Learning Outcomes

1. At the time of graduation a Certificate of Graduate Studies in Cyber Security Studies student should be able to understand individual’s privacy rights, related laws and regulations, and the use of information assurance technology to support the enforcement of these rights.
2. At the time of graduation a Certificate of Graduate Studies in Cyber Security Studies student should be able to describe national and international aspects of information assurance activities, related laws and policies, and develop information security measures that satisfy national and international restrictions and regulations.
3. At the time of graduation a Certificate of Graduate Studies in Cyber Security Studies student should be able to apply fundamental information assurance principles to perform information security risk analysis.
4. At the time of graduation a Certificate of Graduate Studies in Cyber Security Studies student should be able to analyze, design, and use cryptography algorithms.
5. At the time of graduation a Certificate of Graduate Studies in Cyber Security Studies student should be able to: analyze and verify security properties of network security designs.
6. At the time of graduation a Certificate of Graduate Studies in Cyber Security Studies student should be able to communicate wtih and provide support to investigate personnel in incident handling activities.
7. At the time of graduation a Certificate of Graduate Studies in Cyber Security Studies student should be able to investigate and master new security tools, techniques and protocols.
8. At the time of graduation a Certificate of Graduate Studies in Cyber Security Studies student should be able to: evaluate system vulnerabilities, develop incident prevention and detection policies and procedures, and appropriate incident response capabilities according to national standards and regulations.
9. At the time of graduation a Certificate of Graduate Studies in Cyber Security Studies student should be able to: design, implement, evaluate, and maintain information assurance policies and mechanisms, perform audit procedures, and educate end users about information assurance.

Admissions

Requirements for admission to all graduate degree programs in computer science and engineering include the general admission requirements of The Graduate School as well as more stringent departmental requirements, as described below. In general, the admission process is highly competitive. Admissions decisions are based on the quality of the applicant’s previous university-level academic work, letters of recommendation, GRE scores, and other evidence of past accomplishments.

For admission to the Certificate of Graduate Study program, applicants normally hold the B.S. degree in computer science, computer engineering, or a related field. In addition, they must have completed courses in data structures and algorithms, operating systems, database management systems, discrete mathematics, linear algebra, and probability and statistics. Students enrolled in other graduate degree programs at USC are automatically eligible to pursue the certificate as long as they have taken the prerequisite courses.

In addition, all applicants should submit an official transcript from each school or college previously attended, and at least two letters of recommendation. The admission committee will evaluate all aspects of each application and will make a recommendation on admission to The Graduate School. For full consideration, all application materials must be received by February 1 for fall and summer admission and by October 1 for spring admission.

Certificate Requirements (12 Hours)

The graduate certificate program in Cyber Security Studies requires at least 12 hours of graduate study, at least half of which must be courses at the 700-level or above with the CSCE designator, completed within a period of six years before the award of the certificate.

Core Courses (6 Hours)

Course List

Course	Title	Credits
CSCE 522	Information Security Principles	3
CSCE 715	Network Systems Security	3
Total Credit Hours		6

Additional Courses (6 Hours)

At least 6 hours of additional courses must be selected with the approval of the director of graduate studies. Up to 6 hours of appropriate courses may be taken from other departments and/or by transfer credit.