Cyber Operations Infrastructure

Cyber Operations Infrastructure

 

The Cyber Operations Infrastructure certificate is a graduate-level, non-degree program designed to enable DoD and U.S. Government personnel to differentiate the various components of the infrastructure underpinning cyber operations for its effective use in all aspects of cyber operations.

The objective of the program is to prepare students to deploy cyber-specific assets appropriately within the DoD cyber infrastructure. Students will be able to assess how differing elements of the underlying cyber infrastructures impact cyber operations. Students will learn about the communications systems that support cyber operations and will be able to choose communications modes most suitable for a given cyber mission. They will be able to develop information usage strategies across distributed platforms and will be able to adapt their choices based upon the capabilities of these data-centric systems. They will be able to evaluate the benefits and weaknesses of infrastructure-dependent choices and will be able to integrate these choices in cyber mission planning. Students will be able to develop strategies for cyber operations in contested situations based upon their understanding of the infrastructure.

The program consists of four courses to be taken over a minimum of a one-year period. A TS/SCI clearance is required for this certificate.

 

How It Works:

The Cyber Operations Infrastructure certificate (Curriculum: 227 DL / 228 Res) is a graduate-level, non-degree program in hands-on cyber operations.

As distance learning, the program is typically taken over a three-quarter period: one course per quarter.

The Cyber Operations Infrastructure certificate can be combined with the Applied Cyber Operations certificate to create a resident program that is a minimum of two quarters in duration. This Applied Cyber Operations certificate program may be applicable toward a Master's degree in Cyber Systems and Operations, Curriculum 326.

Download the Cyber Studies: Graduate Certificates for Non-Resident Students overview for details about each of our certificate offerings. For additional questions pertaining to the Cyber Operations Infrastructure graduate certificate, please email: cyberapps@nps.edu

Application Procedures:

This program is for U.S. Government civilians and military personnel.

Employees of certain Federal contractors may be eligible for the program.  Please contact the certificate program for details.

Currently the Cyber Operations Infrastructure certificate is offered on a cohort basis and all applicants must be members of funded cohorts. We work with cohort sponsors who determine the members of each cohort. After your sponsor has selected you for the program, you must complete the admissions process.

Apply online here: http://nps.edu/Academics/Admissions/ApplyOnline/ApplyNow.html

Required

  • CY4400 Cyber Mission Planning

Any three of the following

  • CY4600  Network Operations in a Contested Environment
  • CY3300 Cyber Communications Architectures
  • EC3710 Cyber Network and Physical Infrastructures
  • CY3650 Cyber Data Management and Analytics
  • CS3670 Secure Management of Systems
  • EC3760 Information Operations Systems

 

Details for these classes are found on the academic catalog here. 

 

We advise working with the Program Manager for the certificate when selecting course options. Certain courses may be more appropriate for a particular set of students. In addition, course availability is a function of several factors, which vary from quarter to quarter.

The total number of NPS graduate credits obtained for the certificate is 15, where laboratory credits are counted as half.

Costs:

Program costs are based upon a cohort mode.  

  • The cost for a 20 student cohort tuition is $64,000.
  • The cost for a 25 student cohort tuition is $80,000
  • A three-course cohort of 25 students is $240,000.

Tuition for DL classes is $3,200 per student per class.

If books are required they will result in additional costs.

*NPS tuition rates are subject to change.

Prerequisites:

The following are expectations for students entering this program:

  • A baccalaureate degree is required.
  • Recent completion, viz. within the past 5 years, of courses in computer and network security, computer and communications networks. Students lacking these prerequisites may be acceptable to the program through their undergraduate records and other indicators of success.
  • An Academic Profile Code (APC) of 334 is required.
  • Command or company endorsement 
  • TS/SCI clearance