Computer Application Security (Optional Co-op)

Select start date and campus

Menu
Close

Applying as a Canadian applicant

Domestic students should apply online or by phone at 1-888-892-2228.

Apply now: Canadian applicant

Applying as an International applicant

International students should apply online.
Apply now: international applicants
Close

Campus tours

Campus tours are one of the best ways to experience Conestoga. During this time, we are offering online guided tours to show you all Conestoga has to offer.

Book your tour

Virtual tours

If you can't make an on-campus tour or attend one of our events, the virtual tour is a great way to visit us.

View our Virtual tour

Courses - January 2027

Level 1

Course details

Conestoga 101
CON0101

Description: This self-directed course focuses on introducing new students to the supports, services, and opportunities available at Conestoga College. By the end of this course, students will understand the academic expectations of the Conestoga learning environment, as well as the supports available to ensure their academic success. Students will also be able to identify on-campus services that support their health and wellness, and explore ways to get actively involved in the Conestoga community through co-curricular learning opportunities.
  • Hours: 1
  • Credits: 0
  • Pre-Requisites:
  • CoRequisites:
  • Estimated required text and/or learning resource costs: ​No cost.

Application and Framework Monitoring
INFO8591

Description: The security of applications is dependent on the design, topology and physical components of the networks on which they are served. This course consists of three major components: a study of the physical components (such as routers and switches) and topology of networks, TCP/IP protocol, and its implications for security, as well as network monitoring for performance and threats. These skills will aid graduates in developing security solutions for organizational security.
  • Hours: 42
  • Credits: 3
  • Pre-Requisites:
  • CoRequisites:
  • Estimated required text and/or learning resource costs: ​No cost.

Cyberlaw, Ethics and Privacy for Application and Data Security
INFO8592

Description:

In today’s digital landscape, securing applications demands an understanding of the legal and ethical frameworks that govern data, privacy, and intellectual property. Students will explore how ethical principles and legal obligations shape the responsibilities of security professionals and influence organizational decision-making. This course will focus on both Canadian legislation and international legal standards. Key topics include privacy rights and obligations for individuals and organizations, intellectual property in the context of software and data, legal frameworks governing cybersecurity in Canada and globally, ethical decision-making and the use of artificial intelligence in application development and deployment, risks and responsibilities associated with cloud services and third-party platforms, contemporary issues such as government surveillance, organized hacking, and industrial espionage.

  • Hours: 42
  • Credits: 3
  • Pre-Requisites:
  • CoRequisites:
  • Estimated required text and/or learning resource costs: Not available at this time.

Fundamentals of Cryptography
INFO8601

Description: In today’s world, the proliferation of data is accelerating, and the secure transmission and storage of that data is essential. Many mainstream news stories revolve around the exposure of confidential information of organizations and individuals. Students will be introduced to the basic theory of encryption, including the principles, strengths and vulnerabilities of cryptography, and will apply that knowledge for two purposes: first, to assess encryption packages and the tools that use them, including email packages and messaging sites, for the purpose of transmission of sensitive data, and second, to use existing encryption library packages in order to incorporate encryption into software applications.
  • Hours: 42
  • Credits: 3
  • Pre-Requisites:
  • CoRequisites:
  • Estimated required text and/or learning resource costs: ​No cost.

Software Application Security I
PROG8271

Description: Software applications are prone to vulnerabilities on many levels. In this course, students study vulnerabilities of web applications, including SQL injections, URL manipulations and backdoors. Students study current penetration testing techniques in order to assess, test and develop software applications with respect to security issues.
  • Hours: 42
  • Credits: 3
  • Pre-Requisites:
  • CoRequisites:
  • Estimated required text and/or learning resource costs: ​No cost.

Malware and Hacking
PROG8301

Description: There are many types of malicious code and exploits that are enabled by the wider use of the internet, portable media, mobile devices and embedded systems. These exploits include trojan horses, worms, viruses, botnets and spyware, as well as less technologically sophisticated types of exploits such as password cracking and the guessing of security questions. In this course, students are encouraged to explore the behaviour and motivation of hackers, to study known types of exploits, and to creatively try to design new kinds of attacks, all in order to develop the skills needed to secure organizations and software systems.
  • Hours: 42
  • Credits: 3
  • Pre-Requisites:
  • CoRequisites:
  • Estimated required text and/or learning resource costs: ​No cost.

Cloud Security
SYST8030

Description:

Organizations are rapidly incorporating cloud-based tools and services as part of their infrastructure. Thus, increasing the demand for cloud adoption, migration, and scaling strategies. Insecure cloud-based transition may lead to several implications resulting in a data breach, violation of national data protection policy, and other consequences. Therefore, cloud security plays a vital role for effective data operations. In this course, students will explore cloud security threats and their implications. Topics will also include cloud security compliance, security requirements for protecting data, applications and workloads running in the cloud.

  • Hours: 42
  • Credits: 3
  • Pre-Requisites:
  • CoRequisites:
  • Estimated required text and/or learning resource costs: ​No cost.

Level 2

Course details

Co-op and Career Preparation
CEPR8200

Description: This series of modules will prepare graduate certificate students for job searching for their co-op work terms with the guidance of a Co-op Advisor. Students will familiarize themselves with the co-operative education policies and procedures and will learn the expectations, rules, and regulations that apply in the workplace regarding social, organizational, ethical, and safety issues while deepening their awareness of self- reflective practices. Students will critically reflect on their skills, attitudes, and expectations and evaluate available opportunities in the workplace. Successful completion of these modules is a requirement for co-op eligibility.
  • Hours: 14
  • Credits: 1
  • Pre-Requisites:
  • CoRequisites:
  • Estimated required text and/or learning resource costs: ​No cost.

