Cybersecurity Certificate, Undergraduate

A&M-Central Texas’ accredited 15-hour Cybersecurity Certificate for undergraduates focuses both on the guiding principles and the hands-on techniques needed to deter, defend and respond to cybersecurity threats in the networked, global business world.

Covering telephony, messaging, database security, hardware and software processes, encryption/cryptography, computer forensics, and more, the Cybersecurity Certificate delivers a comprehensive overview of the modern digital threat environment.

Earn your certificate at the home of the
Center for Cybersecurity Innovation

Located in the College of Business Administration at A&M-Central Texas, the CCI is an interdisciplinary research institute dedicated to scientific excellence and innovation in cybersecurity. The center’s mission is to advance state-of-the-art research in cybersecurity and related education, making A&M-Central Texas a recognized digital security cornerstone to Texas’ huge IT community.

Talk to an A&M-Central Texas admission counselor, online or in person, for prospective student counseling, information about graduate and undergraduate certificate programs, and help with a range of other issues.

Schedule an online session

Program Benefits and Learning Outcomes

In five focused courses, students learn important practices and principles for in-demand cybersecurity careers, including:

• Up-to-date standards and emerging topics in organizational IT security and risk management; best practices to plan, develop, and perform security tasks; criteria for selecting hardware, software, processes, communications, and applications; and policies to manage organizational IT security and risk.
• Telecommunications architecture, standards and protocols, placement of networking devices, transmission media selection, logical and physical topologies, voice and data transmission, and structured cabling for LANs and WANs. Practical hands-on exercises include evaluating alternatives in hardware, software, and transmission facilities, design integration, selection and implementation of communications and networking solutions.
• Clear and authoritative knowledge of computer forensics as it applies to the investigative process, from the collection of digital evidence to the presentation of computer forensic examination findings in a court of law. Students gain an understanding of the computer forensic process; the scientific procedure involved in accounting, law enforcement, and computer sciences; and the science of computer forensics and how it relates to the judicial system of the United States.
• Special emphasis on cryptography, authentication, access control, database security, malware, intrusion detection, firewalls, security policy and management, software and operating system security, auditing, and legal aspects of cybersecurity.
• Continual process improvement in network and systems security through analysis, implementation, evaluation, and maintenance. Topics include computer-related risks, case analysis, and emerging industry and workplace trends. Students gain best practices for securing

See complete certificate course descriptions.

A&M-Central Texas’ Cybersecurity Certificate is designed for:

• Individuals—including business leaders, IT leaders and others—with a desire to build knowledge and skills to manage cybersecurity risks
• Early to mid-career employees with experience in Information Technology, looking to expand their careers in cybersecurity

After successful completion, certificate holders can take the following industry certifications with additional preparation:

• CompTIA Security+
• Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH)
• Certified Information Security Manager (CISM)
• Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP)

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Career possibilities include:

• Chief Information Security Officer
• IT Security Manager
• Information Security Consultant
• Cyber Security Engineer
• Security operations center (SOC) Analyst
• Software Security Officer
• Security Administrator
• Ethical Hacker
• Web Developer