SANS Technology Institute

What you'll study

The curriculum begins with a foundational course and continues through three advanced courses. Core and elective courses map to specific SANS offerings and GIAC exams:

• Required core (6 credits): ISE 5201: Hacker Tools, Techniques, Exploits, & Incident Handling (SEC504 + GCIH); ISE 6320: Enterprise Penetration Testing (SEC560 + GPEN).
• Specialization elective (3 credits) — choose one: ISE 6315 Web App Penetration Testing and Ethical Hacking (SEC542 + GWAPT); ISE 6325 Mobile Device Security & Ethical Hacking (SEC575 + GMOB); ISE 6630 Cloud Penetration Testing (SEC588 + GCPN).
• Additional elective (3 credits) — choose one from options including: ISE 6315 (Web App SEC542 + GWAPT); ISE 6325 (Mobile SEC575 + GMOB); ISE 6330 Wireless Penetration Testing (SEC617 + GAWN); ISE 6537 Automating Information Security with Python (SEC573 + GPYC); ISE 6360 Advanced Penetration Testing, Exploit Writing (SEC660 + GXPN); ISE 6370 Red Team Operations and Adversary Emulation (SEC565 + GRTP); ISE 6595 Applied Data Science and AI/ML for Cybersecurity Professionals (SEC595 + GMLE); ISE 6630 Cloud Penetration Testing (SEC588 + GCPN).

Entry requirements

Admissions require professional experience and a current information security or related role. Applicants may apply by the 15th of any month, receive a decision within 30 days, and can begin courses as soon as one month after admission.

Career prospects

Graduates report strong earning potential; the page cites a median salary of $155,000 USD based on reported graduate earnings. The program bundles GIAC certifications employers value and emphasizes immediate applicability of skills for penetration testing, exploit chaining, scoped vulnerability scanning, technical reporting, and remediation guidance.

Scholarships & funding angle

The program notes SANS.edu academic pricing on SANS courses and GIAC certifications; the published total program cost is $22,800 USD. Additional details on scholarships or external funding are not provided on the course page.