisites and could be taken in any order giving students the flexibility to explore both fields.