Cyber security

Undergraduate certificate University of Missouri-Columbia
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Overview

Cybersecurity is a rising field that has become critical to any organization of any size, both public and private institutions. Essentially any interface connected to a network is in constant danger — from common technological resources such as servers, desktops, network devices and mobile phones to other devices, such as drones, sensors, robots, cars and medical devices. More professionals focused on cybersecurity, with a firm desire to protect sensitive equipment, are needed.

This undergraduate certificate will provide essential training for individuals seeking entry-level positions in cybersecurity, including:

  • Individuals seeking entry-level career opportunities in cybersecurity.
  • Individuals working in IT or cybersecurity who are seeking career advancement.
  • Individuals working in IT or cybersecurity who need to keep their skills up to date or meet professional requirements.

The experienced professors, with a wealth of industry knowledge, develop course content that incorporates hands-on training and the most crucial components of cybersecurity knowledge.

Quick facts

Official name

Undergraduate certificate in cyber security

Campus

University of Missouri-Columbia

Program type

Undergraduate certificate

Academic home

College of Engineering | Department of Engineering and Information Technology

Delivery mode

100% online

Accreditation

Higher Learning Commission

Credit hours

15

Estimated cost

$8,874.00

*This cost is for illustrative purposes only. Your hours and costs will differ, depending on your transfer hours, your course choices and your academic progress. See more about tuition and financial aid.

Women holding and working on a tablet in a modern office setting with computer monitors behind her.

Career prospects

The type of positions for individuals who earn the certificate include:

  • Ethical hacker
  • Penetration tester
  • Security architect
  • Security system administrator
  • Digital forensics investigator
  • Information security analyst
  • IT security consultant

Graduates of this program will be qualified for entry-level positions in cybersecurity teams in both private and public institutions. They will be able to design and institute safe policies for companies, and serve in leadership positions for cybersecurity teams as necessary. This certificate will help reinforce current and developing practices for present-day and future cybersecurity professionals to deploy in jobs directly related to networks, database management and computer forensics.

Burning Glass Technologies. 2021. Salary numbers and employment growth numbers are based on models that consider advertised job posting salary, Bureau of Labor Statistics data and other proprietary and public sources of information for multiple occupations.
12.39%
employment growth
Burning Glass Technologies. 2021. Salary numbers and employment growth numbers are based on models that consider advertised job posting salary, Bureau of Labor Statistics data and other proprietary and public sources of information for multiple occupations.
$97,000
median salary

Program structure

The online undergraduate certificate in cyber security is 100% online: no campus visits required.

Courses are semester-based. Students typically take two classes per semester and finish the program in one year.

Course work includes

  • Introduction to problem solving and programming
  • Fundamentals of network technology
  • Advanced cybersecurity
  • Web application development
  • Computer network security
  • Unix operating systems
  • Computer system administration
  • Digital forensics

Delivery

100% online

Calendar system

Semester-based

Typical program length

1 year

Typical course load

2 classes per semester

Accreditation

The University of Missouri is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission, one of six regional institutional accreditors in the United States.

Faculty spotlight

Fang Wang

Before joining MU, Fang Wang worked as a senior software engineer in research and development at Ansys Inc. Prior to that, she worked for six years as a senior device modeling and characterization engineer at Motorola Inc. and Freescale Semicondutor Inc. Her research interests include simulation software development, virtual reality/augmented reality applications, mobile app development and image processing.

Fang Wang, PhD
Assistant Teaching Professor
Aaron Scantlin

Aaron graduated from the University of Missouri–Columbia campus in 2015 and began working for the Division of IT as a security analyst shortly thereafter. After obtaining his GSEC and GCFA from the SANS Institute, Aaron began teaching IT2910 for the IT program as an industry professional. He has spoken at a number of security conferences and meetups, including SecKC, the Missouri Governor’s Cybersecurity Summit and the annual MOREnet security conference. Aaron currently serves as the Vice President of the Central Missouri Infragard chapter, a partnership between the private sector and the FBI, and sits on the GIAC Advisory Board.

Aaron Scantlin
Adjunct Instructor

Learn more about this program

This program is administered by the Department of Engineering and Information Technology