Program Overview
Requirements
The UMass Amherst Graduate-level Certificate in Information Security Certificate is offered by the Manning College of Information & Computer Sciences. The program aims to help students build the sought-after skills and knowledge needed to distinguish themselves in a highly competitive field by offering comprehensive training in information technology security and policy. It is an academic sequence of five courses that altogether comprise an official certificate from UMass Amherst.
The graduate certificate is open to matriculated graduate students and post-graduate non-degree students, as long as they have the prerequisites for the courses and submit the required pre-application. Students do not need to matriculate (or be enrolled at) UMass Amherst to participate. Graduates of the Information Security Certificate program can transfer their credits to UMass Amherst (or other institutions) should they enroll in a campus program that accepts the transfer credits. Most classes are taught in-person and synchronously online.
The graduate certificate consists of 15 credits across five classes:
Certificate Core Courses
Satisfy three core courses (nine credits) from the Certificate Core courses list.
- COMPSCI 560 Introduction to Computer and Network Security (previously COMPSCI 597N)
- COMPSCI 563 Internet Law & Policy (previously INFOSEC 690L)
- COMPSCI 561 System Defense and Test (previously COMPSCI 590A)
- COMPSCI 660 Advanced Information Assurance
Certificate Elective Courses
Satisfy two elective courses (six credits) from the Certificate Core courses list, Certificate Security electives courses list, or CS electives courses list.
Certificate Security Electives Courses
- COMPSCI 590K Advanced Digital Forensic Systems (will be converted to COMPSCI 565 pending faculty senate approval)
- COMPSCI 661 Secure Distributed Systems
- COMPSCI 590J Cyber Effects Reverse Engineering, Exploit Anaylsis, and Capability Development (will be converted to COMPSCI 564 pending faculty senate approval)
CS Electives Courses
- COMPSCI 503 Embedded Computing Systems
- COMPSCI 590CC Cloud Computing
- COMPSCI 590S Systems for Data Science
- COMPSCI 630 Systems
- COMPSCI 631 Programming languages
- COMPSCI 535/635 Modern computer architecture** Not both classes
- COMPSCI 645 Database Design and ImplementationCOMPSCI 655 Performance Evaluation
- COMPSCI 677 Distributed and Operating Systems
- COMPSCI 585 Introduction to Natural Language Processing
- COMPSCI 589/689 Machine Learning** Not both classes 
Also, any three-credit courses accepted as a core course offered by College of Information and Computer Sciences that have an appropriate focus may be accepted with approval as an elective.
Alternatively, one of these Isenberg courses can be accepted as an elective with prior approval:
- SCH MGMT 650 Business Data Analysis
- SCH MGMT 602 Business Intelligence & Analytics
- SCH MGMT 632 IT Strategy
A minimum GPA of 3.0 and no grade below C are required for certificate completion.