Professional Certificate in Cybersecurity
Emeritus Institute of Management
Key Information
Campus location
Online
Languages
English
Study format
Distance Learning
Duration
24 weeks
Pace
Full time, Part time
Tuition fees
USD 7,450
Application deadline
Request info
Earliest start date
Request info
Scholarships
Explore scholarship opportunities to help fund your studies
Introduction
Advance Your Career in Cybersecurity with MIT xPRO
Cyberattacks are becoming more frequent, complex, and targeted, collectively costing organizations billions of dollars every year. This is why cybersecurity is one of the fastest growing industries in the US, as every year more companies and government agencies seek to hire cybersecurity professionals with the specialized technical skills needed to defend mission-critical computer systems, networks, and cloud applications, against cyberattacks.
Enrol today in the MIT xPRO Professional Certificate in Cybersecurity program, which focuses on both defensive and offensive aspects of technology. It also includes personalized feedback from program leaders, insights from guest speakers, career coaching, mentorship, and the opportunity to create a capstone project on network development to use for a job portfolio.
Take the next step to advance your career with the MIT xPRO Professional Certificate in Cybersecurity program.
- $403 Billion The projected value of the cybersecurity market through 2027 (Source: Forbes)
- 600,000 The number of unfilled cybersecurity positions in the US in 2022 (Source: Bloomberg)
Program Frameworks
MITRE ATT&CK®
The MITRE ATT&CK knowledge base is explored deeper in the offensive and defensive aspects of this program. It contains adversary tactics and techniques that are utilized as the foundational development of specific threat models and methodologies.
Cloud Security Alliance (CSA) Cloud Controls Matrix (CCM)
The Cloud Security Alliance (CSA) Cloud Controls Matrix (CCM) is discussed in the defensive cybersecurity section. This framework includes domains covering the aspects of cloud technology.
National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Framework
The NIST CSF framework is threaded throughout the entire program. It is a widely used cybersecurity framework that encompasses guidelines for organizations to prepare themselves against cybersecurity attacks.
Ideal Students
Who Is This Program For?
This program is a career accelerator for those who want to learn the essentials of cybersecurity from MIT faculty.
- Career Launchers: Early-career IT professionals, network engineers, and system administrators wanting to gain a comprehensive overview of cybersecurity and prepare themselves for continued career progression in this high-growth field.
- Career Builders: IT project managers and engineers wanting to gain the ability to think critically about the threat landscape including vulnerabilities in cybersecurity, to better understand what kind of cybersecurity to specialize in, and upgrade their own resume for career advancement
- Career Switchers: Mid- or later-career professionals currently working outside of cybersecurity wanting to add critical cybersecurity knowledge and foundational lessons to their resume as they begin considering a career change to an in-demand field.
Program Outcome
Program Highlights
- Earn a certificate and 36 Continuing Education Units (CEUs) from MIT xPRO
- Insights and case studies from renowned MIT faculty
- Foundational cybersecurity knowledge
- Completion of a capstone presentation to share with potential employers
- A great foundation toward a degree or certification in cybersecurity
Curriculum
Section Summaries
Section 1: Introduction to Cybersecurity
The first eight weeks of this program serve as an introduction to cybersecurity with a focus on fundamental concepts and identity and access management (IAM).
Section 2: Defensive Cybersecurity
The second set of eight weeks focuses on defensive cybersecurity. Take a deeper dive into concepts that include cryptography, SOC (security operations center), IR (incident response), secure systems and network administration, and cloud security.
Section 3: Offensive Cybersecurity
The final set of eight weeks addresses the importance of offensive cybersecurity through topics such as penetration testing, social engineering, artificial intelligence, privacy, regulation and data governance, and OT (Operational Technology) and IoT (Internet of Things) risk.
Program Topics
Whether you are just starting your IT career or expanding into an adjacent field, this comprehensive program will equip you with the foundational knowledge needed to succeed in the field of cybersecurity. This 24-week program includes the following modules:
- Week 1: Introduction to Cybersecurity Risk Management
- Week 2: Cybersecurity Foundation Concepts
- Week 3: Federal Government Role: Law, Operations, and Standards
- Week 4: Threats and Vulnerabilities
- Week 5: Cybersecurity for Critical Urban Infrastructure
- Week 6: Identity and Access Management (IAM) Concepts
- Week 7: IAM Layers and Technology
- Week 8: Preparing for a Job in Cybersecurity Risk Management
- Week 9: Introduction to Defensive Cybersecurity
- Week 10: Cryptography
- Week 11: Security Operations Center (SOC)
- Week 12: Incident Response (IR)
- Week 13: Secure Systems Administration
- Week 14: Secure Network Administration
- Week 15: Cloud Security
- Week 16: Preparing for a Job in Cybersecurity Operations
- Week 17: Introduction to Offensive Cybersecurity
- Week 18: Penetration Testing Part 1
- Week 19: Penetration Testing Part 2
- Week 20: Social Engineering
- Week 21: Artificial Intelligence
- Week 22: Policy and Privacy, Regulation, and Data Governance
- Week 23: OT and IoT Risk
- Week 24: Preparing for a Job in Offensive Cybersecurity Operations
Career Opportunities
Stepping into a career in cybersecurity requires a variety of skills, both hard and soft. This program offers guidance in navigating a career path in tech, including crafting your elevator pitch and providing communication tips. These services are provided by Emeritus, our learning collaborator for this program. The program support team includes course leaders who help you reach your learning goals and career coaches to guide you through your job search. The program offers career preparation and guidance, however, job placement is not guaranteed.
Emeritus provides the following career preparation services:
- Crafting your elevator pitch
- LinkedIn profile guidance
- Resume/cover letters
- Navigating your job search
- Interview tips and preparation
- Negotiating salary
Career exercises focused on launching a career in cybersecurity include:
- Job searching and interviewing for cybersecurity positions
- Building your personal brand and promoting your skills
- Communicating cybersecurity concepts through presentation skills