Summer 2022: Accelerated Online Certificate Programs in Cybersecurity and Software Development

The North Dakota University System (NDUS) Dakota Digital Academy (DDA) is coordinating accelerated timeframe Certificate Programs in Cybersecurity and Software Development beginning in Summer 2022. A certificate program is a set of courses in a focused area of particular interest and importance.

Online Software Development Certificate

The online software Development Certificate prepares the learner for an entry level position in the workforce. Students learn a suite of applicable skills, such as coding, debugging, testing, maintenance, web application development, mobile device application development, database concepts, database design, and social and ethical issues.

Online Cybersecurity Certificate

The online cybersecurity Certificate prepares the learner for an entry level position in the workforce. Students learn a range of applicable skills, including Principles of information security, programming, networking, cloud security, incident response, disaster recovery, ethical hacking, social and ethical issues.

Summer 2022 Online Course Offering

The 13 courses listed in the tables below are offered fully online during the summer of 2022. A certificate program requires 15-18 credits. To complete a certificate program in the accelerated timeframe, a student could take up to four courses for up to 14 credits during the summer of 2022 and follow with an additional course and industry experience such as an internship, apprenticeship, or capstone during the fall semester. The certificate program would then be completed in a total duration of seven months.

Six-week summer session, May 17 – June 24

Online courses that fit with Cybersecurity or Software Development certificates

* 05/30/2022 – 07/29/2022
** 06/06/2022 – 07/29/2022

Six-week summer session, June 28 – August 5

Online courses that fit with Cybersecurity or Software Development certificates

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The benefits of a Certificate

A certificate is a short path to earn a credential in a specific field or skill. This pathway is especially suited to a student who is already in a degree program or has earned a degree and wishes to add an additional credential, regardless of the major study. It’s also a pathway for someone who has never been in college or has some previous college courses. And finally, it’s an ideal situation for someone who is currently in the workplace and wishes to add to current job skills.

Online, Stackable and Transferable

The certificate programs are fully stackable and can be built into Associate’s or Bachelor’s level degrees. Collaboration and transfer course agreements are in place so that learners who enroll in a certificate program at any institution in the system can mix and match courses across institutions and be assured that they will count toward the certificate. This kind of flexibility helps to accelerate timeframes needed to complete a certificate, and is a major goal of the DDA.


Applicants for a certificate program should either already be an admitted or active student at a NDUS institution or a tribal college, a previous graduate, or hold a high school diploma or a GED. Admission decisions take place at the individual institutions and applicants are evaluated on a case-by-case basis.

Credentials are Documented

The courses taught in the programs are taught online by established and accomplished university and college faculty members from the university system or the tribal colleges. Certificates are awarded by individual institutions, ensuring that the credentials earned are fully vetted. Some courses can be taken online through other institutions and count for the program through articulation. Completed certificates appear on a student’s transcript, providing a documented credential. These certificates should not be confused with professional certifications or other credentials awarded by bodies outside of North Dakota universities and colleges. It is, however, the case that certain courses in the certificate programs are good preparation for specific professional certification exams.

Collaborative Certificate Programs at the Institutions

Cybersecurity Certificates

Cybersecurity Fundamentals Certificate. 16 credits. CIS 140-Cybersecurity Foundation, CIS 141-Network Security Fundamentals, CIS 142-Cloud Security Fundamentals, CIS 143-Security Operations Fundamentals, Pick 1 (CIS 164-Networking Fundamentals, CIS 197 Cooperative Education/Internship).

Security and Hacking. 16-18 credits. CIS 107-Linux Fundamentals, CIS 147-Principles of Information Security, CIS 255-Computer and Network Security, CIS 274-Cybersecurity Operations, CIS 282-Ethical Hacking and Network Defense, CIS 197-Cooperative Education/Internship

Offensive and Defensive Security. 16-18 credits.
CIS 241-Digital Forensics, Fundamentals, CIT 367-Cybersecurity Infrastructure Configuration, CIT 368-Cybersecurity Prevention & Countermeasures, CIT 470-Penetration Testing, CIT 475-Emerging Threats and Defenses, CIT 397- Cooperative Education/Internship

Title: Modern Computing Technologies. 16-18
credits. CIS 226-Linux Network and Security Administration, ,CIT 320-Disaster Recovery & Incident Response, CIT 330-Virtualization, CIT 410-Wireless Networking and Mobile Security, CIT 430-Cloud Computing & Security, CIT 397-Cooperative Education/Internship.

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Title: Cyber Security. 15 credits. CIS 142-Ethical Hacking & Network Defense, CIS 147- Principles of Information Security, CIS 241-Introduction to Digital Forensics, CIS 255-Computer and Network Security, CIS 284-Incident Response and Disaster Recovery.

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MiSU – Information Assurance. 18 credits. BIT 120 – Introduction to Cybersecurity, BIT 185 – Technology Management, BIT 258 – IT Infrastructure, BIT 244 – IT Security & Information Assurance, BIT 445 – IT Audit Controls, CJ 364   – Cybercrimes

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Cybersecurity certificate. 18 credits. CIS 147-Principles of Information Security, one of (SE 110-Discovering Computing, CSCI 127-Introduction to Programming in Java, CSCI 160-Introduction to Structured Programming I, CSCI 161-Introduction to Structured Programming II), CIS 164-Networking Fundamentals I, SE 379-Social Implications of Computers, CIS 142-Ethical Hacking & Network Defense, one of (SE 480-Capstone, SE 497- Internship).

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Cybersecurity Certificate. 15 credits. CIS 128 – Microcomputer Hardware I, CIS 164 – Fundamentals of Networking I, CIS141 – Fundamentals of Cybersecurity (Leads to CompTIA’s Security + Cert.), CIS 142 – Ethical Hacking, CIS 171 – Python Programming.

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Software Development Certificates

Secure Programming. 16 credits. CIS 185-Introduction to Programming (Python), CSCI 160-Computer Science I (Java), CIS 204-Database Design and Structured Query Language (SQL), CIT 450-Database and Web Application Security, CIT 381-IT Project Management.

Mobile Application Development. 18 credits. CIS 154-Web Design Theory, CIS 185-Introduction to Programming, CIS 186-Mobile Application I (Mac computer required), CIS 187-Mobile Application II, CIS 204-Database Design and Structured Query Language (SQL), CIS 250-Advanced Web Design.

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Web Design Certificate. 15 credits. CIS 180- Creating Web Pages I, CIS 181-Creating Web Pages II, CIS 211-Website Plan & Design, CIS 232-Graphic Design, CIS 233-Vector Images/Web Animation.

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MiSU  – Web Development. 15 credits. BIT 235-Introduction to Web Site Design, BIT 258 – IT Infrastructure, BIT 454 – Data and Information Management, BIT 455 – E-Commerce, ART 112- Print, Web and Social Media Graphics.

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Software Coding Certificate. 18 credits. CIS 180-HTML and CSS, CSCI 133-Database Concepts, CSCI 134-Database Design and Management, CSCI 162-Web Application Programming, CSCI 230-Web Database I (ASP/PHP), General Education Elective.

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Software Development Certificate. 18 credits. CSCI 160-Introduction to Structured Programming I, CSCI 161-Introduction to Structured Programming II, Pick 2 (SE 201-Introduction to Software Engineering, SE 211-Software Construction, SE 311-Software Design and Architecture, SE-380 Systems Analysis and Design), Pick 1 (SE 212-Software Engineering Approach to Human Computer Interaction, SE 370-Computer Organization & Systems, SE 376-Embedded Systems, SE 385-Database Theory/Design), Pick 1 (SE 480-Capstone, SE 497-Internship).

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