As technology and cybersecurity threats continue to grow and evolve, so does the need for highly skilled cybersecurity leaders who can direct and protect critical information infrastructures. Securing an organization's data requires a refined combination of technical skills, managerial acumen, and leadership expertise. This fully online, part-time, five-course (15-credit-hour) graduate certificate is designed for mid- and senior level cybersecurity professionals. The goal of the program is to educate cybersecurity practitioners in the fundamentals of managing the people, technology, and resources necessary to lead cybersecurity organizations. The curriculum provides students with the knowledge needed to protect from, defend against, respond to, and recover after cyber threats and to manage the organization's technology-based risk exposure. Students will acquire the expertise needed to successfully execute a range of core cybersecurity functions, including governance, risk management, operations, and incident response. The program places particular emphasis on business-related skills such as communicating with non-technical line-of-business leaders and peers, speaking the language of business, and strategy formulation and development. Graduates of this certificate program will be well prepared to step into positions of greater responsibility and to make larger and more consequential contributions to their organizations. Graduates of this program will be equipped to solve complex cybersecurity problems and to ensure the enterprise's ongoing vitality and prosperity.
- Graduate Certificate: 15 units, 10-15 months to complete
Program Director
Joe Scherrer
Executive Director, Professional Education
Director, Cybersecurity Strategic Initiative
Program Director, Graduate Studies in Cybersecurity Management
DLA, Doctor of Liberal Arts, Washington University in St. Louis
MA, Strategic Studies, Air War College
MA, National Security Studies, Naval War College
MS, Business Administration, Boston University
MS, Information Systems Management, Air Force Institute of Technology
Graduate Certificate, Executive and Professional Coaching, University of Texas at Dallas
BS, Electrical Engineering, Washington University in St. Louis
For a list of our program faculty, please visit our website.
Online Graduate Certificate in Cybersecurity Management
Total units required: 15
In order to earn the certificate, all courses must be passed with a C- or higher. In addition, a student must have a cumulative grade-point average of at least 2.70 over all courses applied toward the certificate.
Course numbers below are subject to change. Please contact the Sever Institute Assistant Director of Academic & Student Services for accurate academic advising information.
Course List
| Code |
Title |
Units |
| CSM 660 | Cybersecurity Technical Fundamentals | 3 |
| CSM 661 | Oversight for Excellence: Cybersecurity Management and Governance | 3 |
| CSM 662 | Efficient and Effective Cybersecurity Operations | 3 |
| CSM 666 | Cybersecurity Risk Management | 3 |
| CSM 667 | The Hacker Mindset: Cyber Attack Fundamentals | 3 |
Visit online course listings to view semester offerings for T93 CSM.
T93 CSM 660 Cybersecurity Technical Fundamentals
This course presents a comprehensive survey of cybersecurity technology, including basic theory and concepts. Students will gain hands-on familiarity with cybersecurity technology through lab exercises, in-class studios, and scenarios. Topics covered include security considerations surrounding operating systems, the web, email, databases, wireless technology, the cloud, and the Internet of Things. Also addressed are cryptography, secure software design, physical security, and human factors in cybersecurity.
Credit 3 units.
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T93 CSM 661 Oversight for Excellence: Cybersecurity Management and Governance
This course takes a comprehensive approach to the management of the organizational cybersecurity function. It also explores the principles of information technology governance. Course work provides a deeper understanding of best practices for managing cybersecurity processes and meeting multiple needs of enterprise management by balancing business risks and operational and technical imperatives. Toward this end, the course addresses a range of topics necessary for success, including the elements of and how to establish a governance program, cybersecurity management frameworks, developing and implementing a cybersecurity strategy, deploying cybersecurity policy and controls, ensuring standards and regulatory compliance, functional and budgetary advocacy, interfacing with the C-suite and board, and talent acquisition and development.
Credit 3 units.
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T93 CSM 662 Efficient and Effective Cybersecurity Operations
In this course, students will gain understanding of what it takes to manage the people, process, and technology for effective and efficient day-to-day cybersecurity operations. Using the Cybersecurity Operations Center (CSOC) as the fundamental exemplar, students will learn the functions and processes that comprise a typical CSOC with an underlying focus on continually optimizing operations and processes to ensure agility and performance. Students will examine options for structuring the CSOC and core CSOC functions and processes such as threat intelligence; monitoring, detection, and threat assessment; vulnerability management; incident response; prevention, including awareness training; partner and third-party coordination; analytics, metrics, and reporting; training; and CSOC technologies and instrumentation.
Credit 3 units.
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T93 CSM 666 Cybersecurity Risk Management
In this course, students will gain deeper appreciation of the challenges faced by enterprises when addressing cybersecurity risks. The course will cover the evolution of cyber threats, including attacker methods and their targets across different industries. Students will be able to understand the differences between enterprise, operational and cybersecurity risk management and the role that each play (or should play) in managing risks to an organization. Students will gain technical understanding of industry-leading frameworks (COSO, ISO, NIST, FAIR) and become conversant with their strengths and weaknesses as well as the applicability and practicality of their implementation.
Credit 3 units.
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T93 CSM 667 The Hacker Mindset: Cyber Attack Fundamentals
This course is designed to provide an introductory understanding of how offensive security techniques practically operate. During this course, students will use hacking techniques to compromise systems, collect data, and perform other tasks that fall under the generally understood use of the term "hacker." These techniques will be related to risk-based defensive security practices, with a view toward enhancing the student's understanding of what it takes to be a successful "defender." By the conclusion of the course, students will have a baseline technical understanding of hacking techniques; they will have executed offensive security operations and increased their technical understanding of what it takes to deal with cyber threats.
Credit 3 units.
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