B.S. Computer Networking & Infrastructure Engineering

Build a career in computer networking, cybersecurity or server administration.
Degree Type Bachelor of Science
Careers & Salaries Career Outcomes
Delivery On Campus

Wisconsin's Only Undergraduate CAE in Cybersecurity Program of Study

The computer networking and infrastructure engineering industry is undergoing tremendous growth and presents multiple career opportunities for those with the right skills and experience. Develop the skills, experience and certifications to lead tomorrow’s tech landscape. UW-Stout's B.S. Computer Networking & Infrastructure Engineering (CNIE) programs provides the technical, communication, leadership and critical-thinking skills to design, implement, administer and secure local and wide-area computer networks.

Graduation cap

100% of Graduates Are Employed or Continuing Education.

Career-Focused Curriculum

Our IT industry-experienced faculty will challenge you with hands-on experience in our cutting-edge computer network laboratories. Classes in enterprise network infrastructure; server configuration and administration; ethical hacking, information and network security; virtualization; cybersecurity and cyber defense; Linux/Unix network administration and more, with embedded industry certification examinations, will prepare you for rewarding, high-paying careers as a:

  • Network Engineer
  • Security Engineer
  • Systems Administrator
  • Chief Information Security Officer
  • IT Project Manager
  • Infrastructure Engineer
  • Cloud Solutions Architect
  • Information Systems Security Manager
  • Penetration Tester
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Program Overview

View program plans, credit requirements, and course descriptions for B.S. Computer Networking & Infrastructure Engineering.

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Choose Your Path: Specialized Concentrations

  • Computer Science: Prepare for a broad range of tech careers with a strong foundation in software development, algorithms and computational theory.
  • Cybersecurity: Delve deep into information security and learn to protect networks, data and systems from cyber threats.
  • Project Management: Gain the skills needed to lead tech projects from start to finish by mastering the art of managing resources, timelines and teams.
  • Interdisciplinary: Design your own concentration by combining elements of various disciplines to match your interests and career aspirations.

Program Highlights

Applied Learning in Advanced Labs: From day one, you'll be working in one-of-kind computer networking, cybersecurity and “hacking" labs to develop the knowledge and tools to excel in your career. 

100% Job Placement: Within six months of graduation, our students secure positions in top national and local IT companies across the networking and cybersecurity industries and start earning salaries ranging from $67,000 to $120,000.

Comprehensive Computer Networking & Cybersecurity Courses: Our curriculum spans a wide range of topics—from computer networking and server administration to cutting-edge areas like ethical hacking, penetration testing, AI and network programmability.

Industry-Recognized Certifications Included: Enhance your résumé with in-demand certifications such as AWS, Azure, Google Cloud, Cisco CCNA & CCNP, Cyber Operations, Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH) and more—all integrated into your coursework.

Nationally Recognized Excellence: Our program is the only National Security Agency (NSA)-designated Center of Academic Excellence in Cybersecurity Program of Study in Wisconsin.

Industry-Leading Employers

Our graduates are hired by top organizations, including the National Security Agency (NSA), U.S. Department of Defense (DoD), Google, Apple, Cisco, Verkada, NAVWAR (Naval Information Warfare Systems Command), HBS, Menards, Target, Arista, and many other leading security and IT firms across the nation.

B.S. Cybersecurity at UW-Stout is a Transfer Friendly Program

Transfer-Friendly Program

Our strong agreements with two-year colleges throughout Wisconsin and Minnesota are designed to maximize your credit for their prior learning and help you complete your degree faster. Transfer students who hold an associate's degree can transfer up to 60 credits.

STEM OPT Extension Advantage for International Students

International students STEM Opt Qualifying program.

Use the Request Information form to receive a program summary and learn more about the B.S. Computer Networking & Infrastructure Engineering.

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As a CNIE student, you will gain real-world experience in UW-Stout labs and through local, national and international internships as you design, implement and administer local and wide-area networks.

"UW-Stout offers hands-on degrees that train you for the career you want, which definitely worked out well for me. I was very interested in the small class sizes and the focus on getting started on your major right away."

~ Tanner Vass
B.S. Computer Networking & Infrastructure Engineering

Cybersecurity Student Clubs

Beyond academics, the CNIE program at UW-Stout offers a vibrant campus life with a variety of clubs, organizations, and events that help you build connections and enhance your college experience. Our student clubs include the Collegiate Cyber Defense, Information Security Professional, and Women in IT & Cybersecurity. Our community is both welcoming and supportive, making UW-Stout not just a place to learn, but a place to grow.

