What do I learn in the University of San Diego Cyber Bootcamp?

The cyber curriculum is broken down into these areas: Cybersecurity Fundamentals (confidentiality, integrity, and availability Triad, virtualization, and how to identify threats, vulnerabilities, and risks) Asset and Inventory Management (Computing and networking basics, Linux command line, and bash scripting) Network Systems (Networking, Wireshark, encoding and encryption, Open Systems Interconnection/OSI model, and firewalls) Programming with Python (Variables, loops and conditionals, string and list methods, dictionaries, regular expressions, and log parsing) System Administration (Windows administration and management, active directory, and group policy) Red Team - Offense (Web vulnerabilities, penetration testing, OWASP Top 10, social engineering, Burp Suite, Cross-site scripting, SQL injection, and Metasploit) Blue Team - Defense (Logs/log analysis, Splunk, security information and event management, digital forensics, NIST Cybersecurity Framework, and incident response). Students also participate in career simulations throughout the program and interactive labs, as well as build the cybersecurity knowledge needed to take the AWS Cloud Practitioner certification exam. For a syllabus on your program of interest, click here and fill out the form .

Can I keep working while studying in the program?

Many of our part-time students are working full time while taking the program. Keep in mind that there are 10 hours in class and 15-20 hours worth of out-of-class homework per week.

Do I need to have my own laptop/computer in order to do the program, and if so, what are the system requirements?

You do need to provide your own computer for the bootcamp. It can be a laptop or desktop as long as it meets minimum tech specifications. We highly recommend Apple computers for our program, however, it is possible to use Windows with some modifications. You must have at least MacOS 10.15 or newer or Windows 10. Because the bootcamp is live-online, you are required to have a webcam and microphone in order to participate in class.

Is the University of San Diego Cyber Bootcamp for beginners?

Yes, the University of San Diego Cyber Bootcamp is beginner-friendly. It’s specifically designed for professionals who have no previous experience in cybersecurity. While some background knowledge is helpful, the only expectation is that students have general computer literacy skills in basics like efficiently using the internet/cloud and Windows.

How do I prepare for a cybersecurity bootcamp?

There's no preparation required to succeed in the course.

Does the cybersecurity bootcamp prepare students for industry certification exams?

Students can prepare to take the AWS Cloud Practitioner certification exam with training provided in bootcamp and additional studying. The price of the exam is not included in tuition.

What kind of career support will I receive during and after the program?

Your time with our career success team will include everything from workshops to one-on-one office hours to phone chats before big interviews. Alumni will also have access to a job board and have the opportunity to be connected with companies and organizations in our Employer Partner Network who are actively seeking qualified candidates.

How the University of San Diego Cyber Bootcamp Works

The University of San Diego Cyber Bootcamp is designed for students to pursue high-quality tech education while continuing to balance work or other commitments. Our program provides you with the flexibility to fit career development into your life.

Part-time and full-time bootcamp programs are available.
Bootcamp classes include live online instruction taught by industry-experienced professionals, group projects with fellow students, and independent learning assignments.
Additional support is available from the instructional team each week during select weekday afternoons and evenings—and by appointment on Saturday mornings.

All classes are held Monday-Friday.
- 7:00am-3:00pm PT
Select one class schedule and time from the options below when you apply.
Classes are held on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
- 6:30am-9:30am PT
- 4:00pm-7:00pm PT
- 6:00pm-9:00pm PT
Classes are held on Mondays and Wednesdays.
- 4:00pm-7:00pm PT

In addition to classroom lessons, part-time students can anticipate spending 6-8 hours studying and working on outside assignments each week. Full-time students can expect to spend 12-15 hours each week on outside assignments.

Class time options vary by month and are subject to change. To see available class times for your cohort of choice, complete your application or schedule a call with a student advisor.

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University of San Diego Cybersecurity Tuition

We’re committed to making tech education more accessible, which is why we offer several payment options to help you invest in your bootcamp education.

For a limited time, apply and enroll in an upcoming March 2025 cohort by March 18, 2025 to receive the New Beginnings Discount (a $1,000 value).
You may also be eligible to save $1,000 on tuition with the Early Enrollment Discount. Contact your Student Advisor for details.
Tuition: $12,995
New Beginnings Discount: -$1,000
Early Enrollment Discount: -$1,000
Total Tuition w/ Discounts: $10,995
A refundable deposit of $99, applied to your total tuition, is due at the time of enrollment. The deposit is refundable up until the end of the first week of classes.
For a limited time, apply and enroll in an upcoming April 2025 cohort by April 8, 2025 to receive the New Beginnings Discount (a $1,000 value).
You may also be eligible to save $1,000 on tuition with the Early Enrollment Discount. Contact your Student Advisor for details.
Tuition: $13,995
New Beginnings Discount: -$1,000
Early Enrollment Discount: -$1,000
Total Tuition w/ Discounts: $11,995
A refundable deposit of $99, applied to your total tuition, is due at the time of enrollment. The deposit is refundable up until the end of the first week of classes.
Pay for your bootcamp tuition in predictable installments with a personal loan. Monthly installment will vary based on approved interest rate.
View Payment Options

View Payment Options

Cybersecurity Jobs and Salaries in California

In the field of cybersecurity, there are many career paths to follow based on your skills and experience. When you opt into comprehensive career coaching, you’ll receive the guidance you need to navigate the industry.

