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:/p>

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 564 Cyber Effects Reverse Engineering, Exploit Anaylsis, and Capability Development (formerly COMPSCI 590J)

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 Implementation
COMPSCI 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.