FAQ - ACES Minor

Yes, talented undergraduates with a strong interest in cybersecurity are encouraged to apply to the ACES Minor.

No. Prior admission to the Honors College is not required. In addition, all students accepted into the ACES Minor are considered Honors College students.

Yes. The Honors College requires a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 for consideration. Additionally, admissions periods for the Minor demonstrate strong interest regularly.

All parts of the application will be considered in the admission process. Students must meet the academic requirement for consideration (minimum cumulative GPA of 3.2). In addition, the review committee is particularly interested in the short essay responses, and how applicants are able to articulate their interest in the field. Additional considerations include prior relevant academic coursework, and extracurricular activities, among other factors.

Students who complete the ACES Minor will be well-rounded cybersecurity professionals who will be more valuable in whichever area of cybersecurity they pursue. The required advanced experiential learning component will assist with professional development, as students will build connections with faculty through research experiences or with local companies through internships.

Yes. Students are eligible to apply to the ACES Minor regardless of academic major or track.

Please visit aces.umd.edu/scholarships for more information. 

Admission decisions will be communicated electronically 2-3 weeks after the application closes.

Once a student has received official notification that they have been accepted, they must submit the ACES Minor-Acceptance Form. This form will be made available to all accepted students. Once that form has been received, students will receive instructions for their mandatory advising session with the ACES Program Coordinator. This advising session will cover ACES Minor curriculum requirements, help students understand the various course options and plan out their course progression. Upon completion of the mandatory advising sessions, students will receive permission stamps to enroll in ACES courses for the upcoming semester. 

The ACES Living-Learning Program is a living-learning program involving most commonly freshman and sophomores that is housed in Prince Frederick Hall. The ACES Minor is an academic program of upper-level advanced coursework in cybersecurity. Both programs share the benefits of being part of the Honors College, such as having small course sizes and working with advanced faculty, and of having professional development and educational opportunities outside the classroom. All ACES students also have access to the program facilities in Prince Frederick Hall, including the ACES Northrop Grumman Cybersecurity Laboratory.

ACES Minor students are welcome to preference Prince Frederick Hall in the housing selection process but placement in the building is not guaranteed since the ACES Minor is not a living-learning program.

Cybersecurity is one of the fastest growing industries today. ACES faculty and staff will assist with sharing internship and job opportunities, providing professional development workshops, and exposing students to industry professionals, but we cannot guarantee job placements.

You’ll continue to work with your academic advisor in your major to ensure you’re meeting degree requirements. You’ll also have advising and support from the ACES faculty and staff, who can work with you regarding program requirements, experiential learning, and cybersecurity career options.

ACES is a strong community of students interested in cybersecurity. Extracurricular opportunities open to all ACES students include events focused on education and professional development. Frequent seminars, technical talks, field trips, visits with local businesses, and skills workshops are held to both engage students within the professional field of cybersecurity and to provide skills development, ensuring ACES students are well prepared for both internships and jobs.