With professionals in high demand in California and beyond, the cybersecurity industry offers a multitude of career and financial opportunities once you enter the field. Companies across the nation are hiring for roles like IT Help Desk Specialist, Systems Support Specialist, Cybersecurity Analyst, and Solutions Architect.

Role	Average Entry-Level Salary in San Diego*
IT Help Desk Specialist/Computer Support Specialist	$53,834
Network/Systems Support Specialist	$59,902
System Administrator/Network Administrator	$70,142
Cybersecurity Analyst	$82,326
Network Engineer/Solutions Architect	$84,164
San Diego Cybersecurity Salary Data via Glassdoor™*

Apply Today

Cybersecurity Curriculum

University of San Diego students learn cybersecurity fundamentals and the in-demand skills to fight cybercrime including:

Asset and inventory management like networking basics, Linux command line, and bash scripting;
Red Team (Offense) for fighting web vulnerabilities, penetration testing, OWASP Top 10, and social engineering;
Blue Team (Defense) for log analysis, security information and event management, digital forensics, NIST Cybersecurity Framework, and incident response;
Generative AI techniques for cybersecurity using tools like ChatGPT and Bing AI through a free elective course;
And more!

To prepare students for real-life work scenarios and environments, students also take part in career simulations alongside their cybersecurity training. Students are also taught resume writing, salary negotiation, and other career preparation skills throughout the program to equip them for their job search after graduation. Plus, bootcamp students are prepared to take industry-recognized certification exams with additional studying.

- Orientation
- The security mindset
- Confidentiality, integrity and availability (CIA) triad
- Threats, vulnerabilities, and risks
- Virtualization
- Linux Command Line
- File systems
- Users and groups
- Bash scripting
- Networking
- Wireshark
- Encoding and encryption
- Open Systems Interconnection model (OSI model)
- Firewalls
- Variables, loops, and conditionals
- String and list methods
- Dictionaries
- Regular expressions
- Log parsing
- Windows administration and management
- Active directory
- Group policy
- Web vulnerabilities
- Penetration testing
- OWASP Top 10
- Social engineering
- Burp Suite
- Cross-site Scripting
- SQL injection
- Metasploit
- Logs/log analysis
- Splunk and security information and event management (SIEMs)
- Digital forensics
- NIST Cybersecurity Framework
Lesson Topics
1. Introduction to GenAI
2. Getting Started with ChatGPT
3. Application of Prompt Engineering and OpenAI Playground App
4. Other Large Language Models
5. Ethics of GenAI Usage and Advanced ChatGPT

Optional Final Project (select one or both)
- Storytelling with ChatGPT
- AI-Enhanced Book Club

Classes are hands-on with the majority of students’ time spent learning how to monitor and secure systems, networks, and applications, as well as how to appropriately respond to cyber breaches. Along with the classroom sessions, students can attend a weekly lab where they can review key concepts, catch up on homework, and work alongside peers.

Cybersecurity Bootcamp Tools & Technologies

Cybersecurity Bootcamp Student Projects

The USD Cybersecurity Bootcamp uses a project-based, active learning approach so you can learn to apply cyber skills through real-world simulations. The bootcamp experience culminates in an in-depth Capstone Project that demonstrates what you’ve learned and can be used in your portfolio to show future employers.

Check out some of our past cybersecurity student capstone projects.

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Earn Cybersecurity Certifications with University of San Diego

Preparation for the Computing Technology Industry Association (CompTIA) Security+ exam is built into the University of San Diego Cybersecurity Bootcamp curriculum. You will study and test for this industry-recognized certification during your bootcamp program. By earning your CompTIA Security+ certification, you’ll demonstrate your job readiness to potential employers.

CompTIA Security+ Certification

This entry-level certification validates:

Understanding of security principles and elements of effective security policies
Ability to analyze strategies of cybercriminals and determine development and deployment methods to mitigate vulnerabilities
Understanding of how security is enforced for wireless and remote access
Ability to establish disaster recovery, business continuity, and fault tolerance strategies

Cost of exam included?

Yes*

Monetary Value?

$2,499

*Students will receive a voucher for one CompTIA Security+ exam attempt.

Landing a Cybersecurity Job in California

USD students will gain valuable insight into how to build a successful career in cybersecurity from day one of the course. Throughout the bootcamp experience, students may access live workshops, office hours, and on-demand content to help build a job search toolkit—which includes an optimized resume and LinkedIn profile.

