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Graduate Certificate in Cyber Security
Course information for - 2025 entry
Domestic
- Domestic
- Domestic
Offered at 1 locations
- North Sydney
- North Sydney
- Duration
- 0.5 year full-time or equivalent part-time
- Fees (first year)*
- Start dates
-
Semester 1 intake: Beginning February 2025Applications open August 2024Midyear (Semester 2) intake: Beginning July 2025Applications open April 2025
This course is also available online .
The Graduate Certificate in Cyber Security is also an Exit Award from the Master of Information Technology.
Overview
Cyber security plays a vital role in our networked global infrastructure. This course covers the theoretical foundations and concepts needed to understand the security issues faced by network environments and the importance of data stewardship.
The industry and research-based projects offered by this Microsoft-certified (Microsoft Azure Data Fundamentals) program give you a global perspective and make you work-ready. All our units are embedded with the United Nations sustainable goals. This program is co-designed with CISCO Networking Academy and offers free access to CISCO NetAcad resources. You can use this graduate certificate as a pathway to further expand your knowledge by completing a Master of Information Technology. Units from this course can also count towards a cyber security specialisation in the MBA.
We also offer the course fully online so you can study anywhere, anytime to suit your schedule. ACU Online
Careers
Our graduates have pursued careers as:
- security software developer
- security consultant
- information security analyst
- IT security consultant
- security systems administrator
- network engineer
- cyber security manager
Industry partnerships
This program is co-designed with CISCO Networking Academy.
Microsoft certifications are embedded into this program.
Microsoft Certification helps you:
- Get recognised. Build confidence and be recognised as a leader, unlock new opportunities, and share your credentials with your professional network.
- Get ahead. Stay ahead of the curve, increase your productivity, and take your career to the next level.
- Get hired. Certified technical skills help you prepare for job opportunities by proving to employers you have the skills they want.
Course details
Course structure
To complete the Graduate Certificate in Cyber Security, a student must complete 40 credit points (cp).
Course map
Graduate statement
AQF framework
Entry requirements
An applicant must also comply with the Admission to Coursework Programs Policy.
To be eligible for admission to the course, an applicant must have completed the following prerequisites:
- Equivalent of an Australian Bachelor’s degree in any discipline; or
- At least two years’ industry experience in a relevant role.
International students need to meet the English Language Proficiency requirements as defined in the Admission to Coursework Programs Policy.
Disclaimer: The course entry requirements above are for 2025 Admission.
Applicants with higher education study
You will need to meet the minimum entry requirements and subject prerequisites for your chosen course.
If you have completed at least two units of AQF-recognised study at bachelor level or above, we’ll assign you with a new selection rank that reflects your study level, duration, and grade point average.
If your prior study or relevant work experience has provided you with knowledge, skills or experience aligned with the learning outcomes of units in your new course, you may be eligible to gain credit for study or have your prior learning recognised. This means you may be able to complete your ACU course in a shorter timeframe.
You can use our credit search tool to see what you might be eligible for. For more information about credit and recognition of prior learning at ACU, follow the link below.
Inherent requirement
There are essential components of a course or unit that demonstrate the capabilities, knowledge and skills to achieve the core learning outcomes of that course or unit. You will need to be able to meet these inherent requirements to complete your course.
Learn more about inherent requirements for your course and how they affect you
Pathways
Further study
The Graduate Certificate in Cyber Security articulates into the Master of Information Technology.
Fees
Course costs
*This is an indicative first-year fee based on the tuition fee rates for a full-time student, using unit enrolment data from domestic students who studied the course in the previous year.
A student’s annual fee will vary depending on factors including:
- Number of units studied per year
- Choice of major or specialisation
- Elective units
The University reviews fees annually.
You can view current course costs and domestic tuition fee rates by unit.
Payment options
You should be able to concentrate on getting good marks instead of worrying about how you’ll pay your fees. We have a number of options that can help you ease the financial burden, including government assistance, scholarships and income support.
Scholarships
You could be eligible for one of the hundreds of scholarships we award each year to help students from across the university with the cost of studying, accommodation or overseas study opportunities. Some of our scholarships are awarded on the basis of merit, but these aren’t just for the academically gifted; ACU also recognises excellence in community engagement and leadership. We also offer a range of scholarships for those who may be struggling financially or who have faced other barriers to accessing education.
How to apply
Domestic applicants
Deferment
Deferment is available for one year. Find out more about deferment.
Staff Profile
Dr Walayat Hussain
Head of Discipline of Information Technology, Peter Faber Business School.
Dr Walayat Hussain is currently the Head of the Discipline of Information Technology at Peter Faber Business School. He has an academic and industry experience of more than 17 years. Before joining the ACU, he was a Lecturer at Victoria University Melbourne, lecturer and a Post-doctoral Research Fellow at the University of Technology Sydney for seven years. He worked as an Assistant Professor and postgraduate program coordinator at the department of Computer Science at BUITEMS University for many years. He holds a PhD, Master, Postgraduate Diploma, and Bachelor's (Hons.) degrees in Computing and Information Systems from the UTS, AIT, BUITEMS, and Hamdard University.
Walayat has developed and revitalised multiple postgraduate and undergraduate subjects of Information Systems and has taught more than 30 subjects to undergraduate and postgraduate students. He has supervised several research students as the principal and co-supervisor to completion. Walayat's research areas are Service Computing, Business Intelligence, AI, Information Systems, Computational Intelligence, Machine Learning, and Decision Support Systems. He has contributed to theory and application and developed a new approach for making an optimal informed decision in complex systems. He has published more than 74 high-quality research documents.
Dr Kamanashis Biswas
Lecturer, Peter Faber Business School
Dr Kamanashis Biswas is a Lecturer in Information Technology at Peter Faber Business School. He is also an adjunct lecturer at School of ICT, Griffith University. Before starting his role at ACU, he worked as an Associate Lecturer at Griffith University for one and half years. He also worked as a faculty at Daffodil International University, Bangladesh for about four and half years. His research interests include blockchain technology, design and development of lightweight security protocols, energy efficient and secure routing, intrusion detection systems, security issues in MANETs and WSNs. He has published more than 50 peer reviewed papers in various journals and conferences including IEEE, ACM, Springer and Elsevier.