Cyber Intelligence: What is the Curriculum?

A skilled cyberthreat analyst understands not only an organization’s cybersecurity strengths and weaknesses but also the behavioral patterns of hackers who may threaten that organization. Enhance your analytical, critical thinking, and networking skills as you learn to identify and assess adversaries in the cyber domain.

This program is offered in an entirely online format to accommodate your busy life and to facilitate participation across time zones. Coursework is asynchronous, meaning that there are no set class times. Program participants learn through case studies, student presentations, discussion boards, quizzes and class exercises, projects, and guest speakers.

The Cyber Intelligence Graduate Certificate is an 18-hour program delivered in a cohort model. Participants take one course every six to seven weeks. 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.

Course Schedule

August 2020 Cohort

Begins August 26, 2020 and ends August 6, 2021.
Online courses are held for 6 or 7 weeks.

4th Cohort Course Schedule
3rd Cohort	Course Name
August 26 - October 9, 2020	IA 600 Intro to Cyber Intelligence
October 15 – December 12, 2020	IA 615 Social Media
January 11 – March 2, 2021	IA 605 Networking
March 15 – April 30, 2021	IA 603 Analytical Methodologies & Tools for Cyber Threats
May 17 – June 25, 2021 (summer 6 weeks)	IA 610 Ethical, Legal, & Policy Issues in Cybersecurity
June 28 – August 6, 2021 (summer 6 weeks)	IA 621 Financial Crimes

August 2021 Cohort

Begins August 25, 2021 and ends October 8, 2022.
Online courses are held for 6 or 7 weeks.

3rd Cohort Course Schedule
3rd Cohort	Course Name
August 25 - October 8, 2021	IA 600 Intro to Cyber Intelligence
October 18 – December 10, 2021	IA 615 Social Media
January 10 – February 25, 2022	IA 605 Networking
March 14 – April 29, 2022	IA 603 Analytical Methodologies & Tools for Cyber Threats
May 16 – June 24, 2022 (summer 6 weeks)	IA 610 Ethical, Legal, & Policy Issues in Cybersecurity
June 27 – August 6, 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, SWOT, tiered threat matrix) 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: diagnostic, descriptive, predictive, and prescriptive.

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, global agreements to combat theft in cyberspace, and the domestic and international law enforcement agencies who investigate and prosecute financial criminals.