Frequently Asked Questions

  1. Where is CIC located?

CIC’s main offices are located in Suite 201 in Marshall Hall (Building 62) on the National Defense University campus at Ft. McNair in Washington DC.  Our Office of Student Services is located in Room 145 of Marshall Hall. 

  1. Are CIC programs accredited?

Yes, CIC operates under the National Defense University’s accreditation by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education.  Further, CIC’s Joint Professional Military Education (JPME) Phase II graduate program is accredited by the Joint Chiefs of Staff organization through the Process for Accreditation of Joint Education (PAJE) program.

  1. Does CIC offer a Master’s degree? 

Yes, CIC offers a Master of Science (MS) degree focused on national security and cyberspace studies.  It is offered in two different ways: 

a) a full-time, in-residence program that operates over 10-months starting in August of each year for those military officers and others that have been nominated to attend the program. This program conveys Joint Professionals Military Education (JPME) Phase II credit for US military officers.

b) a part-time program offered on a distance-learning basis which requires those interested in attending to apply for admission.      

For further information, please click here: Graduate Programs (ndu.edu)

  1. Does CIC offer graduate certificates?

Yes, interested students may apply for admission to complete one of six, 15-credit graduate certificates designed to provide a graduate-level understanding of select interest areas to support knowledge expansion and career progression.  The graduate certificates offered are listed below:  

  • Chief Information Officer
  • Chief Financial Officer
  • Chief Data Officer
  • Cyber Leadership
  • Cybersecurity
  • IT Program Management

CIC also offers a CIO Leadership Development Program that awards the Chief Information Officer graduate certificate to those that complete this 14-week in-residence program offered in the fall and spring semesters.

For further information, please click here: Graduate Programs (ndu.edu)

  1. Do you offer in-person courses?  Distance learning?  

Currently, CIC offers its in-person courses for our 10-month in-residence Master’s degree program, its CIO Leadership Development Program, and CIC-sponsored elective courses (some adjustments may occur due to COVID pandemic).  All other programs, including our distance learning-based Master degree program and our graduate certificate courses, are offered via distance learning which leverages the Blackboard learning system to provide class lessons, required readings, and assignments.  Courses are generally offered on an asynchronous basis with no set class times (some courses may include options for synchronous sessions).

  1. How can I apply to the part-time Master’s degree or a graduate certificate programs?    

Please see our Admissions link and complete an online application: Application Instructions (ndu.edu)

  1. Where can I find information on courses being offered each semester?

After admission into the program, students may select courses from the CIC Schedule of Courses which is published each semester.  Course are offered during the Fall, Spring, and Summer semesters.  Here is the link to the latest version of the Schedule of Classes:

https://cic.ndu.edu/Portals/74/CICSchedule_AY22%20Spring%202022%20v3.pdf.

  1. What are elective concentrations for NDU Master’s degrees and does CIC sponsor any?

CIC offers a number of elective concentrations to those participating in one of in-residence Master’s degree programs offered by NDU, as follows:

  • Cyber Studies
  • Data and Disruptive Technologies
  • Financial Management
  • Influence Warfare

Specific requirements for elective concentrations and instructions on how to register are detailed in the NDU Elective Program Catalog published each Spring Semester.  Click here for the latest version: https://www.ndu.edu/Incoming-Students/AY-21-22-Electives/.

  1. What are CIC’s tuition policies?

Our graduate programs are tuition-free for eligible U.S. Military members and DoD employees.  For eligible employees of non-DoD federal agencies (and state and local government employees) tuition is $1,100 per course.  Tuition for eligible private sector employees supporting government agencies is $2,200 course.  

  1.  Does CIC accept transfer credits?

CIC does not accept credits taken at other institutions for transfer.  However, based on NDU’s accreditation by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education, courses taken at CIC may be eligible for transfer credit at other institutions.