Program Format

The objective of this 12 credit-hour Graduate Certificate in Computer Security and Information Assurance is to provide a coordinated 4-course sequence in computer security and information assurance that emphasizes current industry standard techniques and challenges. It provides an alternative to the full master's program for practicing computer scientists and other information technology professionals who wish to extend their education or acquire up-to-date knowledge in the burgeoning field of computer and network security. All four courses completed as part of the certificate can be transferred into the MS program. This certificate is available in a self-paced format, or accelerate cohort format that can be finished in as few as five months.

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Required Courses

CSci 283 Computer Security Principles
CSci 286 Network Security Principles

In addition to the two required courses, students may select two electives from the following:

CSci 175 Information Policy
CSci 284 Computer Cryptography Principles
CSci 288/388 Wireless and Mobile Security
CSci 287/384 Computer Network Defense
CSci 381 Advanced Cryptography
CSci 384 Computer Network Defense
CSci 385 E-commerce Security
CSci 386 Java Security Mechanisms
CSci 387 Advanced Topics in Information Assurance

Degree Requirements

Requirements for the Graduate Certificate Program

To qualify for the graduate certificate program in Computer Security and Information Assurance students must meet the following criteria:

• Bachelor's degree with a GPA of at least 3.0 on a scale of 4.0 for the last 60 hours of course work.
• Two courses in mathematics beyond pre-calculus.
• One year of science with a laboratory
• One course in each of the following subjects: computer programming using a structured language, discrete structures, data structures, and computer architecture.