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Security Analyst Certificate
Defend organizations from cyber threats — network security, ethical hacking, incident response and digital forensics.
On this pageProgram overview
The program
Program overview
The Security Analyst Certificate builds the practical, hands-on skills needed to monitor, defend and respond to security threats across modern IT environments.
Delivered 100% online, the program covers network monitoring, intrusion detection, ethical hacking, incident response and digital forensics, with hands-on browser-based labs — such as analyzing server logs for attacks — that mirror the daily work of a security analyst.
Is this program right for you?
The Security Analyst Certificate is a good fit if:
- You want a focused, shorter path into a security operations (SOC) role
- You already work in IT and want to add security skills
- You enjoy analysing logs, alerts and patterns
- You prefer studying online at your own pace
What you’ll learn
- Secure operating systems, networks and cloud environments
- Apply cybersecurity frameworks and controls (NIST, ISO 27001)
- Configure firewalls, VPNs and IDS/IPS systems
- Perform ethical hacking and penetration testing
- Secure ICS/SCADA and IoT environments
- Run incident response and digital forensic investigations
- Automate security tasks with Python
- Manage identity and access (IAM)
Curriculum
10 focused courses totalling 420 hours of guided online learning.
- First Semester
SECA 101Cloud Computing42 hrsSECA 102Operating Systems Fundamentals42 hrsSECA 103Computer Networks Fundamentals42 hrsSECA 104Introduction to Cybersecurity42 hrsSECA 105Introduction to Programming42 hrs- Second Semester
SECA 201Network Security42 hrsSECA 202Security Operations, Monitoring and Architecture42 hrsSECA 203Ethical Hacking42 hrsSECA 204Industrial Control Systems (ICS) and IoT Security42 hrsSECA 205Incident Response and Digital Forensics42 hrs- Total instructional hours420 hours
Admission requirements
- High school diploma or equivalent (mature-student admission may be available)
- English language proficiency
- Basic computer literacy
- Reliable computer and high-speed internet for online study
How much time will it take?
Ucademy is flexible and largely self-paced. As a guide, you can study part-time at about 12–15 hours a week and finish in roughly 7 months, or go faster full-time and finish in around 4 months. You choose the pace that fits your work and family life — and you can start whenever you are ready.
Careers
Career outcomes
Graduates are prepared for entry-level roles in security operations and defensive cybersecurity.
- Security Analyst
- SOC Analyst (Tier 1)
- Incident Response Analyst
- Network Security Analyst
- Vulnerability Analyst
- Junior Penetration Tester
Helps prepare for: CompTIA Security+, CompTIA CySA+, EC-Council CEH, Cisco CyberOps Associate
Career outlook & salaries in Alberta
Typical roles and wage ranges for related occupations in Alberta. Source: Government of Canada Job Bank & Alberta alis labour-market data.
Security / SOC Analyst
$35.40–$87.09/hrmedian $50.51/hr · NOC 21220Monitor systems, investigate alerts and respond to incidents.
Information Security Analyst
$35.40–$87.09/hrmedian $50.51/hr · NOC 21220Assess risks and help protect organizational data.
Network Security Administrator
$21.00–$55.00/hrmedian $38.67/hr · NOC 22220Support and operate security tools and controls.
Wages vary by employer, experience and location and are not guaranteed. Figures are Job Bank Alberta hourly wages (low–high and median) for related occupations, provided for general guidance. For cybersecurity specialists they are Statistics Canada model estimates for 2024; see the details below.
The numbers behind this career
Official data about the two occupations this 420-hour certificate points toward: cybersecurity specialists and computer network technicians. It describes these jobs across Alberta — not what Ucademy students will earn — and it shows the less favourable figures as well as the good ones. Please read the first box before the wage figures.
View the data as a table
| cybersecurity specialists | computer network technicians | all occupations | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Above bachelor’s level (master’s, doctorate) | 20% | 7% | 9% |
| Bachelor’s degree | 34% | 25% | 21% |
| College certificate or diploma | 32% | 39% | 19% |
| High school | 11% | 17% | 28% |
| Apprenticeship or trades certificate | <5% | 9% | 13% |
| No high school diploma | <5% | <5% | 10% |
More on this question: How to Break Into Cybersecurity in Canada Without a Degree.
Source: Job Bank educational attainment — NOC 21220, NOC 22220 · Alberta.
Source: Job Bank outlook and key facts — NOC 21220, NOC 22220 · recent trends Jul 28, 2026.
Hiring figures: Alberta Wage and Salary Survey 2023 (alis) — NOC 21220 · employer survey, 2023.
The hiring figures are employers’ own reports in a 2023 survey, a snapshot in time. They do not say which qualifications employers found hard to find.
