Cybersecurity has emerged as a critical field today in the age of extensive digitization. The demand for cybersecurity professionals continues to rise because it is they whom the public needs to protect themselves and their various sensitive information and systems from malicious threats.
Coursera has put together an extensive collection of diverse and comprehensive courses in cybersecurity, designed to provide students with essential skills and knowledge. Among the best cybersecurity courses to check out on Coursera for 2024 are the following:
The IBM Cybersecurity Analyst Professional Certificate is an entry-level program for newcomers. It is foundational, covering aspects like network security, endpoint protection, incident response, and threat intelligence. This course is best for launching a cybersecurity-related career. One gets hands-on exposure to work with tools such as SIEM and QRadar by IBM.
Key Features:
8-course series
There are the above-mentioned hands-on labs and projects along with industry-recognized certification required.
You don't need any specific experience to start the course.
Program length: Approximately 6 months
Google IT Support Professional Certificate is specifically designed for IT support; however, it does contain a healthy dose of cybersecurity. This certification course covers core topics in network security, system administration, and IT infrastructure services. It is great for those who have both IT support and cybersecurity in mind.
Key Features:
5-course sequence
Hands-on practice and testing
Google career resources
Beginner-friendly
Duration: Approximately 6 months
One of the courses that The University of Maryland offers is a course called 'Cybersecurity for Everyone.' It is dedicated to the learners to give them an idea of what is cybersecurity. It is concentrated on such topics as cyber threats, security strategies, and cryptography. It suits persons who have simple terms of understanding security arrangements and those who lack practical application of the term.
Key Features:
1-course
Basic focus
Quizzes and assignments
Beginner-friendly
1-3 months
The NYU Advanced Cyber Security Program is a complicated discipline that looks at various angles of security, such as themes like protecting the network, encryption, and risk management. The ideal candidate for this specialization would wish to know more about cybersecurity besides understanding how it can be applied in various ways.
Key Features:
4-series courses
Extremely wide coverage of the key topic
Practical assignments and projects
Intermediate level
Duration: About 4 months
The course by UC Davis on Secure Coding Practices educates on some good software development practices for secure code writing. The course is suitable for a software developer who would wish to know how to write secure code and protect their applications from common vulnerabilities.
Key features:
Single course
Emphasizes practical coding techniques
Real-world examples and case studies
Suitable for developers
Duration: 1-2 months
Google Cloud Cybersecurity Professional Certificate is a course designed to ensure learners are provided with the skills necessary to protect the cloud environment.
This course explores the following topics: cloud security architecture, identity and access management, and threat detection.
Key Features:
6-course series
Hands-on labs and projects
On Google Cloud Computing
Intermediate level
Duration: Almost 6 months
Fortinet presents a variety of courses on Coursera in the Network Security Expert (NSE) program. Among the matters learned are topics such as configuring firewalls, installing Virtual Private Networks (VPNs), detecting abnormal network activities, etc.
Key Features:
Multi-courses
Concentrate only on Fortinet products and solutions
Arranging for exercises with lab and simulation will be one of the options
This could be a good place of entry for security professionals in networking
For different courses, varying durations are required
The Microsoft Cybersecurity Analyst Professional Certificate is a course that equips learners with the practice of cybersecurity analysis. It discusses topics such as threat detection, incident response, and security operations. The hands-on training will also cover the practical use of Microsoft Azure and other security tools that are offered by Microsoft.
Key Features:
5-course series
Practical labs and projects
Microsoft-technology-centric
Beginner to intermediate
Duration: Around 6 months
These courses, offered on Coursera, provide diversity in training for cybersecurity career instruction based on one's needs and career objectives. It could be towards the entry level for someone new to the profession or an experienced one trying to expand his knowledge. These courses instill valuable information as well as hands-on practice, which keeps one updated with this continually changing environment known as cybersecurity.