Online Legal Studies Certificate in IT and Cyber Law
Program Overview
UC’s online Certificate in IT and Cyber Law equips professionals with the legal and regulatory knowledge needed to navigate today’s data-driven world.
Program Highlights
High Quality Education
UC’s online Certificate in IT and Cyber Law equips professionals with the legal and regulatory knowledge needed to navigate today’s data-driven world. Designed for non-lawyers, this graduate-level program explores how legal frameworks intersect with cybersecurity, data privacy, and information technology in modern organizations.
Through coursework developed by the University of Cincinnati College of Law and the School of Information Technology within the College of Education, Criminal Justice, and Human Services (CECH), students gain a practical understanding of risk management, privacy and cybersecurity compliance, and IT governance.
Graduates of the Certificate in IT and Cyber Law will be able to:
- Understand core legal doctrines related to IT, privacy, and cybersecurity law.
- Apply legal reasoning and critical thinking to risk management and compliance issues.
- Evaluate regulatory frameworks to inform organizational decision-making.
- Communicate complex legal and technical concepts in written and oral form.
- Develop self-directed learning practices to support ongoing professional growth.
Flexibility
- 100% Online: Complete coursework on your own schedule with asynchronous classes designed for busy healthcare professionals.
- Interdisciplinary Expertise: Learn from faculty in UC’s College of Law and College of Allied Health Sciences, combining real-world healthcare and legal perspectives
- Pathway to a Master’s Degree: Apply your certificate credits toward UC’s Master of Legal Studies (MLS) program to continue your professional growth
Support from Application through Graduation
At UC, you’ll have a full support team behind you:
Enrollment Services Advisor: Your partner through the application process, getting enrolled, and starting your program
Student Success Coordinator: Helping you prepare for classes and stay on track
Access to Resources: Access to university resources that will support you through your program including online learning expectations and resources, health and wellness resources, and academic support
Curriculum
| Course | Title/Description | Credit |
|---|---|---|
| LAW6004 | Compliance This course focuses on the importance for business entities to adopt strong internal controls, federal and state regulation of minimum internal control standards, and best practices with respect to structuring internal controls. Students will evaluate control paradigms against the goal of maintaining efficient communication channels between management and employees, ensuring the accuracy of information submitted to regulatory authorities, and detecting illegal or disruptive conduct in a timely manner. The course will also discuss investigation protocols as well as issues and challenges in the investigation process. Students will consider ethical issues relevant to the substantive legal issues addressed in the course. |
3 |
| LAW6005 | Risk Management This course introduces students to best practices related to the management of legal and related business risk. The course explores risk management processes and strategies as well as the metrics used to measure compliance with regulations. Students will learn how to identify, assess, and prioritize risk and to develop a risk management plan. |
3 |
| LAW6006 | Privacy and Cybersecurity Law This course focuses on the legal and regulatory framework governing data privacy and cybersecurity. With an emphasis on financial data and personally identifiable information, the course will introduce students to regulations and safeguards that protect organizational and client privacy. Students will develop skills essential to the implementation of strategies for maintaining security compliance and managing related risks. |
3 |
| IT6035C | Information Security and Assurance* This course focuses on the impact brought upon our society by computers and its related technologies. Issues related to privacy, ethics, law, encryption, copyright, computer crimes, professional ethics and responsibilities will be critically examined. |
3 |
| IT6081C | System Administration* This course will provide the knowledge and hands-on skills necessary to manage a Local Area Network and its resources. Topics covered include directory services, server management, file and print services, and user/client administration in a heterogeneous operating system environment. Students will setup and manage a fully functioning computer network of systems. Hands-on active learning required. |
3 |
| *For advanced IT professionals (requires permission from School of IT): IT7020C Principles of Cybersecurity and IT7021C Enterprise Security & Forensics in place of IT6035C and IT6081C. | ||
Admission Requirements
Prerequisites
- Applicants must hold an undergraduate degree from a college or university accredited by an agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education for Title IV purposes, or the international equivalent
- Minimum cumulative GPA of 2.75 on a 4.0 scale
- At least two years of professional work experience in a related field
Complete the online application and submit the application fee.
