
Graduate Certificate Programs
on the Cutting Edge of Cybersecurity
Strengthen essential technical knowledge and skills.
The SANS Technology Institute's graduate certificate programs in cyber security offer short, technically focused sets of courses that sharpen job-specific skills and keep your knowledge current. These cybersecurity certificates provide you with:
- A respected credential from the world leader in cybersecurity education
- Continually updated courses taught by rock stars of cybersecurity
- Industry-recognized GIAC certifications earned as you complete the program
- Support from a dedicated student advisor
- Access to a powerful alumni network
- SANS.edu academic pricing for SANS cybersecurity courses and GIAC exams
The Cybersecurity Engineering (Core) certificate – designed for IT and InfoSec professionals who want to develop a technical base in cybersecurity skills – includes the three technical courses at the core of the master's degree program. The other graduate certificate programs – Cloud Security, Cyber Defense Operations, Incident Response, Industrial Control Systems Security, Penetration Testing and Ethical Hacking, and Purple Team Operations – are for working InfoSec professionals who already have an established technical base and seek to deepen their capabilities and become leaders in critical, specialized areas of cybersecurity.
Applications are accepted monthly. Learn more.
Join Us for a Free Online Info Session Overview of SANS.edu Graduate Programs Saturday, March 6, 1:00 pm (ET) Register here.
Cybersecurity Management Graduate Certificate Featuring SANS Faculty Fellows Dave Hoelzer and Frank Kim Thursday, March 11, 4:00 pm (ET) Register here.
The SANS Technology Institute Advantage
Online and In-Person Study Options
- Choose from a variety of online and in-person course delivery options. A 100% online option is available.
Flexibility for Working Professionals
- Monthly admissions windows mean you can start on your schedule and earn the graduate cyber security certificate in roughly two years.
Credentials that Showcase Your Skills
- Earn industry-recognized GIAC certifications that validate your skill set in specialized areas of InfoSec.
World-class Faculty
- Learn skills you can use immediately on the job from some of the world's best cybersecurity instructor-practitioners.
Pathway to a Master's Degree
- Credits earned in the graduate cybersecurity certificate programs may be applied directly toward the master's degree program should you later apply and be accepted.
Cloud Security
Prepare to navigate your organization through the security challenges and opportunities presented by cloud services, and identify the risks of services offered by CSPs.
Cybersecurity Engineering (Core)
Complete 3 foundational information security courses (or the "Core") of the master's degree curriculum and choose an elective course to begin developing advanced skills in a specific area of InfoSec.
Learn more about the graduate certificate in Cybersecurity Engineering
Cybersecurity Management
Prepare to design, deploy, and manage enterprise information security environments – and effectively lead cybersecurity teams.
Learn more about the graduate certificate in Cybersecurity Management
Cyber Defense Operations
Master the applied technologies and operational techniques needed to defend and secure information assets and business systems at an organization.
Learn more about the graduate certificate in Cyber Defense Operations
Incident Response
Sharpen your skills to manage both a computer and network-based forensics investigation as well as the appropriate incident responses.
Learn more about the graduate certificate in Incident Response
Industrial Control Systems Security
Gain hands-on experience in the applied technologies used to defend and secure industrial control systems, operations technology, and cyber-physical systems.
Learn more about the graduate certificate in Industrial Control Systems Security
Penetration Testing and Ethical Hacking
Develop your ability to discover, analyze, and understand the implications of information security vulnerabilities in systems, networks, and applications in order to identify solutions before others exploit these flaws.
Learn more about the graduate certificate in Penetration Testing
Purple Team Operations
Learn to integrate the concepts, skills, and technologies used by blue teams (digital defenders) and red teams (digital attackers), to lead purple teams in increasingly sophisticated ways.
Learn more about the graduate certificate in Purple Team Operations

Success Stories
Video gaming was the start of what would lead to Jeff Sass's decades-long career at Adobe.
Discover why he chose to pursue 3 graduate certificates at SANS.edu — and how the experience helped him win a promotion to manager.
Read Jeff’s story and other SANS.edu profiles here.
Questions?
We're happy to help.
Email info@sans.edu or call (301) 241-7665.