Naval Postgraduate School – Distance Learning – Certificate Programs – Starting April 2024

Posted on January 20, 2024 Updated on January 13, 2024

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1. This message announces the application procedures for the Naval Postgraduate School April 2024 distance learning Certificate Programs (curriculum 121, 128, 192, 196, 198, 206, 208, 225, 231, 235, 236, 238, 244, 256, 258, 260, 273, 274, 281, 288, 292, 293, 294, 295, 296, 298, 299).

2. Context:

a. The certificate programs are typically comprised of four courses. Upon successful completion of the course work, students will be awarded a certificate of completion in keeping with the standard practices of the Naval Postgraduate School as well as a subspecialty code (Navy Officers only, dependent on program of choice) if applicable.

b. The certificate program supports Navy and DoD defense educational needs, and complements existing resident education, by providing cross-disciplinary education in the chosen curriculum.

c. A bachelor’s degree is required for entry into these programs. Students lacking these prerequisites may be accepted to the program through their undergraduate records and other indicators of success.

d. 121 Refuel Logistics Graduate Certificate: Distance learning program that provides graduate level coursework to educate active duty and civilian DoD employees to increase proficiency in integration and planning of refueling capabilities specifically within contested environments. Requirements for entry include a bachelor’s degree.

192 Defense Management Foundations Certificate: Distance learning program that prepares graduates to manage organizations, resources, and programs in complex environments. Requirements for entry include a bachelor’s degree.

196 DoD Financial Management Certificate: Distance learning program designed for mid-to-senior level leaders interested in financial management and budget, the program prepares students for business, financial, and analysis positions within the DoD. Requirements for entry include a bachelor’s degree.

198 Chief Information Officer Management Certificate: This distance learning program allows graduates to effectively manage the resources, people, processes, and technologies necessary to ensure our information technology systems optimize mission performance and information assurance. Requirements for entry include a bachelor’s degree.

206 Strategic Leadership Certificate: Distance learning program that increases students’ ability to think strategically, understand and analyze trends in the strategic environment, and to be influential and strategic leaders. Requirements for entry include a bachelor’s degree.

208 Leadership for Public Administrators Certificate: Distance learning program that develops advanced leadership skills including ability to cultivate effective groups and teams, negotiate consensus among stakeholders, improve climate and productivity, and facilitate high-performance decision-making processes while modeling ethical reasoning and behavior. Requirements for entry include a bachelor’s degree.

225 Applied Cyber Operations Certificate: Distance learning that is a graduate-level, non-degree program designed to enable DoD and U.S. Government personnel to effectively employ cyber capabilities in an operational context. This prepares students to maintain a high state of readiness for cyber operations in the face of hostile action. Requirements for entry include completion of a bachelor’s degree within the past five years, courses in computer and network security, computer, and communications networks. Students lacking these prerequisites may be accepted to the program through their undergraduate records and experience.

231 Implementing Technological Change Certificate: Distance learning program that offers cyberspace and technology professionals the opportunity to cultivate essential skillsets to spearhead policy development and drive organizational change. Requirements for entry include completion of two (2) required core courses (CS4926 and MN3012/GB3012) and two (2) additional courses specified by the program.

235 Combat Systems Science and Engineering Certificate: Distance learning program covers fundamental physical principles governing combat systems and their integration. This ranges from sensor technologies, weapons and their effects, modern missile technologies, and advanced weapon systems. Requirements for entry include a bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution including an undergraduate physics sequence.

236 Defense Energy Certificate: Distance learning program designed to expose students to the technical, operational, and security aspects of DoD energy needs. Courses are offered via a web-based platform on a schedule of one course per quarter, for four quarters. Requirements for entry include a bachelor’s degree and completion of course prerequisites.

238 Basic Contract Management Certificate: Distance learning program that supports continuous acquisition reform initiatives mandated by Congress and senior leaders and supports initiatives to educate operational warfighters in the business of contract management. Requirements for entry include a bachelor’s degree.

244 Advanced Contract Management Certificate: Distance learning program that supports continuous acquisition reform initiatives mandated by Congress and senior leaders and initiatives to educate operational warfighters in the business of contract management. Requirements for entry include a bachelor’s degree.

