University of New South Wales
Graduate Certificate in Cyber Security Leadership
- Delivery: Online
- Study Level: Postgraduate
- Duration: 16 months
- Course Type: Graduate Certificate
Develop a solid understanding of key cybersecurity concepts to enhance your skills and expand your career opportunities.
Course overview
The Graduate Certificate in Cyber Security Leadership at UNSW Canberra empowers professionals with the specialised knowledge to balance security and productivity, lead teams effectively and make informed decisions in complex environments. Developed by cybersecurity experts, this program offers a solid grounding in cyber security fundamentals, ethical risk management and high-stakes communication strategies.
You’ll learn to navigate cyber security policy, governance and the broader impacts of security challenges on modern organisations. The program is ideal for leaders, managers and professionals seeking to enter cyber security, upskill to progress in their careers and unlock wider job opportunities.
Key facts
What you will study
To earn the Graduate Certificate in Cyber Security Leadership, students will complete 24 Units of Credit (UOC) or four courses.
Core courses
- Foundations of Organisational Cyber Security
- Cyber Security Governance, Risk and Compliance
- Cyber Security Data Governance and Privacy
- Cyber Security Leadership and Strategy
Entry requirements
To gain entry into the Graduate Certificate in Cyber Security Leadership, an applicant must meet one of the following entry requirements:
- Completion of a bachelor's degree with honours in the same or a related discipline from a recognised institution.
- Completion of a graduate diploma or graduate certificate in the same or a related discipline from a recognised institution.
- Completion of a bachelor's degree in the same or a related discipline from a recognised institution and completion of at least three years of relevant full-time professional experience.
- Completion of a bachelor's degree in a non-related discipline and completion of at least four years of relevant full-time professional experience.
Related Discipline/s: Management, IT and Business.
English language requirements
You may be asked to provide evidence of your English proficiency to study at UNSW depending on your educational background and citizenship. English language skills are vitally important for coping with lectures, tutorials, assignments and examinations. This is why UNSW requires a minimum level of English language competency for enrolment.
If you’re completing an Australian Year 12 qualification (e.g. NSW HSC or equivalent), you do not need to provide anything extra to prove your proficiency. Your qualification will be used as evidence of your English proficiency.
If you do need to provide evidence of your English proficiency, this will be indicated in your application. You can prove this by providing evidence that you meet one or more of the following criteria:
- English language tests and university English courses.
- Prior study in the medium of English.
- Other qualifications.
Recognition of Prior Learning
If you gain entry into a program at UNSW, you may be eligible for credit for courses (subjects) studied at another institution. Contact the university for more information.
Outcomes
Career outcomes
Potential roles include:
- Cyber security advisor
- Cyber security consultant
- Cyber security policy writer
- Data protection officer
- Digital risk manager
- Governance, risk and compliance (GRC) specialist
- Head of cyber security
- Information security manager
- IT security project manager
- Security awareness training manager
- Security operations centre (SOC) manager
- Threat intelligence analyst
Learning outcomes
- Demonstrate foundational skills and understanding of the current and future state of cyber security.
- Possess a comprehensive and globally informed understanding of the field of cyber security, including ethical considerations, current challenges and the history of its development.
- Analyse and apply critical thinking and problem-solving skills to issues in cyber security.
- Assess the business and leadership aspects of the current and future state of cyber security.
- Communicate effectively with diverse audiences to drive change, foster culture and lead in large organisations, demonstrating independent and collaborative inquiry skills.
Fees and FEE-HELP
Indicative total fee in 2025: $19,500 (domestic full-fee paying place)
The indicative total fee is based on a study load of four courses.
A student’s annual fee may vary in accordance with:
- The number of courses studied per term.
- The choice of major or specialisation.
- Choice of courses.
- Credit from previous study or work experience.
- Eligibility for government-funded loans.
Student fees shown are subject to change. Contact the university directly to confirm.
FEE-HELP loans are available to assist eligible full-fee paying domestic students with the cost of a university course.