Department of Defense Cyber Scholarship Program

Apply to the Cyber Scholarship Program to have your education paid for by the Department of Defense.

Excellence in Computer Networking & Cyber Competitions

Our CNIE students consistently excel in both national and state competitions. They have earned 1st place in the national computer network design competition for six consecutive years and secured 1st place in the state Collegiate Cyber Defense Competition (CCDC) three years in a row. These achievements highlight the exceptional education and high caliber of students in our program.

Computer Networking & Cybersecurity Labs

Students in the B.S. Computer Networking & Infrastructure Engineering program have a dedicated high-tech lab with collaborative work spaces and video monitors. All the wiring and cables are hidden in a subfloor space. The lab includes a data center with about $1M worth of equipment — sleek, black  7' racks of industry-standard servers and routers.

Computer servers and routers are part of the new labs.

With guidance from professionals at the companies, students are trying to help them solve networking and security issues. The collaborations involve weekly updates, a white paper report, a live demo of a solution and a final presentation.

The companies, which are free to implement students’ recommendations, are Heartland Business Systems, Marshfield Clinic, Menards, Target and Dell.

Sam Wosika, of White Bear Lake, Minn., a CNIE senior, is the program teaching assistant this year. He is helping coordinate use of the data center by the capstone class.

“To have the dedicated lab classrooms is a definite improvement,” Wosika said. “I spend a lot of time here. This is truly hands-on learning. We’re actually touching the equipment.”

Wosika likes other aspects of the CNIE program, which is largely lab-based learning, such as the internship opportunities and connections to industry. He has had two internships and will have a third one this summer with Cisco in San Jose, Calif.

The four new labs, with team work stations and other networking equipment beyond the data center, are in rooms 176, 188, 192 and 193 of Micheels Hall. They replace smaller, older labs in Fryklund Hall.

The equipment in each lab matches the lab’s level of instruction: year 1-2 students, year 2-3 students, year 3-4 students and year 4-capstone students.

Industry Partners & Capstone Sponsors

As Wisconsin's Polytechnic University, UW-Stout works closely with business, industry and other educational institutions to benefit students and grow the economy.

Capstone Sponsors & Projects

Cisco Meraki

  • "Evaluating & Evolving a Mobile Device Management (MDM) Solution"
  • "Deployment & Management of IT Infrastructure for ACME with Cloud Computing"

Visit them at: https://meraki.cisco.com

Dell | Compellent

  • "A Disaster Recovery Plan for Planned & Unplanned Outages"
  • "SAN-Server iSCSI Performance Testing"
  • "Enterprise Manager 6.3 LDAP Integration"
  • "SMI-S Provider Exploration"
  • "IO Latency Testing"
  • "PY-IP Skimmer"
  • "Migration from Windows to Open-source Networking & Linux"
  • "Deploying and Optimizing Virtual Desktop Infrastructure Using VMWare Horizons"
  • "Automated Deployment of Virtualized Environments"
  • "Software-Defined Data Center with VMWare NSX"

Visit them at: http://www.dell.com/us/business/p/dell-compellent

Enventis

  • "Wisconsin Mall 'Next Generation Shopping Today'"
  • "Bring Your Own Device"

Visit them at: https://www.consolidated.com

Harris

  • "Data Center Infrastructure Management"
  • "Identity Management"

Visit them at: http://harris.com

Heartland Business Systems

  • "Cisco Voice and Video Collaboration Solution for AB Construction"
  • "Deploying and Managing Cisco Collaboration & Microsoft Cloud Systems"
  • "Take Your Business to New Heights with Amazon Web Services"

Visit them at: http://www.hbs.net/home

Jamf Software

  • “An Apple A Day: Apple Device Administration with the JAMF Casper Suite"
  • "Building a Secure JamfPro Experience"

Visit them at: http://www.jamfsoftware.com 

Marshfield Clinic Health System Information Services

  • "Implementing a HIPAA Compliant Network for Stark-Dental Clinic’s Remote Site"
  • "Building a HIPAA Compliant Network for Marshfield Clinic"

Visit them at: https://www.marshfieldclinic.org/mcis

Menards, Inc.

