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Cybersecurity Essentials Microcredential

Out of stock

SKU
SC-190
Gain practical skills to identify vulnerabilities, outsmart cybercriminals, and protect digital systems—your first step toward a dynamic career in cyber defence.

Learn to think like an attacker, protect like a pro, and become a vital asset in the fight against cyber threats. Step confidently into the world of cybersecurity with a foundation built for real-world challenges.

$1,990.00

Key facts

Course category
Information Technology and Cybersecurity, Introductory Courses, Cybersecurity
Options

Please submit an enquiry to express an interest or to request further information.

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Duration
240 hours over two 7-week periods
Group Bookings
Enquire now
Prerequisite/s
There are no prerequisites for this short course
Certification
Digital Credential

Why this microcredential?

Whether you're looking to pivot into a cybersecurity career or build on your existing technical expertise, this microcredential provides practical, industry-relevant insights into threat analysis, risk management, and ethical hacking.  

 

Designed for professionals, the course focuses on real-world applications, equipping you with the skills to identify and mitigate cyber threats and safeguard digital assets. Delivered fully online, it offers flexibility to fit your learning around work and life commitments.

 

Supported by the Australian Commonwealth Government's Microcredential Pilot program, this microcredential addresses the growing demand for a skilled cybersecurity workforce to protect Australians and Australian organisations from cyber threats.

 

Upon completion, you may be eligible for advanced standing in the Graduate Certificate or Master of Cybersecurity, opening further pathways to academic and professional growth.

Why study a short course at La Trobe

Industry experience while you study

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Rising demand

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Powerful Collaborations

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Course content

This microcredential consists of two core topics: 

1 - Cybersecurity Principles

  • Core cybersecurity principles and best practices
  • Information security 
  • Ethical and legal practices
  • Mitigating cyber vulnerabilities
  • Incident response and analysis
  • Ensuring privacy, reliability, confidentiality, and integrity of information systems
  • Current and emerging cybersecurity trends.

2 - Inside the Mind of a Hacker:

  • Motivations, mindset, and techniques used by hackers
  • Understanding of computer networks and systems
  • User/customer behaviour in online environments
  • Illegal and unethical business models exploiting vulnerabilities
  • Identifying weaknesses and emerging threats
  • Developing more effective defences by viewing systems through the eyes of a hacker.

On successful completion of this microcredential, you will be awarded a digital credential and earn 30 credit points that stack into CSE4004 Cybersecurity Principles and CSE5010 Inside the Mind of a Hacker, which are core subjects in the Graduate Certificate and Master of Cybersecurity.  If admitted into either degree, you will be eligible for advanced standing for these two subjects, accelerating your path to qualification.

 

You’ll learn:

This microcredential will equip you with foundational knowledge of cybersecurity principles and the critical insights needed to understand hacker behaviour, enabling you to identify threats, mitigate risks and strengthen digital defences. 

  • Understand and explain key concepts in cybersecurity, cyber law, intellectual property, and cybercrime
  • Evaluate and implement security measures for networks, firewalls, intrusion detection, and prevention systems
  • Develop strategies for incident analysis, risk management in cyberspace, and effective incident response
  • Apply secure software design principles and best practices in web security
  • Assess hacker typologies, mindsets, and motivations to anticipate potential threats
  • Analyse the tactics used by hackers to breach communication networks
  • Evaluate profit models, value chains, and standard business security practices from a hacker's perspective
  • Design and recommend processes to minimise the risk of data breaches.

This microcredential addresses the specialist skills within the following Australian Skills Classification clusters:

  • Business Operations and Financial Activities:
    • Establish organisational policies or programs 
    • Plan and coordinate work operations 
  • Communication and Collaboration:
    • Collaborate and advise on technical issues
  • Digital Technologies and Electronics:
    • ICT support, design and management 
  • Operating Procedures and Processes:
    • Develop operational strategies, plans or procedures 

Your study experience

This microcredential is delivered fully online, with fixed start and assessment dates.  Each topic is delivered over six weeks, followed by the end of topic assessment.  Within this timeframe, you'll have the opportunity to manage your study pace.

