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Cybersecurity Fundamentals Online Undergraduate Certificate Program

can be completed in as little as

3 terms*

*2 terms per semester; each term is 7 weeks

Tuition

$335/credit

$1,005 3-credit course

Active Duty Military

truED Preferred Tuition

Credit Hours Required

18*

Summer Term 1 Application Deadline

April 25

Upcoming Start Dates

Summer 1: May 6

Summer 2: July 1

Explore Cybersecurity Fundamentals

Develop cybersecurity fundamentals in networking, programming, and information security with Champlain's online cybersecurity certificate, and enter this in-demand field with a credential employers will respect.

This cybersecurity fundamentals certificate can be taken as a stand-alone program, or can be used as a stepping stone on the way to obtaining your online bachelor's in cybersecurity. This online cybersecurity certificate is made up of cybersecurity courses, covering topics including information security, cyber attacks, and risk management.  

 

A Nationally Recognized Leader in Cybersecurity

Logos for DHS, NSA, DC3

Champlain is a nationally recognized leader in cybersecurity and digital forensics education and home of the Senator Patrick Leahy Center for Digital Investigation & Cybersecurity. With a robust faculty of expert-practitioner cybersecurity professionals who have significant experience working for top organizations, and are sought-after thought leaders in the field, we specialize in building agile cybersecurity and digital forensics programs that the meet mission-critical needs of today's businesses, nonprofit organizations, and state and federal governments.

Champlain has been designated a National Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense Education by the U.S. National Security Agency and the Department of Homeland Security since 2006, and Champlain cybersecurity programs have been named best in the nation by SC Magazine. Champlain is also designated as a National Center of Digital Forensics Academic Excellence by the Defense Cyber Crime Center (DC3) Air Force Office of Special Investigations - the fifth college in the nation to receive this distinction. 

Build Your Career Future

We understand how important it is for busy working adults to gain knowledge and expertise quickly, which is why our certificate in cybersecurity fundamentals coursework is applicable to the workplace from day one. Whether you've already earned an undergraduate degree or you're currently pursuing your bachelor's degree, an online cybersecurity certificate is a great way to earn a credential in the field, get your resume noticed, and demonstrate proficiency in a focused area of knowledge. 

Take the next step

Academic Excellence and Recognition

Intelligent.com ranks Champlain College Online among best schools with accelerated bachelor's degrees

Designated among the best schools with accelerated bachelor's degrees by Intelligent.com

US News & World Report Best Online Bachelor's Degree Programs

Consistently ranked among the Best Online Bachelor's Degrees by US News & World Report

Ranked among the most affordable cybersecurity bachelor's degrees

Ranked among the Most Affordable Online Cybersecurity Bachelor's Degrees

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Accredited by the New England Commission of Higher Education

Gain New Skills With A Certificate

Cybersecurity careers are expected to grow 33% between 2020 and 2030, significantly higher than the average growth for all fields.*

*Sources: Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), 2020

Top Reasons To Pursue A Certificate

  • Enter a new field
  • Build new skills
  • Gain knowledge on your way toward a degree
  • Differentiate your resume
  • Earn a credential
  • Demonstrate proficiency in a focused area of learning
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Program Details

Learn more about Champlain's 100% online cybersecurity fundamentals undergraduate certificate, designed for working professionals from business to computer science.

Champlain's online cybersecurity courses encompass the top skills needed by today's cybersecurity professionals.

Required Courses (18 Credits):

This exciting course introduces students to the myriad software tools and best practices for handling digital evidence. Labs utilize Champlain College Online's Forensic VDI and challenge students to begin building their skills, from creating a hash value for a forensic copy with X-Ways Forensics and FTK Imager, to examining evidence with The Sleuth Kit (TSK), Autopsy and/or EnCase.

Prerequisites

Complete CMIT-135 and CMIT-140

This course provides students with an understanding of the many different devices and technologies, from historical to emerging, that are required to design and build networks. In a broad survey of concepts and terminology, students will learn about topology, communications, protocols, and security, and to diagram basic networks to specification.