Following successful completion of the Career Success Program, students can choose to opt into additional coaching support and receive guidance for up to a year following graduation in:

Growing your professional network
Resume and LinkedIn profile optimization
Interview and assessment prep
Salary negotiation workshops
And much more!

Students also graduate from the program with a portfolio of work that demonstrates their ability to solve real business problems for real companies.

Fullstack Academy grads have landed jobs with some of the world's leading companies.

University of San Diego Tech Bootcamps are powered by Fullstack Academy. The companies listed above have hired Fullstack Academy graduates.

Who Should Attend the Cyber Bootcamp

The University of San Diego Cybersecurity Bootcamp powered by Fullstack Academy is specifically designed for beginners. There’s no experience required to apply, be accepted, or succeed.

Successful bootcamp students have backgrounds in:

Successful bootcamp students have backgrounds in:

Teaching

Finance

Retail

Customer service

Graphic design

Admin

Biology

And more

Apply today and join others just like you on the first steps to a life-changing career.

Get My Syllabus

FAQs

The cyber curriculum is broken down into these areas:
1. Cybersecurity Fundamentals (confidentiality, integrity, and availability Triad, virtualization, and how to identify threats, vulnerabilities, and risks)
2. Asset and Inventory Management (Computing and networking basics, Linux command line, and bash scripting)
3. Network Systems (Networking, Wireshark, encoding and encryption, Open Systems Interconnection/OSI model, and firewalls)
4. Programming with Python (Variables, loops and conditionals, string and list methods, dictionaries, regular expressions, and log parsing)
5. System Administration (Windows administration and management, active directory, and group policy)
6. Red Team - Offense (Web vulnerabilities, penetration testing, OWASP Top 10, social engineering, Burp Suite, Cross-site scripting, SQL injection, and Metasploit)
7. Blue Team - Defense (Logs/log analysis, Splunk, security information and event management, digital forensics, NIST Cybersecurity Framework, and incident response).
Students also participate in career simulations throughout the program and interactive labs, as well as build the cybersecurity knowledge needed to take the AWS Cloud Practitioner certification exam.
For a syllabus on your program of interest, click here and fill out the form.
Many of our part-time students are working full time while taking the program. Keep in mind that there are 10 hours in class and 15-20 hours worth of out-of-class homework per week.
You do need to provide your own computer for the bootcamp. It can be a laptop or desktop as long as it meets minimum tech specifications. We highly recommend Apple computers for our program, however, it is possible to use Windows with some modifications. You must have at least MacOS 10.15 or newer or Windows 10. Because the bootcamp is live-online, you are required to have a webcam and microphone in order to participate in class.
Yes, the University of San Diego Cyber Bootcamp is beginner-friendly. It’s specifically designed for professionals who have no previous experience in cybersecurity. While some background knowledge is helpful, the only expectation is that students have general computer literacy skills in basics like efficiently using the internet/cloud and Windows.
There's no preparation required to succeed in the course.
Students can prepare to take the AWS Cloud Practitioner certification exam with training provided in bootcamp and additional studying. The price of the exam is not included in tuition.
Your time with our career success team will include everything from workshops to one-on-one office hours to phone chats before big interviews. Alumni will also have access to a job board and have the opportunity to be connected with companies and organizations in our Employer Partner Network who are actively seeking qualified candidates.

Ready to Start Learning?

Once you’re ready to start your tech journey, here are the steps you can expect in the admissions process.

Fill out our online application form
Take our nontechnical assessment
- No cyber experience required
- Covers logical reasoning
- Sent to you immediately upon submission of application
Receive an entrance decision

Get My Syllabus

University of San Diego
Cyber Bootcamp

Get the Skills You Need to Fight Cybercrime

Ready to take your next step? Submit your application.

Ready to take your next step? Schedule a call with an advisor.

Ready to take your next step? Get more info.

Program at a Glance

Weeks

Apply By

Next Start Date

Potential Discounts

Why Learn Cybersecurity with University of San Diego?

The Demand for Cyber Talent in California

Bootcamp Application & Start Dates

Earn a Cybersecurity Certificate of Completion

How the University of San Diego Cyber Bootcamp Works

University of San Diego Cybersecurity Tuition

$10,995 $12,995

$11,995 $13,995

$226/month

Cybersecurity Jobs and Salaries in California

Cybersecurity Curriculum

Cybersecurity Bootcamp Tools & Technologies

Cybersecurity Bootcamp Student Projects

Earn Cybersecurity Certifications with University of San Diego

CompTIA Security+ Certification

Landing a Cybersecurity Job in California

Who Should Attend the Cyber Bootcamp

Successful bootcamp students have backgrounds in:

FAQs

Ready to Start Learning?

Tuition:	$12,995
New Beginnings Discount:	-$1,000
Early Enrollment Discount:	-$1,000
Total Tuition w/ Discounts:	$10,995

Tuition:	$13,995
New Beginnings Discount:	-$1,000
Early Enrollment Discount:	-$1,000
Total Tuition w/ Discounts:	$11,995