Cybersecurity Certification

The syllabus for the cybersecurity certificate is being designed to:

  • Align with content of top industry certifications including CompTIA Security+, CompTIA Network+, CISSP, SANS GCIH, SANS GPEN, and CISCO CCENT.
  • Support extensive hands-on experience in state-of-the-art virtualized remote labs. While certification bodies provide knowledge, they fail to provide extensive hands-on experience.
  • Allow working professionals to earn credits through competencies without requiring any prerequisites beyond a high school diploma.

This scope and sequence will also ensure our program and graduates are DoD 8140 compliant. DoD 8140 requires DoD IT personnel and contractors to demonstrate competency by obtaining levels of certification.

The IMPACT program not only prepares our learners for industry-aligned certification exams, it also teaches our learners theory, problem solving, analytical thinking and understanding computational logic.

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Curriculum

Courses & CreditsDescriptionContent aligned with Certification Exams*
CBIT 101: Foundation of Cybersecurity (3 credits)
Goals of security; Fundamentals of cryptography and networking; Hardening of operating systems and networks; Introduction to hacking; Basic digital forensics; Linux command line and scripting (with Python and Perl). Prerequisites: NoneCompTIA Security+[2]
CBIT 240: Data and Web Security
(3 credits)
Database management systems; Basic web technologies (HTML, client-side scripting); Database and web security; Data security and privacy; OWASP web security standards. Prerequisites: CBIT 101  CISSP Domain 2 (Asset Security) and part of Security Engineering
CBIT 250: Network Security
(3 credits)
Fundamentals of computer networking; Network architectures; Network standards; Common protocols; Basics of network security; Network security and administration tools. Prerequisites: CBIT 101CISCO CCENT[3], CompTIA Network+; CISSP Domain 4 (Communications and Network Security)
CBIT 475: Penetration Testing and Incident Handling
(4 credits)
Planning and reporting; Common exploits; OSSTMM methodology; Penetration-testing tools; Incident handling. Prerequisites: CBIT 240, 250SANS GCIH (Certified Incident Handler)*[4]
SANS GPEN (Pen Tester)*[5]
CBIT 476: Cyber Defense
(4 credits)
Principles of secure design; Network defenses (Secure protocols, Host and perimeter security mechanisms); Compliance, policies, plans, procedures; Trust assurance. Prerequisites: CBIT 240, 250CISSP
CBIT 100: Ethics and Laws in Cybersecurity (1 credit Capstone)
Compliance, policies, plans, procedures; Types of cybercrimes; Ethics in cybersecurity; Laws to fight cybercrime; Other forms of computer crime.CISSP Domain 1 (Legal regulations, investigations and compliance) [1]

Total credits                        18

*Although our IMPACT training will help prepare you for professional certification exams, additional preparation will be necessary due to the complexity and proprietary nature of the respective exam content.