This certificate traces the modern access problem from the credential through to the authorization boundary. It opens at the identity layer and runs the chain in order — identity, proofing, authentication and MFA, authorization, federation, and the access decision itself — weighted toward multifactor authentication, since most federal compromises begin with a credential rather than an exploit. Multifactor is pulled apart rather than treated as a checkbox: authenticator types separated, assurance levels explained, and the attacks aimed directly at MFA covered in detail, so participants can articulate why a push notification and a PIV card are not equivalent controls.
The path then turns architectural, and finally operational. Zero trust moves from principle to plan through a current-state maturity assessment using the CISA Zero Trust Maturity Model, then the pillars in sequence — identity and access modernization, device, network and workload trust enforcement, and application, data and policy enforcement — followed by the visibility, analytics and automation that make zero trust operational, and a staged implementation roadmap carrying governance and metrics. It closes on federal cloud authorization and how it is changing, working through the transition from FedRAMP Rev5 to the 20x model and CR26, so the access architecture is understood together with the authorization regime it has to satisfy.
Basic cybersecurity knowledge, plus basic security and networking familiarity for the zero trust architecture course.
This is the recommended order, but some courses may be taken in a different order.
Unit 1 6 Hours
A foundational pass through Identity, Credential, and Access Management for federal staff, running the full chain from identity through proofing, authentication and MFA, authorization, and federation to the access decision.
Unit 2 2 Days
An intermediate course taking zero trust from principle to a staged, governed implementation plan.
Unit 3 12 Hours
Get clear on what FedRAMP's shift to 20x and the Consolidated Rules for 2026 actually change, and leave with a transition roadmap. Timed to the January 1, 2027 CR26 deadline.
Receive instruction from subject‑matter experts who bring proven government experience.
Courses that are regularly updated based on feedback and industry developments, ensuring versions are mapped to federal competencies.
The instructor was wonderful and so knowledgeable. The course materials were extremely relevant to what my job is. I feel like I can be better because of this class.
— 2025 student
Directly addressing the day-to-day challenges of federal employees.
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Attend this certificate program live online or as self-paced training. Engage with expert instructors, ask questions, and get feedback on your exercises and projects.
Get the same interactivity and access to the instructor as in-person students. There are no extra fees and we’ll work with you to ensure your remote setup is perfect.
Learn at your own pace with pre-recorded video lessons and hands-on exercises. Work through the material on your schedule with access to course content and resources.
Upon completion of this course, you’ll receive an official certificate testifying to your mastery of the curriculum. We’ll send you a link where you can download your certificate, share it online with your friends, post it to your professional network on LinkedIn, and view all your earned certificates. Congratulations on your achievement!
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We offer a single free retake of any module or the whole program within a year.
You can also access recordings of each session in your student portal within one business day of the session’s end. Recordings are available for one month after the session.
Since 1921, Graduate School USA has partnered with over 125 federal agencies and trained more than one million federal employees. Led by instructors with deep, real-world knowledge of federal regulations, policies, and practices, our private group programs are practical, mission-driven, and tailored to your agency’s objectives. We offer expertise across key federal domains—including human resources, financial management, acquisition and contracting, leadership, and more—to deliver training where and how your team needs it.
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