UC Introduces Certificate Program in Cybersecurity This Fall

The University of Cincinnati is adding a new certificate in foundations of cybersecurity to its academic offerings this fall. The certificate is designed to provide students with an understanding of the behavioral, political/strategic and technical aspects of cybersecurity.

The certificate is designed to provide students with an understanding of the behavioral, political/strategic and technical aspects of cybersecurity.

The certificate is a multidisciplinary collaboration involving the Department of Information Technology and the School of Criminal Justice in the College of Education, Criminal Justice, and Human Services (CECH), as well as the Department of Political Science in the McMicken College of Arts and Sciences (A&S).

“The program targets a broad range of specialties,” says Hazem Said, associate professor and head of the IT Department in CECH. “For example, students in the IT Program gain technical mastery in their major, and the certificate program will provide them with the behavioral (criminal justice) and policy (political science) aspects surrounding cybersecurity.”

Introductory courses in criminal justice; cybersecurity strategy and policy; and IT security are all required for the certificate. The student capstone project for the certificate program will be a UC Forward Cyberattack Red Team Collaborative Seminar that was introduced last spring.

“The strategic and policy implications of cybersecurity are immense,” says Richard Harknett, head of the UC Department of Political Science. “The job opportunities for those who understand the technical foundations of cybersecurity, along with the national and internal policy contexts, will be significant for years.”

In efforts to explore how to strengthen cybersecurity, the UC Forward seminar aims to understand how it can be undermined.

UC Forward is a teaching and learning initiative that brings together students, faculty and an array of businesses and agencies – each from different perspectives – to contribute to the social and economic value of the local, regional and global communities.

The cybersecurity certificate can enhance the knowledge and research strengths of students pursuing careers related to IT, political science or law enforcement.

The UC Department of Information Technology offers six different certificates ranging from cybersecurity to software development.

Department of Information Technology IT Certifications