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.
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:
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.
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.
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.
Use the Request Information form to receive a program summary and learn more about the B.S. Computer Networking & Infrastructure Engineering.
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 VassB.S. Computer Networking & Infrastructure Engineering
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.
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.
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.
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.
As Wisconsin's Polytechnic University, UW-Stout works closely with business, industry and other educational institutions to benefit students and grow the economy.
Cisco Meraki
Visit them at: https://meraki.cisco.com
Dell | Compellent
Visit them at: http://www.dell.com/us/business/p/dell-compellent
Enventis
Visit them at: https://www.consolidated.com
Harris
Visit them at: http://harris.com
Heartland Business Systems
Visit them at: http://www.hbs.net/home
Jamf Software
Visit them at: http://www.jamfsoftware.com
Marshfield Clinic Health System Information Services
Visit them at: https://www.marshfieldclinic.org/mcis
Menards, Inc.
Visit them at www.menards.com
Spanlink
Visit them at: http://convergeone.com
Target
Visit them at www.target.com
UW-Stout
Wisconsin Independent Networks
Visit them at: http://www.wins.net
World Wide Technology (WWT)
Visit them at: https://www2.wwt.com
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:
The B.S. Computer Networking & Infrastructure Engineering will prepare you to:
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:
| Sara | Anger | UW-Stout | |
| Brenda | Bjerke | Senior Director, Information Risk Management | Target |
| Brice | Blankenship | Infrastructure Engineer | Cigna |
| Jeff | Bodsberg | Business Information Security Officer | Cigna |
| Greg | Brodt | Instructor | Wisconsin Indianhead Technical College |
| Brandon | Cross | High Touch Delivery Developer | Cisco |
| Steve | Ebben | Department Chair for Networking and Security | Fox Valley Technical College |
| Nate | Edin | Senior Manager | Deluxe Corporation |
| Curt | Fawcett | I/O Devices Integration Manager | Cray Inc. |
| Tricia | Foxwell | Senior Consulting IT Auditor | Securian Financial |
| Renee | Gunderson | Senior Lecturer | UW-Stout |
| Justin | Haefner | Senior Principal IT Technologist | Medtronic |
| Jason | Hotujec | ||
| Tom | Kenton | UW-Stout | |
| Andrea | Kittelson | Cybersecurity Training Lead | Rockwell Automation |
| Justin | Krutza | Network Engineer | Target |
| Joshua | Lushine | Network Administrator | Target |
| Sue | May | Director of Business Development | Heartland Technology Group |
| Jacob | Medford | Dell EMC | |
| Son Nam | Nguyen | Assistant Professor | UW-Stout |
| Lukas | Schiller | Network Engineer | Target |
| Wei | Shi | Professor-Engineering & Technology | UW-Stout |
| John | Stafford | network engineer | Heartland Technology Group |
| Jeff | Strande | Principal Engineer Connectivity | Target |
| Jordan | Sussman | Network Engineer | Cargill |
| Troy | Tobin | Operations Support Manager | 3RT Networks |
| Tom | Ugoretz | Heartland Technology Group | |
| Andy | Wagner | Solution Domain Manager | CDW |
| Joe | Wetzel | IT Department Chair | Fox Valley Technical College |
| Samuel | Wosika | Sales Engineer | Cisco Meraki |
| Justin | Yarrington | Network Administrator | Menards |
