Certificates

Click on a certificate for more information.

Graduate Certificate in Cyber Defense*

15 semester credit hours

The Department of Computer Science has been designated as a National Security Agency (NSA) Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense Education (CAE in CDE). This designation endorses that the below-listed courses cover cyber defense-related knowledge units identified by NSA CAE in CDE program. Based on this designation, a student completing the below courses will qualify to obtain a certificate in information assurance.

Students meeting the requirements of this program can obtain their certificate by applying prior to their graduation.

Program Learning Outcomes

  • Ability to understand common security threats and recognize vulnerabilities in information systems.
  • Ability to understand and apply methods and techniques developed to protect information systems and cyber-physical systems, data stored on these systems as well as data communicated over networks.
  • Ability to understand and apply security/privacy policies as well as use security/privacy-enhancing technologies.
  • Ability to effectively communicate technical issues and concepts.

Program Faculty

Admission Requirements

Students must gain admission to the MS CS program or be eligible to take graduate courses in CS as a non-degree seeking student

Certificate Requirements

Students must complete the following five courses with a GPA of 3.2 or better.

  • CS 6324 Information Security
  • CS 6348 Data and Applications Security
  • CS 6349 Network Security
  • CS 6332 Systems Security and Malicious Code Analysis
  • CS 6378 Advanced Operating Systems

To apply for this certificate, please contact the Director of Graduate Advising.

*New name and revised curriculum effective fall 2022.*

Graduate Level Designation in Cyber Operations**

The Department of Computer Science has been designated as a National Security Agency (NSA) Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Operations (CAE in CyberOps). This designation endorses that the courses listed below cover cyber operations-related knowledge units identified by NSA CAE in CyberOps program. Based on this designation, a student completing eight courses (that include six core courses and two elective courses) from the list below will have the following notation recorded on their transcript.

“Completed Curriculum Requirements for National Security Agency’s Graduate Level Designation in Cyber Operations at UT Dallas”

Students meeting the requirements of this program can have the designation clause recorded on their transcripts by applying prior to their graduation.

Program Learning Outcomes (PLO):

  1. Ability to understand common security threats and recognize vulnerabilities in various types of information systems such as operating systems, networks, cellular technologies, and critical infrastructures.
  2. Ability to understand and apply defensive and offensive methods to protect various types of information systems. 
  3. Ability to develop methods (e.g., software reverse engineering) for detailed security analysis at different levels (source code, binary code) and develop secure systems from first principles.
  4. Ability to understand the underlying concepts and technologies to develop various types of information systems such as one or more of the following: network design, cellular networks, analysis of algorithms.

Core Courses:

  1. CS 6324 Information Security
  2. CS 6332 System Security and Malicious Code Analysis
  3. CS 6349 Network Security
  4. CS 6363 Design and Analysis of Computer Algorithms
  5. CS 6390 Advanced Computer Networks
  6. CS 6340 Wireless Networks

Elective Courses:

Two electives among the courses listed below:

  1. ACCT 6336 Information Technology Audit and Risk Management*
  2. CE 6301 Advanced Digital Logic
  3. CS 6301 Secure Cloud Computing Developing and Securing the Cloud, Edge and IoT
  4. CS 6301 Language Based Security
  5. CS 6348 Data and Applications Security
  6. CS 6377 Introduction to Cryptography
  7. CS 6396 Real-Time Systems
  8. CS 7301 Cyber-physical Systems Security
  9. CS 6378 Advanced Operating Systems
  10. CE 6302 Microprocessor Systems
  11. CS 4397 Embedded Computer Systems*
  12. CS 4398 Digital Forensics*

*ACCT 6336, CS 4397, and CS 4398 do not count as an elective in the CS/SE graduate degree plan*

* *Revised curriculum effective for fall 2023 catalog.* * 

To apply for this designation, please contact the Director of Graduate Advising.

*New name and revised curriculum effective fall 2022.*

Education