Cyber Security (Post-graduate) 1-Year

Gain the knowledge and in-demand skills needed to become an industry-ready IT security professional. Graduates of this one-year post-graduate program will be equipped to help organizations prevent fraud, data breaches and other vulnerabilities.

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Home / Learn / Programs List / Cyber Security (Post-graduate) 1-Year

Credential

Ontario College Graduate Certificate

Duration

Two semesters

Start Date(s)

September (Fall)

Locations

Belleville

Open to

International Students

Domestic Students

CIP Code

11.1003

Find your career

The demand for cyber security professionals continues to rise as businesses and organizations increasingly rely on digital technologies and face growing cyber threats. Graduates find careers working in a range of sectors, including computer systems design, health care organizations, technology companies, financial institutions, public administration and government agencies.

Graduate from this one-year program with an in-depth understanding of various aspects of cyber security, including:

Security
Threat and risk analysis
Risk management
Programming
Cryptography
Cyber and digital forensics
Investigation
Cloud security
Ethical hacking
Penetration testing
Incident response techniques
Information assurance
Artificial Intelligence (AI) for cyber security

The faculty helped me through one-on-one mentorship, academic advising, and career guidance, they have always been there to help me navigate challenges and achieve my goals.

Michael, Cyber Security

How you'll learn

Engage in hands-on exercises, lab work, and real-world simulations to develop practical skills in protecting computer systems, networks and data from cyber threats:

Learn how to develop, implement and evaluate cyber security solutions to protect organizations from internal and external threats.
Practise assessing defensive programming and cyber security strategies, and gain experience recommending security controls for the effective maintenance and deployment of cyber security solutions to protect systems and information.
Acquire skills for designing and implementing cyber security polices and strategies using project management principles.
Develop strategies for optimizing the effectiveness of the information security in a business environment through risk mitigation and information systems auditing.
Explore designing and implementing vulnerability assessment procedures to identify and solve existing network security issues.
Learn about legal and regulatory issues related to cyber security, as well as strategies for incident response and recovery.

While completing this program, students will have the opportunity to independently acquire in-demand industry certifications concurrently with their studies (certification cost not included in fees).

Some instruction may be delivered in an online format, requiring students to have access to a computer for online attendance.

Courses

CYSE2003 AI for Smarter Cyber-Security

Apply artificial intelligence (AI) for the development of intelligent security systems to automatically detect and prevent cyber attacks.

CYSE2004 Cyber-Security Incident Response

Learners effectively identify and respond to cybersecurity incidents in controlled environments. The phases of incident response and plans to contain and mitigate are areas of focus. Students assess the interprofessional collaboration that is required in response to threats or attacks, with emphasis on current trends and best practices. Learners examine disaster recovery by applying structured methods for restoring systems, data and operations after an incident. They also evaluate business continuity requirements by designing strategies that maintain essential services, minimize downtime and support organizational resilience during and after disruption.

CYSE1004 Cyber-Security Principles and Best Practices

Learners explore the core principles of cyber security and apply best practices to protect systems and data by examining the concepts of confidentiality, integrity and availability (CIA) to inform the foundation of secure systems. Through hands-on activities, learners identify common threats and vulnerabilities, recommend hardware and software controls, and configure security devices and services such as firewalls, access control lists, intrusion detection and prevention systems, and encryption tools. Learners investigate how to integrate hardware, software, and services to design enterprise-level security solutions that meet organizational needs.

CYSE2000 Ethical Hacking and Penetration Testing

Learn about the concepts of ethical hacking and penetration testing to enable understanding of a hacker's mindset to better protect networks.

CYSE1001 Information Security Fundamentals

Learners deploy and manage computer networks and data communication systems, gaining practical experience in designing and securing networked environments. Learners analyze and implement the Governance and Risk components of the GRC (Governance, Risk, and Compliance) model, establishing policies, procedures and strategies to mitigate threats and protect information assets. Emphasis is placed on developing analytical thinking, integrating technical and organizational security measures and applying core information security principles in practical contexts.

CYSE1002 Introduction to Computer Programming

Learners use coding to build a strong foundation in computer programming by exploring essential concepts, terminology and techniques to design, implement and test console-based applications. Learners work with an interactive shell, perform input/output operations and use key features such as literals, comments, data types and functions. An introduction to variable scope, function parameters and basic data structures and algorithms help learners design efficient and reliable programs.

