Aligning Cybersecurity to the Business

Program Fast Facts

Next Program Entry:

Fall 2020

Duration:

As little as 5 months

Format:

Online/Hybrid

Cost:

Priority Rate (until two weeks before start date) – $4995
Standard rate – $5245
Corporate rate* –$4495

*Two or more participants from one organization. Contact us for more details.

Hours of instruction:

48 hours

Program Details

This certificate will provide the necessary skills needed to conduct risk assessments and be pro-active in preventing attacks, as well as teaching ways to ensure that cyber programs are compliant within industry standards for business. Aligning Cybersecurity to the Business will give you the tools you need to keep your company safe and secure.

Key Benefits

Experience a well-balanced combination of self-paced and live online modules allowing you to cover the majority of the program in your own time.
Meet and interact with instructors and fellow classmates during the live online modules and one in-person session.
Learn from industry practitioners and thought leaders in the trenches and on the frontier of cybersecurity strategy today.
Discuss key issues and build your personal network during CISO meet-and-greets.
Receive office toolkits with each course that include templates, lists, checklists, diagrams, maps, and more, to use and adapt for your office.
Meet your instructors, professors, fellow students, employers and SMU Cyber Advisory members in person at a Saturday workshop on the beautiful SMU campus in Dallas.

What Will You Learn?

How to align cybersecurity to business strategies and goals.
How to communicate cyber insights and initiatives across the business and C-suite.
How to measure and balance your cyber risk with your business needs.
How to develop and implement a comprehensive enterprise cyber-strategy.
How to conduct enterprise-wide cyber vulnerability and risk assessments.
To understand best practices of enterprise-wide cyber programs.
To develop and document a plan to integrate the cybersecurity ecosystem.
How to be proactive and prevent threats and attacks.
How to configure a comprehensive security solution.
How to develop and document cyber-policies using best practices.
How to formulate incident-response strategies and plans.
How to ensure your program is compliant with industry standards.

Who Should Attend?

Rising security talent ready to take the next step in their careers
CISOs who want to add a strategic leadership certificate to their qualifications
CIOs in charge of cyber programs and strategy
New CISOs and VPs of security-Internal and IT auditors
Risk Management professionals
Executives concerned with security integration
General counsel
IT professionals wanting to move into cyber-related fields

Entrance Requirements

This program is intended for people who already have prior experience in information security and cybersecurity.

Course Info and Schedule

Course Overview:

The certificate consists of seven (7) required courses that have a mixture of self-paced recorded modules that can be completed in any order and a scheduled sequence of live online meetings. You may complete the recorded modules at your own pace at any time that is convenient to you in as little as five months. The program concludes with an in-person, hands-on, capstone workshop on Communicating Cyber to Your Organization held at SMU on a Saturday. The workshop will be followed by a reception where you will be formally presented with your SMU certificate, providing you have completed all your requirements and assessments. You will not be required to attend in person, but it is strongly recommended that you do in order to complete the coursework. The event is an opportunity to meet your instructors, professors, fellow participants, corporate advisory group, and employers. Those who are unable to attend in person will still be required to conference in and complete the assessment, and their certificates will be delivered by mail.

This program also offers participants the opportunity to engage in live online CISO discussions on current security issues with industry leaders. These sessions are not required to complete your certificate but are strongly encouraged.

Aligning Cybersecurity with the Business is comprised of the following seven courses:

Align Cyber to the Business
Cyber Risk Assessment
Cybersecurity Frameworks and Compliance
Best Practices in Managing Cyber Operations
Cybersecurity Governance
Policy Development, Documentation and Implementation
Understanding Tools, Technologies and Solution Architectures

Tuition

Priority Rate (until two weeks before start date) – $4995
Standard rate – $5245
Corporate rate* – $4495

*Two or more participants from one organization. Contact us for more details.

Frequently Asked Questions

What skills do online learners need?

Most courses require a basic level of computer skills, including the ability to send and receive email, as well as conduct research on the Internet. If more advanced skills are required, they will be listed in the course description. If you are uncertain, we recommend that you discuss the skills required for a course with our admissions advisors.

How do students interact with instructors?

Through the duration of the course, students may interact with their instructor via email, or through the LMS (Canvas), and they will also receive personal feedback on their completed projects in Canvas from their instructors.

When it says the certificate is 48 hours long, does it mean I have to sit at my computer for 48 hours?

No, it means that the author of the course has stated that he or she expects you to be able to complete the course in 48 hours. This time frame may include homework, research, reading, or in some cases, additional development and reflection time.

Do I need an email account for my online course?

Yes, all students taking online courses must have an email account. Email accounts may be obtained by signing up for a free account through a free internet service provider, such as Gmail, Mail.com, Yahoo! Mail or Outlook.com.

What are the advantages to online learning?

With online learning, you can study from home or work. You can log on and off as often as you need to, and the course will pick up right where you left off. Lastly, the courses are web-based, so you can log on from any computer that has access to the internet.

What kind of certificate do I get when I have completed the course?

Once you have completed your required courses, a Certificate of Completion in Aligning Cybersecurity to the Business from Southern Methodist University will be awarded.

Whom do I contact if I have a problem with my course?

You can contact the instructor for course/content questions, and SMU helpdesk if they need help with technical/Canvas malfunctions or something not working in the system.

If I have questions about a course, whom can I contact?

Talk to a Program Advisor at online@smu.edu or 214-768-1184.

What if I need to suspend my attendance, cancel my registration or withdraw?

For students paying via self-pay: SMU PRO Certificate program enrollment is final as of three (3) business days after enrollment and programs are intended to be successfully completed in full. If you wish to withdraw from a course within 3 days of enrollment you will receive a refund minus the cost of any completed course work. If applicable, any shipped materials must be returned in new condition, at your own expense, prior to the refund being processed. The cost of items not returned or returned in used condition shall be deducted from the refund amount. After the 3-day grace period, withdrawal from the programs or not completing the program forfeits your tuition costs. We do not provide any prorated refunds or credits for partial certificate program completion.

I am located in a country outside of the United States and would like to register for a course. What do I do?

As this class has an in-person, on campus (SMU) component this full certificate is not open to international students. The certificate is offered in a modular format, students may choose to register in the first online component only, but will not receive the certificate of completion.

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