Web and Wireless Security
INFO8561

Description: Application security specialists need to understand how web and wireless connectivity can create vulnerabilities to both applications and data storage. Students will analyze the infrastructure of web and Wireless applications for possible threats. Students will be introduced to web and wireless administration through practical exercises, including installation and configuration of servers and controllers as well as the deployment of web applications. Students will study techniques for securing server clusters, including backup and recovery functions. Methods for detecting and preventing web and wireless based attacks are itemized and studied.
  • Hours: 42
  • Credits: 3
  • Pre-Requisites:
  • CoRequisites:
  • Estimated required text and/or learning resource costs: ​No cost.

Penetration Testing
INFO8593

Description:

Building on foundational knowledge of malware and hacking, this course provides students with hands-on experience in ethical hacking techniques used to identify and mitigate security vulnerabilities in real-world systems. Students will deepen their understanding of offensive security practices while exploring the legal and ethical boundaries that govern responsible hacking. Through practical labs and case studies, students will learn to conduct structured penetration tests, simulate cyberattacks, and analyze system defenses. Key topics include advanced ethical hacking methodologies and tools, legal considerations for offensive security in Canada and internationally, vulnerability discovery, analysis, and responsible disclosure, red teaming, social engineering, and threat simulation, bug bounty programs and coordinated vulnerability response, ethics of exploit development and the use of AI in offensive security. The course emphasizes the role of ethical hackers in strengthening organizational security and introduces frameworks for vulnerability assessment, exploit development, and secure reporting.

  • Hours: 42
  • Credits: 3
  • Pre-Requisites:
  • CoRequisites:
  • Estimated required text and/or learning resource costs: Not available at this time.

Information Security Management
INFO8611

Description:

Modern business organizations require the synthesis of many levels of security measures, including physical and network security, as well as the management of security practices. In this course, students explore management techniques as they are applied to corporate and organizational security. In addition to the basic techniques of IT management that include motivation, controlling and planning, students also study tools and skills for securing organizations, including risk and asset management, threat modeling, the development of security policies and procedures, auditing and employee training.

  • Hours: 42
  • Credits: 3
  • Pre-Requisites:
  • CoRequisites:
  • Estimated required text and/or learning resource costs: ​No cost.

Information Security Project
INFO8631

Description:

In this capstone course, students will use skills acquired throughout the program in order to develop an applied project or prepare a research paper that will be based on the fields of software development, networking or management from a security perspective. The project will synthesize knowledge, apply knowledge in a new way, or bring new knowledge to its field. Students will have the opportunity to research a topic or develop a project for a business client, or they can pursue a topic of their own choice.

  • Hours: 84
  • Credits: 6
  • Pre-Requisites: PROG8270 OR PROG8271
  • CoRequisites:
  • Estimated required text and/or learning resource costs: ​No cost.

Artificial Intelligence and Enterprise Security
PROG8281

Description: Because of the growth of eCommerce, many applications have grown in size and embraced the use of reusable, distributed components. This course focuses on the security of these enterprise applications, which are oriented toward high levels of user traffic as well as storage and transmission of large quantities of data. In order to learn how to secure these types of software applications, students study, with the aid of practical examples, how to develop and deploy enterprise systems, and how the security of such systems depend on the connectivity of their components. Included is an exploration of database security, web services, integration with legacy systems and Internet of Things.
  • Hours: 42
  • Credits: 3
  • Pre-Requisites: PROG8270 OR PROG8271
  • CoRequisites:
  • Estimated required text and/or learning resource costs: ​No cost.

Software Application Security II
PROG8291

Description: Students build on the studies begun in Software Application Security I in order to test, evaluate and develop secure applications, but this time, in connection to exploits based on threats to Von Neumann architecture. Students will use industry-leading methodologies and tools to identify and assess common software insecurities and will apply secure design principles to implement appropriate mitigations. Students examine ways of promoting application security at a higher level by infusing security into the greater software development process.
  • Hours: 42
  • Credits: 3
  • Pre-Requisites: PROG8270 OR PROG8271
  • CoRequisites:
  • Estimated required text and/or learning resource costs: ​No cost.

Level 3

Course details

Co-op Work Term (Computer Application Security)
COOP8110

Description: This co-op work term will provide students with college-approved work experience in an authentic, professionally relevant work environment. Students will be provided the opportunity to connect theory and practice by leveraging their academic knowledge to develop specialized vocational skills. The practical applications of this work term will promote students’ awareness of key concepts and terminology in their field, improve their competencies in problem-solving and decision-making, further their application of professional judgement, hone their leadership skills (independently or as part of team), and enhance their capacity to critically analyze and reflect on their demonstrated abilities in the workplace.
  • Hours: 420
  • Credits: 14
  • Pre-Requisites: CDEV8200 OR CEPR8200
  • CoRequisites:
  • Estimated required text and/or learning resource costs: ​No cost.

Please note:

Estimated required text and/or learning resource costs are based on the most recent available data through the Conestoga Campus Store.

Program outcomes

  1. Remediate vulnerabilities in software applications based on security threats assessment and testing.
  2. Design and develop security solutions for business processes and applications in order to protect business resources.
  3. Develop plans to incorporate security into the software development process and integrate emerging technologies safely into new software products or computer systems
  4. Develop policies and procedures that protect the property and privacy of the clients, owners, employees and other stakeholders of an organization
  5. Evaluate the effectiveness of a security system through security audits to identify and correct security issues.
  6. Develop and deliver appropriate security training to ensure compliance with security policies.
  7. Communicate security, protocols, policies and audit results and related documentation to any level of the organization.
  8. Develop asset management and risk management plans to protect the physical, and intellectual properties of an organization.