(July 25, 2018) – UTSA is celebrating the graduation of the first students who have completed the inaugural cloud computing certificate program. Under the direction of Jeff Prevost, co-founder and co-director of the UTSA Open Cloud Institute and assistant professor of electrical and computer engineering, UTSA launched the graduate certificate program in fall 2017. Azmeena A. Narsingani ’18, a UTSA master’s of sciences in computer sciences graduate and Anjali Nagaraj ’18, who earned his master’s in computer engineering degree, are the first two students to earn the cloud computing graduate certificate.
Prevost and researchers with the UTSA Open Cloud Institute realized the value this program would be to UTSA students after discovering an immediate need based on market trends. Microsoft reported that by 2017, at least 2.7 million cloud-computing workers will be needed by North American Corporations. Microsoft further states that the current supply cannot meet this demand. A certificate that would demonstrate proficiency in areas related to cloud computing would serve students and the community, allowing corporations access to the trained workforce required to compete in today’s high-tech landscape and provide opportunities for UTSA students to compete for some of the best technical jobs available.
The graduate certificate in cloud computing is a 12-semester-credit-hour program designed to equip technical professionals with the knowledge and technical skills necessary for a career in an organization that leverages cloud computing. The wide-range of use of cloud computing in today’s business, government and academic environments requires a broad range of competencies and understanding of how cloud computing influences a particular area. This certificate is designed to give a common framework of understanding cloud computing, as well as allow for specialization in specific areas such as cybersecurity, cloud infrastructure and applications in cloud.
UTSA is ranked among the nation’s top five young universities, according to Times Higher Education.