  • "Application Centric Segmentation with Cisco ACI & Fortinet"
  • "Migrating & Implementing Cisco Virtual Switching System"

Visit them at www.menards.com

Spanlink

  • "ACME Anvil Company UC & UCCX Deployment"

Visit them at: http://convergeone.com

Target

  • "Implementing an Open Source Software-Based Network Infrastructure"
  • "Developing & Evaluating DevOps Automation Tools"

Visit them at www.target.com

UW-Stout

  • "Protecting Our Students: Expanding Stout Surveillance"

Wisconsin Independent Networks

  • "Log Analysis for Wisconsin Independent Network"
  • "Metro Ethernet SLA Compliance, Monitoring & Reporting"
  • "Software Defined Networking"
  • "Layer 2 Internet Service Provider WAN Implementation"
  • "Software Defined Networking on a Carrier Ethernet Network"

Visit them at: http://www.wins.net

World Wide Technology (WWT)

  • "Substation Connected GRID Design"

Visit them at: https://www2.wwt.com 

Objectives & Outcomes

The CNIE program follows UW-Stout's unique hands-on, active learning approach.  You will take courses in emerging fields such as virtualization, unified communication, information security, IP telephony, and wireless networking. 

The CNIE program focuses on:

  • Cybersecurity and cyber defense
  • Enterprise Network Infrastructure Setup, Maintenance and Troubleshooting
  • Server Installation, Configuration and Administration
  • Network System Design
  • Ethical Hacking and Network Security
  • Linux Systems and Network Administration
  • IP Telephony (VoIP)
  • Wireless System
  • Virtualization and Cloud Computing
  • Unified Communication and Collaboration

The B.S. Computer Networking & Infrastructure Engineering will prepare you to:

  • Communicate clearly, ethically, and responsibly, both verbally and in writing.
  • Apply business and management techniques and processes.
  • Evaluate emerging information technologies and their impact.
  • Design, implement, administer, and analyze information technology systems.
  • Integrate network security into the installation of networks, as well as business practices, policies, and user education.
  • Solve business problems and enhance productivity using information technology.

CNIE Students Can Earn Certifications

Certifications are a great way to show IT industry employers that you are up to date and knowledgeable on the current topics. CNIE is a Cisco Certified Networking Academy and a Microsoft Certified IT Academy. We are an authorized Pearson VUE and Thompson Prometric Testing Center. Numerous classes are embedded with industry certification examinations. The courses are taught by CNIE faculty members holding advanced IT industry certifications. As a CNIE student, you have the opportunity to earn the following certifications:  

Program Advisory Committee

Advisory Committee Members

SaraAnger UW-Stout
BrendaBjerkeSenior Director, Information Risk Management Target
BriceBlankenshipInfrastructure EngineerCigna
JeffBodsbergBusiness Information Security OfficerCigna
GregBrodtInstructorWisconsin Indianhead Technical College
BrandonCrossHigh Touch Delivery DeveloperCisco
SteveEbbenDepartment Chair for Networking and SecurityFox Valley Technical College
NateEdinSenior ManagerDeluxe Corporation
CurtFawcettI/O Devices Integration ManagerCray Inc.
TriciaFoxwellSenior Consulting IT AuditorSecurian Financial
ReneeGundersonSenior Lecturer UW-Stout
JustinHaefnerSenior Principal IT TechnologistMedtronic
JasonHotujec  
TomKenton UW-Stout
AndreaKittelsonCybersecurity Training LeadRockwell Automation
Justin   KrutzaNetwork EngineerTarget
JoshuaLushineNetwork AdministratorTarget
SueMayDirector of Business DevelopmentHeartland Technology Group
JacobMedford Dell EMC
Son NamNguyenAssistant ProfessorUW-Stout
LukasSchillerNetwork EngineerTarget
WeiShiProfessor-Engineering & TechnologyUW-Stout
JohnStaffordnetwork engineerHeartland Technology Group
JeffStrandePrincipal Engineer ConnectivityTarget
Jordan SussmanNetwork EngineerCargill
TroyTobinOperations Support Manager3RT Networks
TomUgoretz Heartland Technology Group
AndyWagnerSolution Domain ManagerCDW
JoeWetzelIT Department ChairFox Valley Technical College
SamuelWosikaSales EngineerCisco Meraki
JustinYarringtonNetwork AdministratorMenards

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