The Graduate Certificate of Cyber Defense will educate students in the areas most important to securing any organization. It will include an overview of computer security infrastructure, delineating both the existing threats, and those emerging from social media, the Internet of Things, and threats to basic infrastructure. Network security will be covered including firewalls, Virtual Private Networks, and securing wireless networks. Multiple layers of the network will be covered, include deep-packet inspection. Intrusion prevention, detection, analysis, and recovery will also be addressed from both a host and network point of view.
The Graduate Certificate of Cyber Defense is a stackable program. Graduate credits earned in this certificate program may count toward the M.S. in Cybersecurity degree (CYBM) at MSU-Denver.
Admission to the Graduate Certificate of Cyber Defense:
To be admitted to the Graduate Certificate of Cyber Defense, candidates must:
- Submit graduate application and application fees.
- Hold a baccalaureate degree from an accredited college or university regionally. A minimum undergraduate GPA 3.0 (cumulative) on a scale of 4.0 is required.
- Submit official transcripts from all institutions of higher education previously attended (transcripts from MSU-Denver are not required). Institutions may also send official electronic transcripts to gradtranscripts@msudenver.edu.
- Submit a resume.
Application Deadline:
Please refer to the CYBM program website @ https://www.msudenver.edu/cjc/academics/graduateprogram/ for the current application deadline.
Transfer Students:
The Graduate Certificate of Cyber Defense does not accept any transfer of credits.
Credit for Prior Learning or Life Experience:
The Graduate Certificate of Cyber Defense does not offer any prior learning credits from life and/or work experience.
Testing Out Policy:
The Graduate Certificate of Cyber Defense does not provide an option to test out of any coursework.
Readmission Policy:
Students not enrolled for three (3) consecutive semesters, including summer, must reapply to the University. Students requesting readmission must be in good academic standing and must submit their application for readmission to the certificate program in which they have been enrolled.
The Graduate Certificate of Cyber Defense students who are eligible for readmission should submit the following materials:
- Students who are readmitted into the Graduate Certificate of Cyber Defense program will be held to the policies and curriculum of the later term in which they officially restart the Graduate Certificate of Cyber Defense program.
- An approved readmit application is valid for one academic year (including summer) from the readmit semester.
- Students who are not in good academic standing are not eligible for the readmit application process and must fully apply to the Graduate Certificate of Cyber Defense.
Financial Aid:
Please visit MSU-Denver Graduate Financial Aids @ https://msudenver.edu/financialaid/graduate/ for more information.
Certificate Completion:
Graduate Certificate Course Registration Eligibility
Only students who are formally accepted into the Graduate Certificate of Cyber Defense program may register for any graduate certificate courses.
GPA Requirements:
- Students in the Graduate Certificate of Cyber Defense program must complete the certificate with a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher.
- No grade lower than a “C” will count toward the certificate. Students receiving a “D” or below will be required to repeat the course.
Duplicative Coursework:
All MSU-Denver courses in the Graduate Certificate of Cyber Defense courses may count toward the M.S. in Cybersecurity degree at MSU-Denver.
Time Limit on Completion of Certificate:
Students must complete the Graduate Certificate of Cyber Defense program within six calendar years from the term they initially enroll. Students should check the program website @ https://www.msudenver.edu/cjc/academics/graduateprogram/ and specific program section of the catalog to determine specific certificate requirements.
