Resident Certificates

269: Operational Data Science and Statistical Machine Learning Certificate

The Academic Certificate in Operational Data Science and Statistical Machine Learning provides education in the computational thinking and practical skills necessary to plan, execute, and manage the day-to-day operations for applied data science, with a particular emphasis on rapidly evolving Machine Learning techniques. Data Science and Machine Learning have emerged as critical to the mission of the Navy and the Department of Defense because of the central role they play in intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance, talent management, cyber-security, and logistics functional areas. However, practitioners in the military and civilian workforce need not only the ability "think computationally" but also to "do computationally". This includes the ability to work directly in the languages of data science (e.g., R, Python) and not just third-party tools. The emphasis throughout the program is on making military analysts more effective at addressing real-world problems through the use of data science and advanced computation.

Upon successful completion of the course work, students will be awarded an Academic Certificate in keeping with standard practices of the Naval Postgraduate School.

Experience with higher level programming language and background in statistics as evidenced by transcripts or work history is required for enrollment.

Non-Resident Certificates

262: Human Systems Integration Certificate

The Human Systems Integration Certificate program is a distance learning, graduate-level, non-degree program designed to enable acquisition professionals, program managers, engineers and scientists of the DoD to effectively implement Human Systems Integration (HSI) as required by the DoD. Students will learn the fundamentals in applying usability assessments, modeling, optimization, and decision making to demonstrate cost-benefit trade-offs for technical, cost, and schedule modifications in systems acquisition.

268: Data Science Certificate

The Academic Certificate in Data Science provides education in distributed computing infrastructure and the application of statistical and machine learning techniques to appropriately manage and gain insights from data of all sizes and types. Data Science has emerged as an area critical to the mission of the Navy and the Department of Defense because of the central role it plays in intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance, talent management, cyber-security, and logistics functional areas. Upon successful completion of the course work, students will be awarded an Academic Certificate in keeping with standard practices of the Naval Postgraduate School.

281: Systems Analysis Certificate

The Systems Analysis Certificate program is a distance learning, graduate-level, nondegree program designed to meet the needs of the Navy and other services in the Department of Defense (DoD) for nondegree technical education in systems analysis as a basis for aiding key decisions on force requirements, weapon systems, and other defense matters. Students learn and apply modeling, optimization, simulation, and decision making under risk and uncertainty. The Certificate Program consists of four courses delivered entirely online over a one-year period. The course content and projects will challenge the student academically and address problems of interest to the Department of Defense. The courses are paced week-to-week by the instructors, but the students have great flexibility to do their course work at times of their choosing during each week.

289: Cost Estimating and Analysis Certificate

The Cost Estimating and Analysis certificate program is a distance learning, graduate-level, non-degree program designed to provide cost estimating and analysis training to Navy and other DoD personnel. The program consists of four courses delivered one per quarter via distance learning over a one-year period.

Specific topics for specialized estimating in ship building, aircraft, software, and other interest areas are included in the program. Funding support from the student’s organization, and authorization to take time off during the workday to attend the VTE is required.

Cost analysts provide services that allow decision makers to accurately estimate the cost of their programs, to compare the cost of alternatives, and to help make informed decisions with regards to prudent resource allocation choices. This program is designed to educate the Cost Estimating Professional. It will help your organization meet government expectations, and ultimately result in cost estimates with greater accuracy and realism. The driving force behind this curriculum is the Weapons System Acquisition Reform Act of 2009, signed by President Barack Obama, which created the Directorate of Cost Analysis and Program Evaluation within the DOD, and increases awareness of cost estimating issues. The CEA addresses a critical need for personnel as the DOD doubles the number of professional estimators in the near future.