Advance your cybersecurity expertise—without pausing your career.
Portland State University’s Cybersecurity Graduate Certificate is designed for experienced technology professionals who want to step into security-focused roles or deepen their impact in their current positions. If you have a background in programming, systems, or IT, this certificate provides targeted, graduate‑level training that strengthens your technical edge and expands your career options.
Today’s organizations depend on cloud platforms, connected infrastructure, AI-enabled systems, and sensitive data environments. Cybersecurity is no longer a support function; it’s a strategic priority.
This program equips you with the practical skills to assess risk, protect critical systems, analyze vulnerabilities, and respond to emerging threats in complex computing environments.
This Program Is Ideal If You Want To:
- Transition from software development or IT into cybersecurity roles
- Strengthen your qualifications for security engineering, analyst, or risk-focused positions
- Gain graduate‑level security expertise without committing to a full master’s degree
- Increase your market value with a formal, recognized cybersecurity credential
- Stay embedded in the workforce while advancing your technical capabilities
This certificate delivers focused, high‑impact training designed for professionals ready to take the next step in cybersecurity.
Industry-connected. Research-driven. Professionally focused.
A Portland Advantage
Study cybersecurity in the heart of Oregon’s “Silicon Forest.” Portland’s technology ecosystem—spanning cloud services, healthcare systems, higher education, public agencies, and global software firms—creates a real-world laboratory for cybersecurity practice. The region’s demand for secure infrastructure and data protection makes your coursework immediately relevant to today’s organizational challenges.
Depth That Matters
This certificate emphasizes advanced security principles across software systems, cloud and web environments, networks, privacy-aware architectures, malware analysis, and digital investigations. You build technical expertise aligned with the capabilities employers expect in security engineering, analysis, and risk-focused roles.
Flexible and Career-Ready
Pursue the certificate as a standalone graduate credential designed to fit alongside full-time professional work. If you later choose to pursue a graduate degree, coursework may be applied in consultation with an advisor.
Part of a Nationally Recognized Cyber Community
Housed in the Maseeh College of Engineering and Computer Science and connected to the Mark O. Hatfield Cybersecurity & Cyber Defense Policy Center, PSU offers interdisciplinary expertise and ties to a national cybersecurity research network. Students benefit from faculty scholarship, industry engagement, and regional partnerships that extend beyond the classroom.
Careers with a graduate cybersecurity certificate can include roles that protect systems, secure networks, investigate threats, and reduce risk for organizations that depend on data. PSU’s certificate supports preparation for jobs in cybersecurity that require advanced computing knowledge and strong security judgment.
Roles may include:
- Information Security Analyst
- Security Engineer
- IT Security Consultant
- Cybersecurity Analyst
- Network Security Engineer
- Cloud Security Specialist
- Digital Forensics Analyst
- Malware Analyst
Students can apply cybersecurity skills in industries and settings such as:
- Technology companies and startups
- Healthcare organizations and hospitals
- Universities and education systems
- Cloud and web services
- Consulting firms
- Businesses that manage sensitive information
- Organizations with network, software, and data security needs
The certificate may also support graduate pathways. Students can pursue it on its own or in parallel with a Computer Science MS or PhD at PSU. Current and future graduate students should talk with an advisor to plan how the credential fits their academic goals.
What You’ll Study
Students in this cybersecurity certificate learn how to evaluate security risks, defend computing systems, protect cloud and web environments, analyze malicious software, investigate digital evidence, and design systems with privacy and security in mind.
The 21-credit curriculum includes two required core courses:
- CS 591 Introduction to Computer Security
- CS 595 Web and Cloud Security
Students also complete five elective courses from the approved cybersecurity course list or approved substitutes:
- CS 530 Internet, Web, and Cloud Systems
- CS 575 Generative Security Application Engineering
- CS 576 Computer Security Seminar
- CS 585 Cryptography
- CS 589 Introduction to Privacy Aware Computing
- CS 592 Malware Reverse Engineering
- CS 593 Digital Forensics
- CS 594 Internetworking Protocols
- CS 596 Network Security
- Any approved CS 510 course in Security
Through these courses, students build skills in:
- Computer security principles and practices
- Web and cloud security
- Network security and internetworking protocols
- Cryptography
- Malware reverse engineering
- Digital forensics
- Privacy-aware computing
- Security application engineering
- Responsible protection of sensitive data
Admissions
PSU welcomes students who are ready for graduate-level Computer Science coursework and want focused preparation in cybersecurity. The admissions path depends on whether you are a new applicant, a current PSU Computer Science graduate student, or a returning graduate student.
Prospective new students
- Apply through the graduate certificate application.
- Use this path if you want to pursue the certificate on its own.
- Confirm that you have the required prerequisite preparation before applying.
Current PSU Computer Science graduate students
- Current Computer Science MS and PhD students may add the certificate to their existing degree program.
- Submit the GO-19 form and select “Add” to include the certificate with your current graduate program.
- Students who want to move from their current graduate program into the standalone certificate should select “Transfer.”
- Requests to add or transfer to the certificate are reviewed and approved by the department.
Returning students with a Computer Science MS or PhD
- Returning students who already hold a Computer Science graduate degree may apply for the certificate as an additional credential.
- Courses used for the existing degree can also be reused to fulfill certificate requirements.
Prerequisites
To be ready for this graduate certificate, students need:
- Python programming proficiency, equivalent to CS 161 Intro to Programming and Problem Solving
- System programming and architecture proficiency, equivalent to CS 205 System Programming and Architecture
If you need prerequisite preparation
- You may complete the relevant PSU undergraduate courses before applying.
- These courses can be completed at PSU with postbaccalaureate admission status.
- Equivalent preparation may also be completed through approved community college courses.
- An advisor can help you confirm the best path before you apply.
Application timing
- The certificate offers Fall, Winter, and Spring start terms.
- Apply by the posted deadline for your intended start term.
- If you need prerequisite coursework, start planning early so you have time to prepare.
FAQ
Is the PSU cybersecurity certificate available online?
No. The listed delivery method is in person. Students should review term-specific course offerings and talk with an advisor about scheduling.
How long does it take to complete the certificate?
The certificate requires 21 graduate credits, including two core courses and five electives. Completion time depends on course load, course availability, and your academic plan.
What prerequisites do I need?
You need proficiency in Python programming, equivalent to CS 161, and system programming and architecture, equivalent to CS 205. If you need to build these skills, you can complete preparatory coursework before applying.
When is the application deadline?
Deadlines are based on your intended start term. The certificate offers Fall, Winter, and Spring starts, so choose your term, review the posted deadline, and allow time to confirm prerequisites.
Can I add this certificate to a Computer Science MS or PhD?
Yes. Current PSU Computer Science MS and PhD students may request to add the certificate to their degree program. Students should work with an advisor to understand how the certificate fits their plan.
Is this the same as a cybersecurity degree in Portland?
No. This is a graduate certificate, not a degree. Students comparing a cybersecurity degree in Portland with a shorter graduate credential can use PSU’s certificate to build focused cybersecurity expertise without completing a full master’s program.