From day one, students in this course are problem solving, first in terms of algorithmic design and then as early as week two via programming in the latest version of Python, using PyCharm. Students begin by writing a program to have a conversation, having strings and numbers as input, and advance, by week seven, to building a working password saver program, capable of looking up, adding (and encrypting), and storing passwords.

This course, through guided research and hands-on learning experiences, provides students with an understanding of operating systems, including their core fundamental principles and how they work. Students are introduced to the three most popular operating systems for personal computers (Windows, OSX and Linux), and mobile operating systems, and learn about standard functions such as memory, process/thread, input/output, storage and device management.

This course will introduce foundation subject matter and technologies that are critical to the multidisciplinary landscape of cybersecurity.

Prerequisites

Complete CMIT-130 and CMIT-135.

This introductory course to Wireless LANs focuses on the design, planning, implementation, operation, and troubleshooting of Wireless LANs. It covers a comprehensive overview of technologies, security, and design best practices with particular emphasis on hands-on skills.

Prerequisites

CMIT-130, CMIT-135

Graduates of the online cybersecurity fundamentals certificate program will demonstrate the following industry-specific skills, knowledge, and competencies:

  • Identify essential network components and methods of communication, and diagram basic networks to specification.
  • Develop and test basic Python applications.
  • Discuss fundamental cybersecurity concepts, including confidentiality, integrity, and availability.
  • Demonstrate the ability to use best practices in securing, processing, acquiring, examining, and reporting on digital evidence.

Students who have earned the CISSP Certification are eligible for transfer credits toward this certificate. Please speak to an admission representative or your academic advisor for details. 

Champlain College Online's cybersecurity faculty, led by Program Director Kathleen Hyde, are expert practitioners in the field. Their industry expertise ensures that our cyber security curriculum is aligned with the needs of employers, and reflects the skills today’s cybersecurity professionals need for success. Classes led by our seasoned experts will give you real-world insight into the world of cybersecurity, and create a rich community of career-focused learning.

Many certificate students come to us seeking ways to get noticed at their current employers or to get hired in a new field. Given that, we are hyper focused on increasing the career mobility of our students and that's why we developed the Fast Start Formula Career Bundle, a suite of career offerings designed to help our students get noticed, get hired and land jobs they'll love.

Valued at over $1,000, the career bundle is offered to Champlain College Online students and includes: 

  • Fast Start Formula Course: The Fast Start Formula Course for getting noticed and getting hired is taught by Jen Morris, an executive career coach that we've developed a partnership with to support our students in their job search journeys. This course is online, self-paced and full of tips and tricks to land a job you'll love.
  • Live Webinars: Log-on to ask your specific job search questions, get live “hot seat” coaching and gain valuable insights from leading career coach, Jen Morris.
  • Landing A Job You'll Love Ebook: Download this ebook full of tips and tricks for standing out from the competition. From how to optimize your LinkedIn profile, to insider information on how recruiters work and bypassing the automated application websites, you’ll be sure to learn how rise to the top. 

Upon enrollment in a degree or certificate, your access to the Fast Start Formula Career Bundle will made available to you. 

Tuition & Costs

Online Undergraduate Tuition Fall '23 - Summer '24

$335 per credit
$1,005* per course
$290** per credit for alumni who earned a degree from Champlain, on-campus or online
$250 per credit for military service members (family members see truED tuition)
$150 One-time graduation fee

*Based on a 3-credit course; cost will vary if course is a different number of credits

** Starts Summer 2024, not retroactive 

See the undergraduate cost of attendance and fees here

What To Expect at Champlain Online

Expect Convenience

Go to school wherever and whenever is best for you, on the device of your choice.

Expect A Career Focus

Relevant and immediately applicable coursework gets you ready for your next career move

Expect Support

Your dedicated academic advisor provides the support you need to meet your academic goals

Expect Superior Faculty

Learn from practitioner faculty working in the field, with real-world experience and knowledge.

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