View the data as a table
| Area | Low | Median | High | Data |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alberta | $35.40/hr | $50.51/hr | $87.09/hr | Statistics Canada model estimate, 2024 |
| Athabasca–Grande Prairie | not published | — | — | — |
| Banff–Jasper | not published | — | — | — |
| Calgary | $35.60/hr | $50.13/hr | $89.48/hr | Statistics Canada model estimate, 2024 |
| Camrose–Drumheller | not published | — | — | — |
| Edmonton | $36.88/hr | $50.48/hr | $72.06/hr | Statistics Canada model estimate, 2024 |
| Lethbridge–Medicine Hat | $36.28/hr | $49.20/hr | $71.79/hr | Statistics Canada model estimate, 2024 |
| Red Deer | not published | — | — | — |
| Wood Buffalo–Cold Lake | not published | — | — | — |
| Canada | $30.00/hr | $49.52/hr | $72.12/hr | Labour Force Survey, 2023–2024 |
Every wage figure for this occupation, including the Alberta row, is a Statistics Canada model estimate for 2024 (marked *), not a 2023–2024 survey result. Job Bank publishes regional figures for only Calgary, Edmonton and Lethbridge–Medicine Hat. The range is wide ($35.40 to $87.09 across Alberta), and these wages describe the occupation as a whole, where many workers hold a bachelor’s degree or higher; they are not a forecast for certificate graduates.
Source: Job Bank wages — NOC 21220 · wages updated Nov 19, 2025; outlook updated Dec 10, 2025.
View the data as a table
| Area | Low | Median | High | Data |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alberta | $21.00/hr | $38.67/hr | $55.00/hr | Labour Force Survey, 2023–2024 |
| Athabasca–Grande Prairie | not published | — | — | — |
| Banff–Jasper | $26.67/hr | $39.30/hr | $52.85/hr | Statistics Canada model estimate, 2024 |
| Calgary | $22.00/hr | $36.06/hr | $55.00/hr | Labour Force Survey, 2023–2024 |
| Camrose–Drumheller | $26.34/hr | $37.63/hr | $49.70/hr | Statistics Canada model estimate, 2024 |
| Edmonton | $19.23/hr | $38.67/hr | $52.52/hr | Labour Force Survey, 2023–2024 |
| Lethbridge–Medicine Hat | $26.75/hr | $38.78/hr | $51.47/hr | Statistics Canada model estimate, 2024 |
| Red Deer | $27.48/hr | $38.04/hr | $53.58/hr | Statistics Canada model estimate, 2024 |
| Wood Buffalo–Cold Lake | not published | — | — | — |
| Canada | $21.00/hr | $36.00/hr | $55.00/hr | Labour Force Survey, 2023–2024 |
Alberta, Calgary, Edmonton and Canada are Labour Force Survey results for 2023–2024; the other published regions are model estimates for 2024 (marked *). Job Bank does not publish Athabasca–Grande Prairie or Wood Buffalo–Cold Lake. Wages depend on the employer, experience and location and are not guaranteed.
Source: Job Bank wages — NOC 22220 · wages updated Nov 19, 2025; outlook updated Dec 10, 2025.
| Alberta | Athabasca–Grande Prairie | Banff–Jasper | Calgary | Camrose–Drumheller | Edmonton | Lethbridge–Medicine Hat | Red Deer | Wood Buffalo–Cold Lake | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cybersecurity specialist NOC 21220 | Moderate | Undetermined | Undetermined | Moderate | Undetermined | Moderate | Undetermined | Undetermined | Undetermined |
| Computer network technician NOC 22220 | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Undetermined | Moderate | Moderate | Undetermined | Undetermined |
For cybersecurity specialists only Alberta, Calgary and Edmonton are rated Moderate; the other six regions are Undetermined. Job Bank expects a moderate number of new positions but not many openings from retirements. For network technicians, Job Bank says most opportunities will be in Calgary or Edmonton, and three regions are Undetermined.
Source: Job Bank outlooks · updated Dec 10, 2025.
| Cybersecurity specialists | Computer network technicians | |
|---|---|---|
| Occupation group | NOC 21220 | NOC 22220 |
| Usual entry requirement (Job Bank) | University degree (summary page); requirements page also lists a college program in a computer-related field | College diploma, apprenticeship of 2+ years, or supervisory experience |
| Alberta median wage | $50.51/hr (2024 model estimate) | $38.67/hr |
| Outlook 2025–2027, Alberta | Moderate | Moderate |
| Employed in Alberta | ~2,750 | ~4,000 |
| Work full-time / work all year | not shown by Job Bank / 79% | 93% / 79% |
| Largest industry | Computer systems design 37% | Computer systems design 32% |
| Non-wage benefits, Alberta (Canada) | 99.7% (96.2%) | 91% (87.4%) |
| Employers that hired in the last 2 years (alis 2023) | 59% | 34% |
| … of those, had trouble hiring | 62% | 16% |
| Employers with a vacancy open over 4 months | 12% | 3% |
Source: Job Bank outlook and key facts — NOC 21220, NOC 22220 · wages updated Nov 19, 2025; outlook updated Dec 10, 2025.
