Cyber Security Graduate Certificate

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.

Tech-oriented degree integrated with cyber security practice.
No formal technical training required.†
Completely online! Video lectures streamed on demand. Cloud-based hands-on labs.

Necessary Background

This program is designed for students who have a level of comprehension similiar to the ''Net+ Certification' regarding computer networks and how they work. A Net+ Certificate is not necessary. Students are provided with a self-paced program that covers the fundamentals of this background. The material is provided in the summer before the program begins.

†Fundamentals for Cyber Security is a self-paced program for enrolled students in basic technology concepts, available for students coming from less technical backgrounds.

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.

CSF 432 - Introduction to Network and Systems Security (Fall; 4 credits)

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.

CSF 430 - Introduction to Information Assurance (Fall; 4 credits)
CSF 534 - Advanced Topics in Network and System Security (Spring; 4 credits)

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.

CSF 524 - Advanced Incident Response (Spring; 4 credits)
CSF 536 - Advanced Intrusion Detection and Defense (Fall; 4 credits)
CSF 538 - Penetration Testing (Summer; 4 credits)

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	Complete
Opt. 1	CSF 430 & CSF 432	CSF 534 & CSF 524				9 months
Opt. 2	CSF 430 & CSF 432	CSF 534	CSF 538			12 months
Opt. 3	CSF 432	CSF 534	CSF 538	CSF 430		16 months
Opt. 4	CSF 432	CSF 534		CSF 430 & CSF 536		16 months
Opt. 5	CSF 432	CSF 534		CSF 430	CSF 524	20 months