Cybersecurity Specialization

Level

Beginner

Duration

10 weeks or more (split between courses)

Who can attend

Students studying in cyber security and related fields at the local universities.

Requirements

You must be a Saudi citizen enrolled in a bachelor’s degree or graduated within a year from a Saudi university in Cybersecurity or relevant fields such as Computer Science.
Completion of the prerequisite courses on Coursera.
To be eligible for the qualification exam, the candidate must be enrolled in KAUST Academy/Coursera Program within 5 days of Coursera invitation and then complete the required pre-requisite Courses.

*Compulsory Step

Prerequisite Course

To qualify for the Cybersecurity Specialization Program, you’ll need to sign up for Coursera within 5 days of receiving the invitation link at your registered email address, and then successfully complete the core courses on Coursera to be eligible to take part in the placement test.

Students with top scores in the placement test will receive invitation for (Introduction to CyS) to join a one week in person training during university breaks. At the end of the course, students with top performance will be invited to another one week in person training (Advanced CyS) and take an exam at the end of the course as well.

The top qualified students will receive invitation to participate in a variety of KAUST Academy Summer Programs at elite partners institutions in KSA and/or abroad including Summer School, Internships, and Research Programs.

Students who will not be selected after passing the placement test in October, will still have access to 200 courses, specializations, guided projects and more on Coursera until 31 July 2025. They will be eligible to receive a free certificate for each achievement on Coursera during that period.

Covered topics
in this course

Network Security
Secure Coding
Malicious Software (or Malware)
Cloud Computing Security
Incident Response
Cybersecurity Architecture

Skills you’ll gain

Security Policy Development
Penetration Testing
Forensic Analysis
Encryption Techniques
Security Awareness Training
Security Auditing

Student Journey

Stage 1: Prerequisite Course

Important Note: Signing up for the prerequisite courses on Coursera (Stage 1) does not guarantee participation in subsequent stages. Students must demonstrate their knowledge and skills by excelling in the assessments to progress through the program. Certificates of Completion will be awarded at each stage to acknowledge participants’ achievements. Qualified students will be invited to the next stage.

Duration: 2 to 4 weeks Completion Date: To Be Determined Method: Self-Paced, Online Courses

Description: The students are required to complete dedicated online courses to establish a solid foundation for their cybersecurity education.

Stage 2: Introduction to Cybersecurity

Duration: 5 Days Start Date: (TBD) during university breaks Method: Instructor-Paced, In-Person Lectures

Description: The qualified students from the first stage will have the opportunity to participate in in-person lectures in different key locations across the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

Stage 3: Advanced Cybersecurity

Duration: 4 Days Start Date: (TBD) during university breaks Method: Instructor-Paced, In-Person Lectures

Description: The qualified students excelling in the second stage, will be invited to advance in person training to a deeper exploration of the cybersecurity domain.

Stage 4: Cybersecurity Summer Program

Duration: Two months Start Date: 29 June 2025 Method: Instructor-Paced, In-Person Lectures

Top performing students, distinguished from the third stage, will earn a coveted scholarship for 8 weeks during summer break.

Thousands of happy learners

As an alumna of the Cybersecurity Specialization, this program was a pivotal opportunity in my career. The exceptional skills, knowledge, and connections I gained make me highly recommend it to anyone aiming to excel in cybersecurity and contribute to our nation’s leadership in this field.

Sahar Faisal