Skills-based, stackable digital badges help working adults showcase career-relevant cybersecurity skills and signal preparation for EC-Council certification pathway

University of Phoenix today announced a new cybersecurity pathway, a collection of skills-based micro-credentials designed for working adults pursuing career-relevant cybersecurity training. The pathway recognizes successful completion of sequenced University of Phoenix courses and verifies capabilities aligned to EC-Council competency domains—helping learners demonstrate what they can do, not just what they’ve taken.

As part of the University’s educational alliance with EC-Council, digital badge outcomes are mapped to EC-Council competency areas to support preparation for industry-recognized certification exams. While the University provides aligned education and skills verification through the pathway, professional certifications are awarded solely by EC-Council and require meeting EC-Council’s separate exam and eligibility requirements. The University does not award certifications.

“Earning validated cybersecurity skills as they learn, helps working adults visualize and highlight their progress,” said J.L. Graff, Ed.D., Associate Dean of Information Technology at University of Phoenix. “This pathway turns coursework into a shareable, verifiable credential that signals real-world capability.”

“This collaboration gives learners a clear path to align their coursework with EC-Council industry recognized certification,” said Wesley Alvarez, Director of Academics, EC-Council. “It’s a meaningful indicator of skill readiness for employers evaluating early-career and career-transition cybersecurity talent.”

Built for flexibility and relevance, stackable badges enable learners to earn and share verifiable progress as they advance through a pathway. The experience complements the University’s practical, career-focused approach to learning and assessment—short, manageable courses mapped to career-relevant skills.

The cybersecurity Ethical Hacker Pathway is available to eligible learners who complete the required pathway components.

Key benefits for working adults

• Skills-first validation: Earn a collection of micro-credentials that verify career-relevant cybersecurity capabilities aligned to EC-Council domains.
• Stackable progress: Document momentum while moving through a sequenced learning pathway.
• Employer-ready signaling: Share the micro-credential with managers to highlight industry-aligned skills.

University of Phoenix has long been recognized for excellence in its cybersecurity programs, having the honor of receiving the EC-Council's Academia Circle of Excellence Award for five years in a row and now as a recipient of the EC-Council 2024 Academic Partner of the Year Award. The University’s College of Business and Information Technology offers students access to faculty that possess an average of 33.2 years of professional experience. Current faculty includes 313 directors, 172 presidents, 69 Information Technology/System Administrators and 94 c-suite officers.

Learn more here about University of Phoenix College of Business and Information Technology cybersecurity programs.

About EC-Council

EC-Council’s sole purpose is to build and refine the cybersecurity profession globally. The company helps organizations, educators, and governments, as well as individuals, to address global workforce problems by developing and curating world-class cybersecurity education programs and certifications while also providing cybersecurity services to some of the largest businesses around the world. Trusted by seven of the Fortune 10, 47 of the Fortune 100, the Department of Defense, the global intelligence community, NATO, and more than 2,000 of the best universities, colleges, and training companies, EC-Council programs have made their way to 140 countries and have set the bar in cybersecurity education. Learn more at www.eccouncil.org.

About University of Phoenix

University of Phoenix innovates to help working adults enhance their careers and develop skills in a rapidly changing world. Flexible schedules, relevant courses, interactive learning, skills-mapped curriculum for our bachelor’s and master’s degree programs and a Career Services for Life® commitment help students more effectively pursue career and personal aspirations while balancing their busy lives. For more information, visit phoenix.edu.

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