Source: Alberta Wage and Salary Survey 2023 (alis) — NOC 21220, NOC 22220 · employer survey, 2023.
| Starting | Overall | Top | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cybersecurity specialists (21220) | $40.28 | $46.94 | $51.30 |
| Computer network technicians (22220) | $34.28 | $40.59 | $47.84 |
“Starting” is the average pay employers report for entry-level positions with that job title — not what any program’s graduates earn. This is a separate survey from Job Bank, so the numbers differ. For cybersecurity specialists and network technicians the “Starting” figures reflect employers’ hires into those job titles, who are often degree-holders or experienced workers, so they should not be read as expected pay for a new certificate or diploma graduate.
Source: Alberta Wage and Salary Survey 2023 (alis) — NOC 21220, NOC 22220 · employer survey, 2023.
- Computer systems design services 37%
- Information and cultural industries 7%
- Central bank, securities and related financial activities 7%
- Provincial and territorial public administration 6%
- Management and administrative services 5%
- All other sectors 38%
Source: Job Bank, workers by industry (NOC 21220) · Alberta.
- Computer systems design services 32%
- Information and cultural industries 9%
- All other sectors 59%
Source: Job Bank, workers by industry (NOC 22220) · Alberta.
Data checked October 19, 2026: Job Bank wages updated Nov 19, 2025, outlooks Dec 10, 2025, recent employment trends Jul 28, 2026; Alberta Wage and Salary Survey 2023. All cybersecurity specialist wages, including Alberta, are Statistics Canada model estimates for 2024. Occupation data, not a program outcome. Ucademy has no graduates yet.
Where graduates work in Alberta
Security analysts work in security operations centres at managed security providers, and in the security teams of energy companies, financial institutions, healthcare organizations, government and large Alberta employers.
| Role | Occupation group (NOC 2021) | Learn more |
|---|---|---|
| Security analyst / SOC analyst (Tier 1) | NOC21220Cybersecurity specialists | What Does a Cybersecurity Analyst Do? Role, Skills & Salary in Alberta |
| Incident response analyst (junior) | NOC21220Cybersecurity specialists | Cybersecurity Jobs in Alberta: Career Paths, Salaries and How to Break In |
| Vulnerability analyst | NOC21220Cybersecurity specialists | Cybersecurity Certifications Explained: Where to Start in Alberta |
| Network security analyst | NOC22220Computer network and web technicians | Network Administrator Careers in Canada: Skills, Certifications, and Pathways |
NOC is the National Occupational Classification used by Job Bank and alis. You can look up wages and outlooks for each group in our Alberta salary calculator or on alis. Job titles and hiring vary by employer; Ucademy does not guarantee employment.
Working conditions
What the work is usually like day to day. It varies by employer, so ask about it in interviews.
- Hours. Many analyst roles are in security operations centres that run 24/7, with shift work and on-call duty.
- The work itself. Reviewing large volumes of alerts and logs carefully, escalating real threats quickly and documenting what you find.
- Background checks. Employers commonly require a police information check; some roles need a security clearance.
Where this career can lead
Tier 1 SOC analysts commonly progress to Tier 2 and Tier 3 analyst, threat hunter or incident responder roles. With further study — such as the full Cybersecurity Specialist Diploma — many move into engineering, penetration testing or governance roles.
Studying
A typical study week
Ucademy is self-paced, so you decide when you study. Studying part-time at the recommended pace, a week usually looks like this:
- Watch lessons on monitoring, threat detection or incident response
- Triage simulated alerts in a lab: decide what is real, what is noise and what to escalate
- Practise writing clear incident notes and short reports
- Prepare for certification-style questions at your own pace
You can slow down during busy weeks and speed up when you have more time. Learner success staff check in if you fall behind.
Skills, tools and industry certifications
What you will practise and use throughout the program:
- Security monitoring and alert triage
- Log analysis and SIEM fundamentals
- Incident response procedures
- Vulnerability scanning and reporting
- Network security fundamentals
Certifications
The certificate supports preparation for CompTIA Security+ and is a stepping stone toward analyst-level certifications such as CompTIA CySA+. Exams are registered separately with the certification bodies.
How you will study
Two semesters of online courses with browser-based labs, so you practise log analysis and security scripting hands-on. Self-paced, with instructor support.
Cost & next steps
What else to budget for besides tuition
- A computer, webcam and headset that meet the technology requirements, and reliable high-speed internet.
- Textbooks, e-books and software. Your enrolment contract will list exactly what is included in tuition and what is not.
- The CompTIA Security+ exam is optional and paid to the exam provider, unless your enrolment contract says otherwise.
Tuition and any fees will be published before enrolment opens, and no tuition is collected before then. The funding finder shows which ways to pay may fit you.
Paying for your program
Most students combine more than one source of funding. Options to explore:
Your next steps
- Read the syllabus.Download the full program outline from the panel at the top of this page.Download syllabus
- Check the fit.Take the 1-minute program quiz or compare programs side by side.
- Talk to an advisor.Book a free info session — no cost, no commitment.Book an Info Session
- Stay informed.Request information and we will tell you as soon as intakes open.Request Information
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