Computer Science Option: Cybersecurity

Security is the study of controlling access to information in the presence of adversarial behavior. Any system connected to the internet must deal with the potential of attacks. With a concentration in security, you will develop a proactive, defensive mindset and learn how to design systems that are resistant to compromise.

Potential Job Opportunities

  • Security operations center (SOC) analyst: monitor and detect security incidents, analyze and coordinate responses across groups
  • Security/information assurance engineer: identify security requirements for a system and design architectures, policies, and monitoring strategies that achieve them
  • System security administrator: monitor systems for security-related incidents, maintain system updates, enforce security policies
  • Penetration tester: perform mock attacks (with authorization) in an effort to identify and responsibly disclose possible security vulnerabilities

Faculty

Courses

CORE

  • CS 175 (Communications Security and Social Movements)
  • CS 321 (Intro to Theory of Computation)
  • CS 370 (Intro to Security)
  • CS 372 (Introduction to Computer Networks)
  • CS 373 (Defense Against the Dark Arts)
  • CS 427 (Cryptography)
  • CS 444/474 (Operating Systems II)
  • CS 473 (Introduction to Digital Forensics)
  • CS 478 (Network Security)

SECURITY OPERATIONS TRACK

  • CS 312 (Systems Administration)
  • CS 424 (Cybersecurity Practicum I)
  • CS 425 (Cybersecurity Practicum II)
  • CS 426 (Cybersecurity Practicum III)
  • CS 428 (Cybersecurity Capstone Project)

SECURITY TRACK

  • CS 352 (Introduction to Usability Engineering)
  • CS 461 (Senior Software Engineering Project I)
  • CS 462 (Senior Software Engineering Project II)
  • CS 463 (Senior Software Engineering Project III)