256 Cybersecurity Fundamentals Certificate: Distance Learning program that provides a technically rigorous foundation upon which to build knowledge and skills in computer network defense, attack, and exploitation. Each course is comprised of both instruction and laboratory exercises involving cybersecurity aspects of computers and networks. Requirements for entry include a bachelor’s degree and prior academic experience at the undergraduate or graduate level in computing systems and computer networking.

258 Cybersecurity Defense Certificate: Distance learning program that supports a detailed understanding and ability to function in operational situations involving cyber security. Students will gain the technical depth required to prepare and respond to attacks by analyzing network traffic to extract the observable characteristics of networks and network devices, which will provide a basis for defensive strategies. Requirements for entry include a bachelor’s degree.

260 Cybersecurity Adversarial Techniques Certificate: Distance learning program that provides students with a detailed understanding of and ability to function in real operational situations where adversarial techniques are being used. Students will gain understanding in overarching principles, computer, and network architectural concepts. Requirements for entry include a bachelor’s degree.

273 Space Systems Fundamentals Certificate: Distance learning program that supports Navy and DoD space educational needs and complements existing resident training by providing cross-disciplinary science and technical education. Requirements for entry include a bachelor’s degree with completion of college level algebra, geometry, trigonometry, logarithms, and physics (including electricity and magnetism).

274 Anti-Submarine Warfare Certificate (ASW): Distance learning program that consists of a sequence of four highly technical courses designed to provide the civilian and active-duty workforce with a learning experience that will extend their general undergraduate education. This includes essential concepts, equations, and skill sets needed to understand, design, and use ASW systems. Requirements for entry include a bachelor’s degree, a single-variable calculus course for science or engineering, and calculus-based probability course.

281 Systems Analysis Certificate: Distance learning graduate-level program designed to meet the needs of the Navy and Department of Defense (DoD), for nondegree technical education in systems analysis as a basis for aiding key decisions on force requirements, weapon systems, and other defense matters. Requirements for entry include a bachelor’s degree, GPA of 2.2 or better (GPA waiver may be granted), and calculus with C or better.

288 Cyber Warfare Certificate: Distance Learning program that addresses the network threat environment, network infrastructure, network design and security for both wired and wireless environments as well as all facets of computer network operations, depending on the choice of certificate electives. Requirements for entry include a BSEE/BSCE degree or degree in another area of science or engineering with specific knowledge at the undergraduate level in computer architecture, computer networking, low-level programming, Command/Company endorsement, and TS/SCI clearance.

292 Electronic Warfare Engineer Academic Certificate: Distance learning program that provides a solid engineering foundation which covers the fundamental concepts needed to understand how EW signals are affected by the environment and includes a survey of existing EW systems and analysis techniques. Requirements for entry include acceptance by the ECE Department. Entrance to the Electrical and Computer Engineering curriculum at the Naval Postgraduate School is through a three-part requirement consisting of a minimum grade point average at the undergraduate level, a sufficient mathematics background, and a sufficient background in technical undergraduate studies. Applicants with a B.S.E.E. degree usually will satisfy the last two requirements automatically. Command/Company endorsement is required.

293 Journeyman EW Engineer Academic Certificate: Distance learning program that provides students with an understanding of the microwave and optical aspects of sensor and electronic warfare systems and state-of-the-art material on their use in systems are discussed during the courses. Requirements for entry include acceptance by the ECE Department. Entrance to the Electrical and Computer Engineering curriculum at the Naval Postgraduate School is a three-part requirement consisting of a minimum grade point average at the undergraduate level, a sufficient mathematics background, and a sufficient background in technical undergraduate studies. Applicants with a B.S.E.E. degree usually will satisfy the last two requirements automatically. Command/Company endorsement is required.

294 Senior EW Engineer Academic Certificate: Distance learning program that provides students with an understanding of advanced topics commonly found in EW such as, signature control (stealth) and low probability of intercept techniques for radar and electronic warfare. Requirements for entry include acceptance by the ECE Department. Entrance to the Electrical and Computer Engineering curriculum at the Naval Postgraduate School is through a three-part requirement consisting of a minimum grade point average at the undergraduate level, a sufficient mathematics background, and a sufficient background in technical undergraduate studies. Applicants with a B.S.E.E. degree usually will satisfy the last two requirements automatically. Command/Company endorsement is required.

