Graduate Certificate in Cybersecurity

Who can apply?

Candidates for this certificate must hold a bachelor's degree from an accredited academic institution. Students with non-technical backgrounds are welcome to apply.

Designed for working professionals in industries including information technology, business, criminal justice and more, the graduate certificate program welcomes both non-University students as well as students enrolled in master's or doctoral degree programs at the University.

How to Apply

Currently enrolled University students should complete the declaration of certificate form on the Graduate School website.

Students who are not currently enrolled in the University may apply for admission online. More information on the application process and admission requirements are available on the Graduate School website.

Students with questions can contact Dr. Shamik Sengupta at ssengupta@unr.edu.

How much does the program cost?

Students enrolled in the certificate program pay University of Nevada, Reno tuition and fees, which vary depending on residency. Up-to-date tuition and fee information is available online and you can use the University's cost calculator to estimate your total tuition and fees.

Additional fees may apply, including a differential fee for the Computer Science & Engineering course and a graduation fee during your final semester of the program. 

The University offers a payment plan allowing students to spread their costs over three equal installments. You can learn more about the payment plan on the Cashier's Office website.

Cybersecurity is a rapidly growing field, and a lack of qualified professionals means job prospects should be be excellent for individuals with cybersecurity training. A 2017 report by consulting firm Frost & Sullivan projects an estimated shortfall of 1.8 million cybersecurity professionals by 2022.

The same report found that many cybersecurity workers came from non-technical backgrounds, including business, marketing or military backgrounds. An interdisciplinary education in cybersecurity can help individuals from a wide range of backgrounds transition into the growing field of cybersecurity.

The diversity of available cybersecurity jobs, which range from  technical architecture to risk assessment and incident response to auditor or compliance manager, means individuals capable of working on multidisciplinary teams should bring valuable skills to a cybersecurity jobs. 

Cybersecurity jobs also generally pay well, with a median annual wage of $92,600 for information security analysts, according to 2016 data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.