Villanova University

Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering

Cybersecurity Graduate Certificate

Last update: 9 Dec. 2016

The Cybersecurity Graduate Certificate covers the major security areas related to our interdependent network of information technology infrastructures, which includes the Internet, telecommunications networks, computer systems, and embedded processors and controllers in critical industries.

Requirements: five courses, including at least three security courses. The security courses can be selected from the core, systems, policy, and/or operations specialization areas, and must include at least one of the core courses.

Core Courses

ECE 8476 - Cryptography & Network Security
ECE 8484 - Cybersecurity Threats and Defense

Systems Specialization

ECE 8410 - Trusted Computing
ECE 8485 - Critical Infrastructure Control Systems Security
ECE 8492 - Secure Software Development
ECE 8498 - Designing and Securing Cyber-Physical Systems

Policy Specialization

ECE 8488 - Security Risk Assessment and Management
ECE 8494 - Legal Aspects of Computer Security and Information Privacy
ECE 8495 - Cybersecurity Behavioral Analytics

Operations Specialization

ECE 8486 - Ethical Hacking
ECE 8489 - Malicious Software Analysis and Defense
ECE 8491 - Blockchain Technology and Uses
ECE 8496 - Computer Forensics and Incident Handling

Elective Courses

In addition to the following courses, any of the core and specialization area courses may be used as electives.

ECE 7428 - Computer Communication Networks
ECE 8405 - Computer Organization & Design
ECE 8408 - Mobile Computing & Wireless Networking
ECE 8448 - Embedded Systems Architecture
ECE 8473 - Unix and C Programming

CSC 8301 - Design & Analysis of Algorithms
CSC 8490 - Database Systems
CSC 8530 - Distributed Systems
CSC 9010 - Special Topics (with approval of the advisor)

MAT 7770 - Number Theory
MAT 8650 - Abstract Algebra

Concentration in Cyber-Physical and Control Systems Security

The graduate certificate in Cybersecurity with a Concentration in Cyber-Physical and Control Systems Security requires the following four courses, plus one elective from the security or elective course lists above:

ECE 8476 - Cryptography & Network Security
ECE 8484 - Cybersecurity Threats and Defense
ECE 8485 - Critical Infrastructure Control Systems Security
ECE 8498 - Designing and Securing Cyber-Physical Systems