Computer Systems Technician - Networking

Description

In this program, students focus on networking, operating systems, system administration, cloud computing, and security related to new computer networks and the maintenance of existing computer networks. As an official Cisco Networking Academy partner, certified instructors assist students preparing for industry-recognized certifications such as the Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA) Routing and Switching. Students gain experience in problem-solving, and effective oral and written communications through examination of current industry trends and requirements. Students acquire professional and entrepreneurial skills for industry and self-employment, as well as practical experience through participation in a co-op work term.

Career Opportunities

Graduates can choose to work independently or as a member of a team to support the development, implementation, and maintenance of computer systems and networks. Graduates with networking interests/skills generally can find employment as information technology analysts and network technical support specialists or network administrators. Graduates with operations and administration interests/skills generally can find employment as system administrators and technical support specialists.

Program Learning Outcomes

The graduate has reliably demonstrated the ability to:

1. identify, analyze, develop, implement, verify and document the requirements for a computing environment;

2. contribute to the diagnostics, troubleshooting, documenting and monitoring of technical problems using appropriate methodologies and tools;

3. implement and maintain secure computing environments;

4. implement robust computing system solutions through validation testing that aligns with industry best practices;

5. communicate and collaborate with team members and stakeholders to ensure effective working relationships;

6. select and apply strategies for personal and professional development to enhance work performance;

7. apply project management principles and tools when working on projects within a computing environment;

8. adhere to ethical, legal, and regulatory requirements and/or principles in the development and management of computing solutions and systems;

9. assist with the implementation of computer systems and cloud solutions;

10. install, configure, troubleshoot, maintain, upgrade and decommission computing system infrastructures;

11. automate routine tasks using scripting tools and programming languages;

12. install and monitor a database management system in response to specified requirements;

13. provide technical support for computing system infrastructures that aligns with industry best practice;

14. describe technologies and techniques that can be used to reduce the impact of information technology on the environment;

15. apply basic entrepreneurial strategies to identify and respond to new opportunities.

Practical Experience

All co-operative education programs at Georgian contain mandatory work term experiences aligned with program learning outcomes.  Co-op work terms are designed to integrate academic learning with work experience, supporting the development of industry specific competencies and employability skills.

Georgian College holds membership with, and endeavours to follow, the co-operative education guidelines set out by the Co-operative Education and Work Integrated Learning Canada (CEWIL) and Experiential and Work-Integrated Ontario (EWO) as supported by the Ministry of Colleges and Universities.

Co-op is facilitated as a supported, competitive job search process. Students are required to complete a Co-op and Career Preparation course scheduled prior to their first co-op work term. Students engage in an active co-op job search that includes applying to positions posted by Co-op Consultants, and personal networking.  Co-op work terms are scheduled according to a formal sequence that alternates academic and co-op semesters as shown in the program progression below.

Programs may have additional requirements such as a valid driver’s license, strong communication skills, industry specific certifications, and ability to travel. Under exceptional circumstances, a student may be unable to complete the program progression as shown below. Please refer to Georgian College Academic Regulations for details.   

International co-op work terms are supported and encouraged, when aligned with program requirements.

Further information on co-op services can be found at www.GeorgianCollege.ca/co-op

Program Progression

The following reflects the planned progression for full-time offerings of the program.

Fall Intake

• Sem 1: Fall 2025
• Sem 2: Winter 2026
• Sem 3: Summer 2026
• Work Term 1: Fall 2026
• Sem 4: Winter 2027

Winter Intake

• Sem 1: Winter 2026
• Sem 2: Summer 2026
• Sem 3: Fall 2026
• Work Term 1: Winter 2027
• Sem 4: Summer 2027

Summer Intake

• Sem 1: Summer 2026
• Sem 2: Fall 2026
• Sem 3: Winter 2027
• Work Term 1: Summer 2027
• Sem 4: Fall 2027

Articulation

A number of articulation agreements have been negotiated with universities and other institutions across Canada, North America and internationally. These agreements are assessed, revised and updated on a regular basis. Please contact the program co-ordinator for specific details if you are interested in pursuing such an option. Additional information can be found on our website at https://www.georgiancollege.ca/admissions/credit-transfer/

