Certificate of Completion in Open Source Intelligence
Description
What is OSINT?
While Open Source Intelligence (OSINT) has been around for decades, it has come a long way in the past few years. Originally used by the U.S. military, today many organizations are using OSINT across many departments to effectively access intelligence that will advance their business.
Open-source intelligence collects data from publicly available online sources. Information can come from places such as government and business websites, social media post, blogs, news, forums, geolocation, meta data, imagery networks and even the dark web.
By using specialized online investigative tools, captured data can then be assessed and analyzed for any number of objectives. More and more organizations and companies are using OSINT to protect their interests and optimize their efficiency:
- Law enforcement agencies are able to better monitor national security and predict future actions
- Financial Institutions are able to identify money laundering activities more effectively
- IT departments are better equipped to detect cyber threats
- Insurance companies can expose claims fraud cases faster
- Human resources are able to investigate employees and potential candidates
- Marketing department are able to effectively track competitors and marketplace trends
What you'll learn
Our Open Source intelligence course will teach you current, real-world skills, techniques, and tools to effectively gather and effectively investigate OSINT data. You’ll learn how to:
- Utilize the latest technology and advanced research techniques to investigate and find relevant information from a wide range of sources
- Recognize cyber threats and safeguard your safety and privacy online
- Accurately assess the value and quality of online sources and data
- Design tools and processes to collect and manage data from online and traditional sources
- Use various tools and methods to monitor online and social media sources in real time
- Process information, produce reports, and apply appropriate and useful metadata
- Structure and prepare data for analysis and visualization
- Conduct basic and advanced analysis of collected data and construct predictive models to forecast possible future outcomes
Earn your Certificate online
The Open Source Intelligence program teaches you the latest technology, research techniques and tools to collect and assess data. Learn how to analyze captured data to protect business interests and optimize company operations to be more competitive in today’s fast-paced marketplace.
- Learn how to capture relevant data from a wide range of sources
- Accurately assess and monitor the value and quality of collected information
- Recognize cyber threats and safeguard your privacy online
Admission Requirements:
This program is an open enrolment professional development program. There is no formal admission procedure. To enrol in a course or the program, simply register online. You should register at least three weeks before classes begin. Courses can be taken as part of the program or individually.
English Language Proficiency Requirements
If your first language is not English, you must meet the University’s English language proficiency requirements.
Earn a Microcredential along with the Certificate of Completion in Open Source Intelligence by completing all four required courses listed below.
COURSES (COMPLETE ALL 4)
- OSI 101 Tradecraft and Operations
- OSI 102 Python for Basic Collection
- OSI 103 Python for Advanced Collection
- OSI 104 Data Mining and Analysis Essentials
Note: Check with the institution regarding start/end dates, prices, and delivery method. These may vary according to program, section, and/or semester.
Overview

- Institution: McMaster University
- Program type: Microcertification
- Language: English
- Program Code: OSINTCOC
- Delivery Method: Entièrement en ligne/à distance
Disclaimer:
Check with the institution regarding start/end dates, prices, and delivery method. These may vary according to program, section, and/or semester.
Check with the institution regarding start/end dates, prices, and delivery method. These may vary according to program, section, and/or semester.