K-State Polytechnic launching graduate certificate in UAS information assurance

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Come Fall 2018, Kansas State University Polytechnic Campus will launch a graduate certificate in unmanned aircraft systems information assurance.

The certificate will provide working professionals and graduate students “an educational foundation in an industry important to both military and civilian organizations,” according to K-State Polytechnic.

Enrolled students will learn important lessons regarding UAS, including how to protect UAS from cyberattacks, and understand “information assurance risk assessment principles” that apply to UAS operations on land, sea, air or satellite.

“The mission of Kansas State Polytechnic is to provide students with industry-relevant, applicable learning that can be immediately transferred to the workforce,” says Verna Fitzsimmons, the campus's CEO and dean.

“Our new graduate certificate in unmanned aircraft systems information assurance provides students with necessary education and skills to make an impact in a globally relevant industry.”

People preparing to work as UAS pilots, operators, in communications, payload, navigation, ground support, satellite coordination and air-to-air delivery will all find this graduate certificate beneficial, K-State Polytechnic says.

Courses incorporate a variety of lessons, including “current knowledge and practices in accordance with the terms of information assurance and security, communications security, and risk assessment as applicable to safe integration of UAS into national airspace and deployment for global counter-terrorism operations.”

Randall Nichols, professor of practice in the School of Integrated Studies at Kansas State Polytechnic, believes that the new graduate certificate is “essential for safe and secure UAS operations,” as it aligns a growing industry with K-State Polytechnic’s expertise.

“The unmanned aircraft systems cybersecurity graduate certificate teaches students how to ensure UAS data collection is accurate and secure, which is imperative in preventing hostile counterintelligence,” Nichols says.  

The graduate certificate is offered online in eight-week, interactive segments, and enrollment is currently open.