Cyber Security Graduate Certificates

A Graduate Certificate in Cyber Security is a university-issued graduate degree. It involves acceptance to the University of Rhode Island graduate program, graded course work, and typically a paper or project. It is designed for professionals who wish to obtain a focused graduate degree, but cannot commit to a full Master's degree.

The Graduate Certificate in Cyber Security is designed to be done completely online so that professionals may fulfill the requirements for this degree from anywhere.

Necessary Background

The Graduate Certificate program is not an entry level program, and is not recommended for students who do not have a strong background in working with computers and networks. The program assumes that students have an 'Net+' level of understanding of computer networks and how they work. However, it does not assume that students know anything about Cyber Security, and the program is designed to teach students everything they need to know about the different areas of Cyber Security. For more information on whether or not you meet the background requirements, or how to prepare for starting the program please visit this page.

Course Requirements

In order to complete a Graduate Certificate in Cyber Security, students must complete 4 courses. Available courses are sorted into three course groups: Starting Core Courses, Mandatory Core Courses, and Concentration Courses.

Starting Core Course

The Starting Core course must be taken before students can take any additional courses. This courses can be taken in conjunction with CSF 430 - Introduction to Information Assurance, but can not be taken in conjunction with any other courses.

Mandatory Core Courses

The 'Mandatory Core' courses must be taken towards completion of the certificate program. This courses can be taken at any time during the program including before, after, or in conjunction with courses from the Starting Core Courses or Concentration Courses as long as all course prerequisites are met.

Concentration Courses

Students must take one additional course from the Concentration Courses to complete their certificate program. These courses must be taken after completion of the Starting Core Courses, however can be taken in any order. Students can choose to take these courses before, after, or in conjunction with courses from the Mandatory Courses as long as all course prerequisites are met.

Sample Options and Completion Times

There are many options available for students to complete the Graduate Certificate in Cyber Security, below are some sample options and how long they take to complete.


Year 1 Year 2
Fall
Spring
Summer
Fall
Spring
Completion
Option 1 CSF 430 & CSF 432 CSF 534 & CSF 536 9 months
Option 2 CSF 430 & CSF 432 CSF 534 CSF 538 12 months
Option 3 CSF 432 CSF 534 CSF 538 CSF 430 16 months
Option 4 CSF 432 CSF 534 CSF 430 & CSF 524 16 months
Option 5 CSF 432 CSF 534 CSF 430 CSF 536 20 months

Program Requirements

Read more about the program requirements for the Cyber Security Graduate Certificates.

Previous Program Requirements

In an effort to keep our programs up to date with the most recent industry standards and practices, our programs are continuously changing. The information above, reflects the program that will be offered starting in Fall of 2013. For anyone interested, you can read more about the previous program requirements here.

Apply Now!

Our Graduate and Professional programs start in September. The deadline for applications is July 1st.


Industry Certifications

Our courses will help you prepare for standard industry certifications such as: Net+, Security+, SSCP, and CISSP.