The Certificate Program in Data/Telecommunications trains participants for positions as entry-level network administrators, LAN technicians, and system analysts responsible for networking functions in large or small companies. Many of the courses in this certificate program can be applied towards the A.S. or B.S. Degree in Information Technology.

Required Courses: (5)
90.267 C Programming - Available Fall 2009!
90.461 LAN/WAN Technologies - Available Fall 2009!
90.462 TCP/IP and Network Architecture - Available Fall 2009!
90.457 Network Security - Available Fall 2009!
90.464 Network Management - Available Fall 2009!

Certificate Requirements
Students enrolled in UMass Lowell certificate programs must complete all courses, generally consisting of both required courses and electives. Students may complete the certificate program at their own pace, enrolling in one or two courses each semester. Courses on-campus typically meet one night per week, three hours each night, for 14 weeks during the Fall and Spring semesters. UMass Lowell's online courses meet for either 10 or 14 weeks, however, students generally log on to their course site once per week to retrieve lectures and assignments or to participate in a chat session. For more information on online courses, click here to go to UMass Lowell's online courses website. In addition to the Fall and Spring semesters, students may also have the opportunity to accelerate their programs of study during two concentrated six-week Summer sessions. Online courses are also offered during the Summer semester, but unlike the on-campus courses, the online summer courses meet from May through August for a period of 14 weeks unless otherwise noted. All students should anticipate at least two hours of preparation for every hour of classroom instruction. Students are required to maintain a grade point average of 2.0 or better to receive the certificate.

Application into the Program
Those who wish to enroll in the certificate program should submit a completed application form and arrange to have their official high school transcript or GED sent to Continuing Studies. Applications, transcripts, and other correspondence should be sent to: University of Massachusetts Lowell, Admissions/Continuing Studies, Corporate & Distance Education, Dugan Hall, Room 110, 883 Broadway Street, Lowell, MA 01854-5104. Applications are accepted on an ongoing basis and there is no fee to apply. Upon acceptance, notification will be sent to students.

Registering for Courses
Continuing Studies offers courses during the Fall, Winter, Spring and Summer. Information about current course offerings, schedules, and registration procedures is published regularly on our website. If you would like to receive a printed Course Bulletin, please contact our Faculty and Student Support Center at (978) 934-2474.

You may take courses without being officially enrolled in a certificate or degree program, but you must meet the particular course prerequisites. Registrations are accepted on a first come, first served basis. Class size is limited. We recommend that you register early to reserve your place in class.

Transfer Policy
With the program coordinator's approval, one course may be transferred from another accredited institution to satisfy undergraduate certificate program requirements. The course should be equivalent to UMass Lowell instruction, applicable to the intended program, and the student must have received a grade equivalent to a C- (1.70 on a 4.00 scale) or better.

Academic Advising
Program Coordinators and Faculty and Student Support Specialists are available by appointment to help students determine appropriate course loads, discuss admission requirements, and review the transferability of courses. For online advising, email us at Continuing_Education@uml.edu. To schedule an appointment with a Program Coordinator or Faculty and Student Support Specialist, please call Continuing Studies at (978) 934-2474. General academic advising is also available at the Faculty and Student Support Center on a drop-in basis, located in Southwick Hall, Room 202 on UMass Lowell North. Call (978) 934-2474 or stop by the office Monday through Thursday between 8:30am-8:00pm and on Friday between 8:30am-5:00pm.

Awarding of Certificates
Upon successful completion of the certificate program, students must submit a completed Certificate Petition Form to Continuing Studies. Upon verification, students will be mailed their certificates. Receipt of the certificate will be noted formally on the student's transcript with an award date of October, February, or June.

Tuition
Please refer to our current course listings published online each semester for up-to-date pricing information or refer to the Continuing Studies Course Bulletin each semester.

For More Information
For additional information on any of our programs, call Continuing Studies at (978) 934-2474 or email Continuing_Education@uml.edu.

For information on Financial Aid, call the Financial Aid Office at (978) 934-4220.

Course Descriptions

90.267 C Programming
Introduces students to the techniques of programming in C. The language syntax, semantics, its applications, and the portable library are covered. This course is not an introductory course in programming. However, it will teach some of the basics in the first few weeks. Students should have a working knowledge of at least one high-level programming language. 3 credits. Prerequisite: Previous programming experience Special Notes: Students may not receive credit for both the 90.211/90.212 sequence and 90.267
This course qualifies for free MSDNA software!

90.457 Network Security
This course explores the theory, mechanism, and implementation of security in computer networks. Our goal is to provide an introduction to mathematical encryption and security protocols, and how these are applied to the infrastructure of IP (Internet Protocol) Networks. We will cover Classical ciphers and cryptographic methods such as DES, 3DES, BLOWFISH, RC5, and Modern Public Key cryptography: RSA, Diffie-Hellman Exchange. The second half of the course will introduce the principles and implementation of IPSEC (IP Security), SSL (Secured Socket Layer), and PKI (Public Key Infrastructure). The mathematics required will be introduced in class. 3 credits. Prerequisite: 90.462 or related experience

90.461 LAN/WAN Technologies
This course discusses basic data communication concepts; digital and analog signaling; media and cabling systems; the OSI reference model; Physical and Data Link layer; LAN standards; Ethernet, Token Ring, FDDI, Switched technologies, emerging LAN standards; Bridges and Routers; and Network operating systems. 3 credits. Prerequisite: 90.267 or previous programming experience.

90.462 TCP/IP and Network Architecture
This course is study of the TCP/IP and Network Architecture. We will focus on the concepts and fundamental principles that have contributed to the modern networks design and implementation using TCP/IP. Topics to be addressed in this course are IP, ARP, RARP, and ICMP protocols; IP routing; TCP protocol; Telnet, FTP, SMTP; TCP/IP next-generation; OSI network protocols and standards; Client/Server networking and applications. 3 credits. Prerequisite: 90.461

90.464 Network Management
Topics to be addressed in this course are Simple Network Management Protocol; SNMP-v2; RMON and RMON2; Enterprise management systems; OSI network management standards and development; CMIS and CMIP; Systems management; and emerging trends in network management. 3 credits. Prerequisite: 90.461