295 Network Engineering Certificate: Distance learning program that addresses the design, implementation, traffic, signaling and performance analysis of modern enterprise and telecommunications network infrastructures, integrating both wired and wireless media. Requirements for entry include a bachelor’s degree.

296 Cyber Systems Certificate: Distance learning program that is designed to provide students with a graduate level focus on cyber systems, system reverse engineering, and depending on elective choice, an ability to assess vulnerability and risk, architecture and engineering, or network traffic. Requirements for entry include a BSEE/BSCE degree or degree in another area of science or engineering with specific knowledge at the undergraduate level in computer architecture, computer networking, and low-level programming.

298 Space Nuclear Command, Control & Communications Certificate: Distance learning program that supports objectives corresponding to required space, ground, and classified elements of USAF Global Strike Command’s strategic nuclear education components. Requirements for entry include a bachelor’s degree with above-average grades, completion of college-level Algebra 2, college-level physics with a C or better average and secret security clearance.

299 Applied Trajectory Optimization Certificate: Distance learning program that provides students with a suite of practical mathematical tools for applying trajectory optimization techniques to solve various problems in engineering design and optimization. Requirements for entry include a bachelor’s degree and acceptance by the MAE Department.

3.  Tuition:

NPS is mission-funded to provide tuition-free graduate education to full-time active-duty Navy and Marine Corps service members. Seats not filled by active-duty Navy and Marine Corps service members will be made available for open enrollment to other uniformed service members, Department of the Navy and other federal government civilians, and defense contractor civilians under tuition sponsorship by their organization or agency. For information regarding tuition, please contact the NPS Tuition office at tuition@nps.edu. NPS must have a support agreement (DON form 7600A or DD1144) in place with each government funding sponsor before accepting funding documents. All students are required to purchase their textbooks.

4. Application Process:

Service members interested in this certificate program may visit the NPS web pages for detailed eligibility and application process.

Program webpages:

https://online.nps.edu/w/121-refuel-logistics-certificate

https://online.nps.edu/w/128-artificial-intelligence-for-military-use-certificate

https://online.nps.edu/w/192-defense-management-foundations

https://online.nps.edu/w/196-dod-financial-management-certificate

https://online.nps.edu/w/198-chief-information-officer-management-certificatehttps://online.nps.edu/w/206-strategic-leadership

https://online.nps.edu/w/208-leadership-for-public-administrators

https://online.nps.edu/w/225-certificate-in-applied-cyber-operations

https://online.nps.edu/w/231-implementing-technological-change-certificate

https://online.nps.edu/w/235-combat-systems-science-and-engineering-certificate

https://online.nps.edu/w/236-defense-energy-certificate

https://online.nps.edu/w/238-basic-contract-management-certificate

https://online.nps.edu/w/244-advanced-contract-management-certificate

https://online.nps.edu/w/256-cybersecurity-fundamentals-certificate

https://online.nps.edu/w/258-cybersecurity-defense-certificate

https://online.nps.edu/w/260-cybersecurity-adversarial-techniques-certificate

https://online.nps.edu/w/273-space-systems-fundamentals-certificate

https://online.nps.edu/w/274-anti-submarine-warfare-certificate

https://online.nps.edu/w/281-systems-analysis-certificate

https://online.nps.edu/w/288-cyber-warfare-certificate

https://online.nps.edu/w/292-electronic-warfare-engineer-academic-certificate

https://online.nps.edu/w/293-journeyman-ew-engineer-academic-certificate

https://online.nps.edu/w/294-senior-ew-engineer-academic-certificate-program

https://online.nps.edu/w/295-network-engineering-certificate

https://online.nps.edu/w/296-cyber-systems-certificate

https://online.nps.edu/w/298-space-nuclear-command-control-communications-certificate

https://online.nps.edu/w/299-applied-trajectory-optimization-certificate

5.  Post Graduation:

Per OPNAVINST 1520.23C, Naval personnel participating in a program must agree to remain on active duty for one year following completion of this certificate program. This obligation is discharged concurrently with any other service obligation already incurred. This agreement does not obligate the Navy to retain the service member on active duty.

6.  Point of Contact:

NPS Certificate program contact, via email at ONLINE(AT)NPS.EDU. Additional information on the Naval Postgraduate School’s online programs can be obtained via our website online.nps.edu.

7. This message will remain in effect until superseded or 1 April 2024, whichever occurs first.