Overview
The NASP program is an applied intensive 1-year program that prepares students for a career in secure system and network administration within both enterprise and service provider environments. It addresses both conventional infrastructure and cloud based alternatives. The program is cohort based and is comprised of ten months of full time lab learning and a two-month industry work term.
NASP develops the requisite expertise to plan, implement, manage, and secure server, storage, network, and application infrastructure. It integrates business communications and leadership throughout its technical curriculum. As a compliment to facilitating the acquisition of technical skills and knowledge, the program provides employment advantages to its students through integrated work experience and the incorporation of industry certifications.
Educational Approach
The program employs project-based instruction, that is organized around the construction of IT solutions, using a variety of current open-source and vendor-specific technologies. By combining these diverse implementations, NASP students acquire an applied, foundational, and multi-vendor skill set.
Integrated Industry Certifications
The program incorporates the content for a range of industry certifications – To be determined.
Program Topics
- Computing and OS Fundamentals: multi-platform including Windows, Linux, Cisco
- Storage Technologies
- Web Stack Hosting and Scaling
- Python and PowerShell Programming for Administrators
- Networking (with implementations in Linux, Windows and Cisco)
- Identity, Messaging and Web Services
- Application Services including: Authentication, DNS, File, Messaging, Web
- Virtualization and Multitenant Computing (VMware, Windows, Linux, AWS)
- Scripting, Automation, Provisioning, and Configuration Management
- Security Fundamentals in multi-vendor and open source environments
- Business and Communication Skills for IT professionals
- Industry work term
Entrance Requirements
Application processing
Note: This program is under review and will not accept applications until further notice. Please contact tpp@bcit.ca for more information.
Entrance requirements
This program has a two-step admission process. Applicants must meet all entrance requirements and will be accepted on a first qualified basis as long as space remains.
Step 1: Pre-entry assessment
- Pre-entry Assessment [PDF]: Meet with the Program Coordinator or attend a Network Administration and Security Professional (NASP) Information Session to have your pre-entry assessment provided.
Step 2: Meet the following entrance requirements
- English: two years of education in English in an English-speaking country with one of the following:
- English Studies 12 (67%) or
- English First Peoples 12 (67%) or
- Other acceptable BC and Yukon courses or
- 3.0 credits of post-secondary English, humanities, or social sciences (67%) from a recognized institution
What if I don't meet these English requirements?
- IT experience: one of the following:*
- IT support/network related experience or
- IT/computer science-related post-secondary education
*Applicants without current IT experience are strongly encouraged to complete at least one of NASP's required industry certifications to increase the chances of acceptance.
Scheduled Intakes
Note: This program is under review and will not accept applications until further notice. Please contact tpp@bcit.ca for more information.
Costs & Supplies
Books & supplies
Tuition fees include digital books and tablet, supplies, and vendor exam vouchers.
Financial assistance
Financial assistance may be available for this program. For more information, please contact Student Financial Aid and Awards.
Refund policy
- If notice is submitted in writing and received by the HTP Program Office AT LEAST twelve (12) working days prior to the first day of classes, all tuition fees paid (less the $2,000.00 deposit) will be refunded.
- If notice is submitted in writing and received by the HTP Program Office by 4:00 p.m. on the second day of class, all fees paid less $3,000.00 ($2,000.00 deposit and $1,000.00 penalty fee) will be refunded.
- There will be no refund of fees issued after the second day of class.
- Withdrawal for medical reasons, possible partial refund with doctor's medical note.
Cancellation Policy
This program is subject to limited and minimum enrolment. Lack of sufficient enrolment will result in BCIT cancelling specific intakes of the program and will entitle accepted students of that intake to a full refund of all fees paid.
Courses
Class hours
9:00 am to 4:00 pm, Monday - Friday (excluding statutory holidays)
Program delivery
The program includes an intensive classroom component augmented by labs, assignments, team projects, and case studies. This component of the program covers the essential hardware, networking, and security knowledge, tools, and techniques.
Program matrix
| Required Courses: | Credits | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| NASP 1100 | Business Skills for IT Professionals | 7.0 | |
| NASP 1200 | Professional Skills for IT Professionals | 7.0 | |
| NASP 1300 | Technology Infrastructure 1 | 23.5 | |
| NASP 2200 | Technology Infrastructure 2 | 29.0 | |
| NASP 2400 | Network Administration and Security Professional Practicum | 13.5 | |
| Total Credits: | 80.0 | ||
Transfer credit
Do you have credits from another BC/Yukon post-secondary school? Do you want to know if they transfer to courses here at BCIT? Check out BCIT's Transfer Equivalency Database to find out.
Program Details
Core Industry certifications – To be determined
Optional Industry Certifications – To be determined
Program length
12 months, full-time
Start dates set by individual offerings of the program. Please see the TPP website for current offerings of the program.
Accreditation
Students are required to pass the following vendor examinations to graduate:- CompTIA Security+
- CompTIA Linux+ Powered by LPI
- Installation, Storage, and Compute with Windows Server
- Cisco Certified Network Associate
Program location
BCIT Downtown Campus
555 Seymour Street
Vancouver, BC
Graduating & Jobs
Job opportunities
Students are well equipped to compete for entry level and intermediate level jobs in network administration and security. While actual jobs obtained depend on the individual student’s background prior to the program and their achievements during the program, typical jobs for graduates include:
- Network Administrator
- Network Analyst
- Network Security Analyst
- Network Manager
- System Engineer/Network Administrator
Graduate employment outcomes
The BCIT student outcomes report presents summary findings from the annual survey of former students administered by BC Stats one to two years after graduation. These reports combine the last three years of available results for the 2018-2020 BCIT Outcomes Surveys of 2017-2019 graduates and for Degree 2016-2018 graduates. The reports are organized into three-page summaries containing information on graduates’ labour market experiences and opinions regarding their education. More detailed information can be accessed at the BC Student Outcomes website.
To view these results, you may need to have the Adobe Acrobat Reader installed in your Web browser.
Faculty, Advisors & Staff
Faculty
Uwe Helm, NASP Program Head
Staff
Youri van Vliet, Program Coordinator
Advisory committee
BCIT is well-respected by employers for its ties to industry. In Computing, this connection is formalized through a Program Advisory Committee (PAC) comprised of experts in a range of roles from a cross-section of companies. The department consults regularly to ensure program currency and relevance.
Contact Us
If you have any questions about this program, please send us an email.
You can also use the form below to make contact with our department, or other applicable departments at BCIT.
Questions or comments?
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