Department of Criminal Justice
Certificate in Cyber Security
Build an interdisciplinary foundation in cybercrime, digital evidence, computer forensics, ethical hacking, network defense, and global cybersecurity while adding a focused 15-hour certificate to your undergraduate degree.
15
Credit Hours
Five courses connecting criminal justice, cybercrime, technology, and information security.
Overview Why Cybersecurity? Skills You Build Curriculum Career Applications Featured Faculty Declaire the Certificate
Connect Criminal Justice and Cybersecurity
Technology has transformed how crime is committed, investigated, documented, and prosecuted. Digital devices, networks, online communication, and electronically stored evidence are now central to many criminal investigations.
The Certificate in Cyber Security brings together criminal justice and computer information systems coursework to help students understand both the technical and legal dimensions of contemporary cyber threats.
Students examine digital evidence, computer forensics, ethical hacking, network and systems security, information warfare, cybercrime techniques, cyber-terrorism, and the policy implications of cybersecurity for law enforcement.
Law + Technology + Security
Study cybersecurity through technical, investigative, legal, and global perspectives.
Why Cybersecurity Matters in Criminal Justice
Cybercrime increasingly overlaps with traditional criminal activity. Investigators, analysts, administrators, and security professionals must understand how digital evidence is created, protected, recovered, interpreted, and presented within the justice system.
Digital Evidence
Understand how technology affects evidence collection, preservation, analysis, and courtroom procedures.
Evolving Threats
Explore cybercrime techniques, hacking, network vulnerabilities, cyber-terrorism, and information warfare.
Cross-Disciplinary Knowledge
Combine criminal justice, legal procedure, information technology, and cybersecurity perspectives.
Skills You Can Build
Digital Evidence
Understand evidentiary rules and the role of electronically stored information in criminal investigations.
Computer Forensics
Develop familiarity with methods used to identify and examine digital information relevant to investigations.
Network Defense
Explore network vulnerabilities, security practices, defensive strategies, and ethical approaches to hacking.
Global Cybersecurity
Examine cybercrime, cyber-terrorism, information warfare, security policy, and global security challenges.
Certificate Curriculum
Complete five required three-credit-hour courses for a total of 15 semester credit hours.
CRIJ 3315
Rules of Criminal Evidence
3 Credit Hours
BCIS 4320
Computer Forensics
3 Credit Hours
BCIS 4342
Ethical Hacking & Network Defense
3 Credit Hours
BCIS 4345
Network and Systems Security
3 Credit Hours
CRIJ 4353
Global Cyber-Security
3 Credit Hours
Interdisciplinary by design: The certificate combines Criminal Justice courses with Computer Information Systems coursework, allowing students to examine cybersecurity from both justice-system and technical perspectives.
Where Can Cybersecurity Knowledge Be Used?
Law Enforcement
Cybercrime investigations, digital evidence, intelligence, financial crime, and technology-assisted investigations.
Digital Forensics
Technology investigations, forensic examination, incident documentation, and digital-evidence support.
Public & Private Security
Security operations, risk assessment, compliance, information protection, and organizational security.
Intelligence & Analysis
Cyber-threat intelligence, investigative analysis, information sharing, and security-focused analytical work.
Featured Faculty
Learn from faculty whose teaching and research connects cybercrime, information technology, policing, comparative justice, and contemporary criminal justice challenges.
Dr. Shun-Yung Kevin Wang
Associate Professor of Criminal Justice
Dr. Wang teaches in the Cyber Security certificate and brings expertise in cybercrime, information technology in criminal justice, policing, and comparative justice. His scholarship has examined cybercrime investigations, collaboration among law-enforcement agencies, online fraud, hacking, and technology-related criminal behavior.
His work helps connect the technical dimensions of cybercrime with the organizational, investigative, and policy challenges faced by contemporary criminal justice agencies.
Email: kwang@tarleton.edu
Phone: 817-484-4426
Office: CAB, Fort Worth, Room 335
How to Declare the Certificate
Declaring the certificate starts with the Undergraduate Certificate Plan Acknowledgement and Responsibility Form. Complete the form, sign it with your advisor or department head, and send it to the Office of the Registrar so the certificate plan is officially documented under your catalog year.
Step 1
Fill out the certificate form.
Step 2
Get the required signatures.
Step 3
Submit the completed form toemail.
Step 4
Meet with the advisor if you have questions.
Important: Once requirements are completed, the student’s transcript is noted with the certificate award date and a hard copy certificate is issued after grades are posted for the completion term.
Need More Information?
Meet with an academic advisor to review how the Certificate in Cyber Security can fit with your major, electives, transfer credit, and anticipated graduation timeline.
Because the certificate combines Criminal Justice and Computer Information Systems courses, early planning can help you sequence the required coursework efficiently.
Add Cybersecurity Expertise to Your Degree
Combine criminal justice knowledge with digital forensics, ethical hacking, network security, and global cybersecurity through a focused 15-hour undergraduate certificate.