The first topic, Cybersecurity Principles commences on 27 April 2025, and the assessment comprises: 

  • 6 x 10-minute quizzes, equivalent to 900 words (30%)
  • 2000-word written assignment (30%)
  • 3-hour final exam, equivalent to 3000 words (40%).

The second topic, Inside the Mind of a Hacker, commences on 28 July 2025, and the assessment comprises:

  • 2 Practical Lab activities (20%)
  • 2000-word written assignment: Explore methods through which an organisation’s security vulnerabilities can be exploited (35%)
  • 2500-word written assignment: Offensive and defensive security audit (45%).

The total expected time commitment for this microcredential is 240 hours.  Each topic is 120 hours, which includes webinars, self-guided content, drop-in sessions and assessment. 

Frequently Asked Questions

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Find out more about further education at La Trobe  View all FAQ

I would like information about a short course. Who can assist me?  

Email: LaTrobeProfessional@latrobe.edu.au 

Phone: 1300 135 045

I have paid the fee for a short course. When will I be able to access it?  

On completion of your registration, you'll be provided with an account on our Learning Management System (LMS) and the course material will be made available at the advertised date, or as outlined on your registration confirmation email.  For our on-demand courses, access will be immediate.

What payment options are there?

  • You may arrange to pay by BPAY or EFT
  • For group bookings, we encourage purchase orders.  Contact us for a quote, and upon receipt of your purchase order we can make the course available to you.
  • Unfortunately, we are not able to arrange instalment payments.

Contact us on LaTrobeProfessional@latrobe.edu.au for assistance. 

Can I arrange payment with a Purchase Order?

Yes, we accept Purchase Orders. Please email to LaTrobeProfessional@latrobe.edu.au and our La Trobe Professional team will provide you with payment details and access to your course. 

I am getting an error when I try to log into my LMS account. Can you help? 

  • The first thing to check is your order confirmation email - it will contain your Learning Management System (LMS) account and password.  Note that this account may not be the same as your staff, student or previous short course participant account. 
  • The second thing to check is that you're logging on as a short course participant and not as a student - choose 'Other Users' - select Short Course as your institution and use your account and password as provided.

If you need any assistance, contact us on LaTrobeProfessional@latrobe.edu.au. 

I want to enrol multiple staff in a short course. How do I go about this? 

Contact LaTrobeProfessional@latrobe.edu.au so that we can discuss options with you.  

What certification will I receive?

The type of certification depends on the assessment involved in the course. For example:

  • Microcredentials:  You will receive a digital credential that confirms the skills you’ve acquired, any assessments you’ve completed and potential pathways for credit or advanced standing towards a degree. 
  • Other assessed short courses:  This may include bridging programs or courses that prepare you for external certification from a professional body.  You might receive a certificate of achievement or a digital badge (a digital version of a certificate of achievement).
  • Non-assessed courses:  If a course doesn’t involve formal assessment, you’ll receive a certificate of attendance.
  • Single-subject enrolment: If you enrol in a single subject, you will receive an official transcript for that subject.

Please note that short courses or microcredentials are not formal qualifications under the Australian Qualifications Framework but may be eligible for consideration as advanced standing (credit) towards a degree.

What is a microcredential? 

Microcredentials are short courses that are assessed, carry academic credit, and to deliver specific skills or knowledge.  While they can be taken as standalone courses, many are designed to be combined or ‘stacked’ with other microcredentials to form the equivalent of a subject within a degree program.  Upon successful completion, you’ll earn a digital credential that outlines the skills and credit obtained, and any opportunities for stacking.

For La Trobe microcredentials, any advanced standing or stacking pathways are clearly expressed on the course page.   

What is advanced standing?

Advanced standing refers to credit for prior study or formal learning that can be credited towards a qualification, thereby reducing the number of subjects required to complete a course. For short courses or microcredentials (if these have been completed through recognised institutions or platforms and are deemed equivalent to La Trobe University subjects), credit may be granted either for specific La Trobe subjects or as unspecified credit towards elective requirements of a La Trobe course.

For La Trobe microcredentials, any advanced standing or stacking pathways are clearly expressed on the course page.   Upon successful completion of the course, you’ll receive a digital credential, which may be used when applying for credit for the relevant degree at La Trobe.

For more details, visit the University’s advanced standing web page.