Admission Requirements

OSSD or equivalent with

• Grade 12 English (C or U)
• Grade 12 Mathematics (C or U)

Mature students, non-secondary school applicants (19 years or older), and home school applicants may also be considered for admission. Eligibility may be met by applicants who have taken equivalent courses, upgrading, completed their GED, and equivalency testing. For complete details refer to: www.georgiancollege.ca/admissions/academic-regulations/

Applicants who have taken courses from a recognized and accredited post-secondary institution and/or have relevant life/learning experience may also be considered for admission; refer to the Credit for Prior Learning website for details:
www.georgiancollege.ca/admissions/credit-transfer/

Additional Information

To be successful in this program, students are required to have a personal notebook computer prior to the start of the program that meets or exceeds the following hardware specifications:

• Intel i5 processor or AMD equivalent
• 16GB of memory
• 500GB hard drive (SSD recommended)

Additional operating systems, tools, and software used in the program are provided to the student upon commencement of the program.

Graduation Requirements

18 Program Courses
2 Communications Courses
1 Program Option Course
3 General Education Courses
1 Co-op Work Term

Graduation Eligibility

To graduate from this program, the passing weighted average for promotion through each semester, from year to year, and to graduate is 60%. Additionally, a student must attain a minimum of 50% or a letter grade of P (Pass) or S (Satisfactory) in each course in each semester unless otherwise stated on the course outline.

Program Tracking 

The following reflects the planned course sequence for full-time offerings of the Fall intake of the program. Where more  than one intake is offered  contact the program co-ordinator for the program tracking.

Plan of Study Grid

Semester 1		Hours
Program Courses
COMP 1035	Networking Essentials	42
COMP 1046	Windows System Administration	42
COMP 2018	Linux System Administration	42
MATH 1003	Math for the Computer Industry	42
Communications Course
Select 1 course from the communications list during registration.		42
General Education Course
Select 1 course from the general education list during registration.		42
	Hours	252
Semester 2
Program Courses
COMP 1070	Computer Virtualization	42
COMP 1071	Linux Network Administration	42
COMP 1086	Routing and Switching Essentials	42
COMP 2017	Windows Server Administration	42
COMP 1111	Foundations of Scripting using Python	42
Communications Course
Select 1 course from the communications list during registration.		42
	Hours	252
Semester 3
Program Courses
COMP 2003	Relational Database	42
COMP 2137	Linux Automation	42
COMP 2103	Introduction to Information Security	42
COMP 2122	Scaling Networks	42
COMP 2139	Cloud Computing Services	42
General Education Course
Select 1 course from the general education list during registration.		42
	Hours	252
Semester 4
Program Courses
COMP 2075	Wireless Networking	42
COMP 2131	Cloud Computing	42
COMP 2138	Windows Server and PowerShell	42
MGMT 2008	Project Management for Information Technology	42
General Education Course
Select 1 course from the general education list during registration.		42
Program Option Course
Select 1 course from the available list during registration.		42
	Hours	252
	Total Hours	1008

Plan of Study Grid

Co-op Work Terms		Hours
COOP 1058	Computer Systems Technician Work Term 1	490
	Hours	490
	Total Hours	490

Course List

Code	Title
Program options may include:
COMP 1009	The Mainframe Environment
COMP 1045	Internet of Things using Arduino
COMP 2104	Data Centre Technologies
COMP 3002	Advanced Databases

Graduation Window

Students unable to adhere to the program duration of two years (as stated above) may take a maximum of four years to complete their credential. After this time, students must be re-admitted into the program, and follow the curriculum in place at the time of re-admission.

Disclaimer: The information in this document is correct at the time of publication. Academic content of programs and courses is revised on an ongoing basis to ensure relevance to changing educational objectives and employment market needs. 

Program outlines may be subject to change in response to emerging situations, in order to facilitate student achievement of the learning outcomes required for graduation. Components such as courses, progression, coop work terms, placements, internships and other requirements may be delivered differently than published.