Cybersecurity Bootcamp

Whether you need beginner-level courses or an immersive way to update your current tech skills, our bootcamp delivers an expansive but detailed introduction to the field using UChicago’s innovative approach to online education.

In four phases of project-based learning, you will:

• Gain an understanding of complex cybersecurity concepts like risk mitigation, data analysis, and forensics, as well as network security measures and the tools used to implement them.
• Apply the practical, technical, and theoretical skills used in the cyber sector.
• Study and gain skills applicable to the following certifications*:
  
  • CompTIA CySA+
  • CompTIA Network+
  • CompTIA Security+
  • (ISC)2 SSCP**
  • AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner
  • LPI Linux Essentials

* This program is not a certification test preparation program. Certification exams are not conducted as part of the curriculum and require an additional fee.

** Learners must have a minimum of one year of cumulative work experience in one or more of the seven domains of the SSCP Common Body of Knowledge (CBK) in order to be certified.

4-week introductory Cybersecurity course

We offer a stand-alone Introductory Course to let you make an informed decision about enrolling in the University of Chicago Cybersecurity Bootcamp. Test-drive the structure and pacing of our program while learning cybersecurity fundamentals and receiving one-on-one attention from our expert instructors. At the end of the course, you take a summary exam to assess your skills and determine if the cybersecurity field is right for you.

Our bootcamp comes equipped with a dedicated career services team to provide interview coaching, job-placement assistance, resume and LinkedIn help, access to hiring partners, and more. Throughout the program, you can schedule one-on-one coaching sessions designed to evolve your personal brand as you increase your skills. Upon completion of the bootcamp, our career services team will help you pinpoint the best roles for your unique goals and help you in your job search.

The Cybersecurity Bootcamp is divided into four phases. All students begin with the Introductory Course where they are introduced to networking and network security fundamentals, security on Linux and Microsoft platforms, offensive security, threats and threat actors, and more. If you wish to further develop your knowledge, you will move on to the full bootcamp which covers three phases: Fundamentals, Cybersecurity Infrastructure, and Advanced Cybersecurity. Each phase of the bootcamp is broken down into comprehensive lessons.

• Learning Format: Live-Online Classes, Held on Evenings and Weekends
• Program Duration: 10 Months | 4 Week Introductory Course | 44-Week full bootcamp program
• Tuition: We enroll our students in an introductory course for $180. If you decide to continue with the full, twelve-course program, your tuition will be an additional $17,800, or $17,980 in total.

A significant challenge faced by companies today is finding qualified professionals to fill open cybersecurity positions. Industries across the private sector, government agencies, and infrastructure are all in need of employees skilled in securing data and preventing breaches.

In fact, the overall U.S. tech sector workforce is expected to grow at twice the rate of the rest of the national labor market, with cybersecurity projected as the second-fastest growing employment sector.

Our part-time, online program features a research-backed curriculum designed to open the door to multiple career options, including:

• Cyber Network Defender: Test, implement, and deploy infrastructure-related hardware and software while responding to crisis situations and reducing potential threats. 
• Cybersecurity Analyst: Stay one step ahead of cyberattacks. Monitor systems to prevent data breaches and be quick on your feet to secure systems in the event of one.
• IT Security Manager: Be the gatekeeper of an organization’s IT infrastructure. Monitor, maintain, and implement security tools and protocols.
• Network Security Administrator: Eliminate threats and secure any weaknesses with protection strategies that ensure network-wide security.
• Network Operations Center (NOC) Technician: Proactively monitor critical network elements and maintain a company’s technical infrastructure. 
• Security Operations Center (SOC) Analyst: Stop system-wide threats, assess safety measures, and determine ways to improve overall security. 
• Vulnerability Assessment Analyst: Proactively identify vulnerabilities within applications and systems to stop future attacks.