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In 2017, nearly 780,000 people in the United States were employed in cybersecurity positions with more than 200,000 positions unfilled. As companies face increased threats, cybersecurity spending worldwide is expected to exceed $101.6 billion by 2020, according to .

In the state of Georgia, cybersecurity has been identified by Gov. Nathan Deal's High Demand Career Initiative working group as a crucial field for businesses. To help meet the increasing need of cybersecurity professionals, the University of North Georgia’s (Õý°ÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê¿ª½±½á¹û) Mike Cottrell College of Business now offers a graduate certificate in cybersecurity. This new graduate certificate is a 10-credit summer graduate program that offers advanced studies in computer and network security, computer forensics, and secure software development.

"This certificate program will offer hands-on training in an environment that will mimic a situation room in a cybersecurity setting," said Dr. Ash Mady, head of the department of computer science and information systems at Õý°ÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê¿ª½±½á¹û. "The program builds a bridge between theory and practical application. It will be a real game-changer for computer and IT professionals who want to be trained by instructors with years of experience in cybersecurity. It's going to be more than just studying a textbook."

The program is designed to enable students with a bachelor’s or master’s degree in computer science, information systems, information technology, or a closely related field, or graduates of other degree programs who can demonstrate sufficient technical proficiency, to enter the field of cybersecurity, cyber operations or cyber defense.

Applicants must demonstrate technical proficiency in at least two of the following areas to gain admission: programming, systems, networking, forensics, or cryptography. Students with bachelor’s or master’s degrees in computer science, information security, information technology, or a closely related field will meet the technical proficiency requirement.

The program is offered only in the summer in classrooms at Cumming City Hall.Classes are limited to 25 students and will be held in the evening, twice a week, for three hours per class. Hours earned in the cybersecurity certificate program can be applied as electives in related graduate programs.

Courses for the certificate program include:

• Cybersecurity Foundations: A broad overview of concepts and methods for assessing security in information systems and network.
• Advanced Computer Security: Software vulnerability analysis, defense and exploitation, reverse engineering and applied cryptography, as well as developing security policies and designing secure critical systems will be covered.
• Advanced Network Security: This will provide a survey and in-depth discussion on selective topics of network security. It will bring together thoroughly updated coverage of all basic concepts, terminology and issues, along with the practical skills essential to network security.
• Advanced Computer Forensics: Focuses on advanced file system analysis, web and email, registry, as well as a comprehensive final case involving a moot court exercise. It will utilize existing open source tools.
• Software Development Security: Provides a foundation of secure software development by applying security principles to software engineering lifecycle. Students will learn practical secure software developing and testing skills.

For more information about the Cybersecurity Graduate Certificate or to apply, visit the program website.

Õý°ÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê¿ª½±½á¹û is designated as a National Security Agency/Dept. of Homeland Security National Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense Education. The computer science degree program has offered an undergraduate concentration in information assurance and security since 2004 as well as a minor in cybersecurity in collaboration with Õý°ÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê¿ª½±½á¹û's Department of Criminal Justice.