CYSE1010 AI Trends and Quantum Computing

Learners investigate Artificial Intelligence (AI) as an emerging source of cybersecurity risk including analysis of adversarial machine learning, vulnerabilities in Large Language Models (LLMs) and AI-enabled threats including automated malware, deepfakes and identity fraud. Learners apply industry-relevant frameworks to detect and mitigate AI-driven attacks. Learners are introduced to core quantum-computing concepts and their implications for encryption and secure communication. Learners complete an applied project that integrates AI-based threat analysis with future-focused security considerations. Prerequisite: CYSE 1002

CYSE1012 Capstone Project

Learners complete a comprehensive capstone project requiring the execution of the full project lifecycle within a cybersecurity context. Beginning with ideation and requirements analysis, learners progress through detailed project planning, documentation and risk assessment. Learners design and develop secure solutions, conduct rigorous testing and validation and implement projects in a controlled environment to ensure compliance with security best practices. The experience concludes with a formal presentation and a structured self-assessment, emphasizing technical proficiency, project management and reflective analysis of design decisions and security considerations. Co-requisite: CYSE 1011

CYSE1007 Cloud Security

Learners investigate how to secure cloud environments by exploring the fundamentals of cloud architecture and applying best practices for risk management and threat mitigation. Learners develop skills to protect infrastructure, applications, services and users in the cloud while ensuring the security and privacy of data. Through hands-on activities, security controls are configured, risks are managed and techniques are implemented to safeguard cloud-based systems against evolving cyber threats.

CYSE1011 Sector Specific Cyber-Security Mitigation and Response

Prerequisite: CYSE 1004, CYSE 2004 Co-requisite: CYSE 1012

CYSE1009 Wireless Communication and Mobile Security

Learners build advanced skills in wireless technologies with a strong focus on security and mobile access. The course examines wireless security vulnerabilities and risks while applying industry-accepted practices to secure wireless networks. Practical experience is provided through WLAN design, maintenance, troubleshooting and remote wireless access, enabling learners to configure and monitor wireless infrastructure effectively. Additionally, learners develop the ability to design network security policies that reduce risks and protect against attacks, while implementing tools and techniques to detect vulnerabilities and maintain secure mobile environments.

CYSE1008 eCommerce and Web Security

Learners identify common security issues with emphasis on the detection of cross origin policy attacks, the use of authentication techniques and best practices, threat and countermeasure identification and other web application security improvements. Learners assess defense strategies and the requirement for proactive and robust frameworks. Emerging web application security issues and technologies are analyzed in ensuring secure applications, frameworks and browsers.

*Courses subject to change.

Three people wearing lanyards and business attire stand behind servers looking at a tablet. Green graphic circles are in the lower lefthand corner of the image.

Admission Requirements

Required academic preparation

A diploma or degree in Information Technology from a recognized college or university or equivalent.

All teaching within Loyalist is conducted in English. In order to be successful in a program, skills such as communication, listening comprehension, and reading and writing must be at a level sufficient to meet the demands of post-secondary studies. All applicants to Loyalist whose first language is not English, or whose previous education was in another language, will be expected to provide an English proficiency assessment for admissions approval. Details about language and general admission requirements are available here.

This program may also be paired with the one-year Artificial Intelligence and Data Science (Post-graduate) for a two-year learning experience focusing on Cyber Security and Artificial Intelligence.

Costs

Approximate costs (2025 – 26, two semesters at full-time student status)*

Domestic Tuition: $2,722.08
Full-Time Ancillary Fees: $1,595.26
Total: $4,317.34

Additional student-purchased costs may include textbooks, supplies, software, and other resources. Additional expenses related to off-campus experiential learning activities may also be incurred.

*All fees are subject to change. Fees for programs shorter or longer than two semesters will be adjusted accordingly. In addition to the costs listed above, some programs also have program ancillary fees based on their specific requirements. For a detailed breakdown of tuition and ancillary fees – including any program-specific charges – please visit the Tuition and fee schedule 2025–26.

Paying for college

At Loyalist College, we believe that cost should never be a barrier to your success. We’re here to help you navigate the costs of college and connect you with a variety of financial aid programs, resources and donor-supported awards. Explore paying for college.

Approximate costs (2025 – 26, two semesters at full-time student status)*

International Tuition: $15,900
Full-Time Ancillary Fees: $1,595.26
Mandatory Health Insurance: $659
Total: $17,254.26

Additional student-purchased costs may include textbooks, supplies, software, and other resources. Additional expenses related to off-campus experiential learning activities may also be incurred.

Paying for college

Industry certifications

Certification Pathways

As a graduate of Loyalist’s full-time Cyber Security post-graduate program, you may be eligible to advance your profession through the following certification pathways:

CompTIA Security+
Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA) Cyber Security
Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH), Ethical Hacking and Penetration Testing
Certified Associate in Python Programming (PCAP)

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