Cyber Intelligence: What is the Curriculum?

The Cyber Intelligence Graduate Certificate is an 18-hour program delivered in a cohort model. Participants take one course every six to seven weeks. This program is offered in an entirely online format designed to accommodate your busy life and to facilitate participation across time zones.

Coursework is asynchronous, meaning that there are no set class times and you learn when and where it’s most convenient for you.
Program participants learn through case studies, student presentations, discussion boards, quizzes and class exercises, projects, and guest speakers.
Classwork is conducted using the industry-standard Anomali Threatstream threat intelligence platform.
In the event that life gets in the way of your studies, you may skip a term and resume the program in the next session. Learn more.

Course Schedule

August 2022 Cohort

Begins August 24, 2022 and ends in August 2023.
Online courses are held for 6 or 7 weeks.

August 2022 Cohort	Course Name
August 24 - October 11, 2022	IA 600 Intro to Cyber Intelligence
October 17 - December 19, 2022	IA 615 Social Media
January 17 - March 8, 2023	IA 605 Networking
March 20 - May 11, 2023	IA 603 Analytical Methodologies & Tools for Cyber Threats
TBD	IA 610 Ethical, Legal, & Policy Issues in Cybersecurity
TBD	IA 621 Financial Crimes

Spring 2022 Cohort

Begins January 18, 2022 and ends in December 2022.
Online courses are held for 6 or 7 weeks.

Spring 2022 Cohort	Course Name
January 18 - March 8, 2022	IA 600 Intro to Cyber Intelligence
March 21 - May 12, 2022	IA 615 Social Media
May 23 - July 1, 2022	IA 605 Networking
July 5 - August 12, 2022	IA 603 Analytical Methodologies & Tools for Cyber Threats
August 24 - October 11, 2022	IA 610 Ethical, Legal, & Policy Issues in Cybersecurity
October 17 - December 19, 2022	IA 621 Financial Crimes

Fall 2021 Cohort

Begins August 25, 2021 and ends August 5, 2022.
Online courses are held for 6 or 7 weeks.

Fall 2021 Cohort	Course Name
August 25 - October 12, 2021	IA 600 Intro to Cyber Intelligence
October 14 - December 17, 2021	IA 615 Social Media
January 18 - March 8, 2022	IA 605 Networking
March 21 - May 12, 2022	IA 603 Analytical Methodologies & Tools for Cyber Threats
May 23 - July 1, 2022 (summer 6 weeks)	IA 610 Ethical, Legal, & Policy Issues in Cybersecurity
July 5 - August 12, 2022 (summer 6 weeks)	IA 621 Financial Crimes

Course Description

IA 600: Introduction to Cyber Intelligence: Analysis of the Cyber Threats (3 credits)

Students use cyberthreat frameworks to develop common vocabulary for technical and non-technical discussions with management and technical staff. They identify and apply cyber analytical methodologies (e.g., NIST framework, CI tradecraft, PEST) to the organization, identifying and categorizing its cyberthreat environment. Using analytical approaches, students focus on behavioral, cultural, and geopolitical aspects of cybersecurity.

IA 603: Analytical Methodologies & Tools for Cyber Threats (3 credits)

Using case studies, this course provides an overview of cyber methodologies based on industry best practices for analyzing cyber threats, assessing an organization’s cyber posture, and conducting proactive analysis of cyber adversaries. These methodologies, developed in the business and intelligence communities, allow students to explore problems from different perspectives. Methodologies are organized into categories based on their purposes.

IA 605: Networking & Cyber Threats (3 credits)

This course enables students to develop broad technical competencies associated with networking, cybersecurity, databases, and mobility. It provides a foundation for understanding the work environment and the expectations of a cyber security team. Using lab-based exercises and case studies, the course emphasizes internetworking, security vulnerabilities, ethical cyber security issues, and the hacker’s lifecycle including major components: reconnaissance, scanning & probing, exploitation and post-exploitation.

IA 610: Ethical, Legal, & Policy Issues in Cybersecurity (3 credits)

This course provides an introduction to major ethical, legal, and policy issues in the cyberthreat landscape, as well as privacy challenges. Students explore the relationship between the issues using case studies, demonstrations, and guest speakers. Participants examine ethics and the federal, state, and local legislations that influence cybersecurity. Particular focus is given to ethical and privacy challenges, as well as the need for enhanced federal and international information sharing.

IA 615: Social Media & Big Data for Global Security (3 credits)

This course introduces students to the basic concepts of big data analytics, its applications in social media, and associated social, legal and ethical issues. The course covers characteristics, transparency, ethical/legal issues, and methodologies such as diagnostic, descriptive, predictive and prescriptive social media analytics.

IA 620: Advanced Cyber Intelligence (3 credits)

This course involves conceptualization, identification, and analysis of social, technical, or behavioral issues associated with cyberthreats and adversaries. Students conduct analysis of a contemporary topic, exploring cyberthreats in a specific domain (e.g., finance, education, national security, healthcare). This involves working with domain experts to create a cyber intelligence project that integrates the concepts covered in this program.

IA 621: Financial Crimes in Cyber Space (3 credits)

This course takes a holistic look at financial crimes. Students will examine types of financial crimes, the laws that govern monetary transactions and property crimes in the United States (including Anti-Money Laundering regulations), global agreements to combat theft in cyberspace, and the domestic and international law enforcement agencies who investigate and prosecute financial criminals.