Standard Application Fees*:
- $65.00 for domestic applicants to most degree programs
- $70.00 for international applicants to most degree programs
- $20.00 for domestic applicants to Graduate Certificates
- $25.00 for international applicants to Graduate Certificates
- Fee waivers are automatically applied for applicants who:
- are currently serving in the US armed forces
- are veterans of the US armed forces
*Application fees are waived for Spring 2027 applications submitted by November 1st, 2026.
All applicants are required to upload unofficial transcripts during the application process, showing all undergraduate and graduate course work completed, including degrees granted and dates of conferral.
Official transcripts are not required until the student has received and accepted an offer of admission from the university. Once the offer has been confirmed, the student must submit official transcripts.
Students who have received degrees from the University of Cincinnati do not need to submit official paper copies of their UC transcripts.
Transcripts can be submitted electronically or by mail. To see if your transcript(s) can be ordered electronically, visit the links below and search for your previous school(s).
- Parchment
- Please select “University of Cincinnati – Main Campus” as the recipient of your transcript.
- National Student Clearinghouse
- Please have your transcript sent directly to grad.admissions@uc.edu.
If you do not see your past school(s) listed on either site, please contact the school(s) directly. Then, mail your sealed, unopened, official transcripts to:
Please mail sealed, unopened, official transcripts to:
University of Cincinnati
Graduate Admissions
2618 University Circle
PO Box 210091
Cincinnati, Ohio 45221-0091
One letter of recommendation required from an academic or professional source. Reference forms are submitted via the application system.
Current resume or CV.
Application Deadlines
| Term | Application Deadline | Classes Start |
|---|---|---|
Spring 2027 Summer 2027 Fall 2027
|
December 15, 2026 April 15, 2027 August 8, 2027 |
January 11, 2027 May 10, 2027 August 23, 2027 |
Tuition & Fees
The University of Cincinnati's online programs allow students to pursue degrees without having to quit their jobs. Our online courses offer the same quality education found on campus in a modern format that fits students’ tight budgets and busy schedules.
The University of Cincinnati's online course fees differ depending on the program.
To view tuition information and program costs, visit the Online Program Fees page.
Accreditation & Rankings
- The University of Cincinnati and all of its regional campuses are accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.
Careers & Outcomes
Who Is This Program For?
This program may be a good fit for:
- IT and cybersecurity professionals whose work involves regulatory requirements
- Privacy, compliance, and information-governance professionals
- Technology managers and systems administrators
- Risk-management and information-assurance professionals
- Nonlawyers seeking to understand how law intersects with data, privacy, cybersecurity, and IT governance
Career Opportunities
Combined with relevant education, technical expertise, and professional experience, the knowledge developed through this certificate may support responsibilities related to:
- Privacy and cybersecurity compliance
- IT governance
- Technology risk management
- Information-security policy
- Regulatory analysis
- Data protection and information governance
- Security-compliance communication and training
Relevant settings include technology companies, financial institutions, healthcare organizations, consulting firms, government agencies, insurance companies, educational institutions, manufacturers, and other data-intensive organizations.
The certificate alone does not qualify someone for an information-security, privacy, legal, IT, or leadership position, and it does not qualify graduates to practice law. Technical roles typically require related education, hands-on experience, and professional certifications.
Career Outlook
A related BLS benchmark is information security analysts. These professionals earned a national median annual wage of $129,180 in May 2025. Employment is projected to grow 21% from 2025 to 2035, with approximately 14,100 openings annually. Information security analysts typically need relevant computing education and work experience, and employers may prefer professional certification. These figures represent national occupational data, not certificate or graduate outcomes. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics—Information Security Analysts.
Build Your Credentials
Depending on their professional backgrounds, individuals may also pursue CISSP, CISM, CISA, Security+, Certified Information Privacy Professional, Certified Information Privacy Manager, cloud-security, risk-management, or governance credentials.
With the appropriate education, technical experience, and additional credentials, professionals may advance into areas such as:
- Cybersecurity governance
- Privacy program management
- Technology compliance
- Information-security risk management
- Data-protection strategy
- Security and compliance leadership
Continue Your Education at UC
Credits from this certificate may be applied toward UC’s online Master of Legal Studies, which is intended to strengthen legal knowledge within an established professional career.
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