Course Descriptions

 Cybersecurity Studies

Computer Science courses

COSC 160 - Computer Programming: Java - 2 credits 

  
Object oriented programming, objects and classes, data abstraction, functions, looping, selections, control structures, arrays, searching, and sorting in an environment with scientific and mathematical applications. Credit is allowed for at most one of COSC 150, COSC 160 and COSC 170.

COSC 215 - Data Structures in Java - 3 credits 

  
Data abstraction, queues, linked lists, recursion, stacks, trees, string processing, searching and sorting, and hashing. Java API support for data structures. Prerequisite: grade of "C" or better in COSC 160, and either a grade of "C" or better in MATH 135 or concurrent enrollment in MATH 135. Credit is not allowed for both COSC 215 and COSC 216.  Offered every semester.

COSC 220 - Computer Organization and Assembly Language - 3 credits 

  
Basic structure of computer hardware and software, data representation, addresses and instructions, control structures, device drivers, files, and macros. Prerequisite: grade of "C" or better in COSC 215/216 or concurrent enrollment in COSC 215/216.

COSC 325W - Operating Systems - 3 credits 

  
Organization of operating systems and basic computer architecture. Implementing multiprogramming, memory management, communicating with input/output devices, concurrency, synchronization, file systems and scheduling the processor. Prerequisite: grade of "C" or better in COSC 220.

COSC 460 - Computer Security - 3 credits

 
Network, database, and Web security, threat models, elementary and advanced cryptology, protocol analysis, covert channels, access control and trust issues, legal and ethical issues in security. Prerequisite: grade of "C" or better in COSC 325W.

COSC 464 - Cybersecurity Studies Capstone Project - 3 credits

  
The purpose of the Capstone Project is for the students to apply theoretical knowledge acquired during the Cybersecurity Studies program to a project involving actual data in a realistic setting. Students will work on an individual or group project on a topic of current interest in cybersecurity. During the project, students engage in the entire process of solving a real-world cybersecurity project, from collecting and processing actual data to applying suitable and appropriate analytic methods to the problem. Prerequisites: Senior Status, at least 6 credits of COSC coursework at the 200-level and above, 6 credits of IR security courses from the CSS major requirements, and grades of "C" or better in COSC 460 and IR 462.

Mathematics Course

MATH 135 - Discrete Mathematics - 3 credits 

  
Sets, functions, relations, partial order, methods of propositional logic, introduction to predicate logic, counting, recurrence relations, asymptotic analysis, techniques of proof writing including induction.

International Relations and International Security Studies Courses

IR 404 - Introduction to Information Awareness - 3 credits 

  
This course will cover fundamentals of the Internet, a survey of foundational cyber-security concepts, and managerial and policy topics. The course is geared to help students have sufficient technical awareness and managerial competence that will enable them to pursue advanced study in cyber security. There is no prerequisite for this course but successful students will have fundamental knowledge of information and computer systems as well as a general awareness of security issues in these systems

IR 432 - Network Situational Awareness - 3 credits 

  
The 21st century created an unprecedented dependence on the Internet that is ever changing and affects all aspects of business and communications. This change brings up challenging problems which business decisions analysts face both at the micro and macro-level. Students will use a variety of software to identify and analyze network communications to solve challenge problems. There will be a heavy focus on the threats facing organizations along with general network profiling techniques. Although there is no prerequisite, students should have a firm grasp on RFC-compliant communications since this class will only lightly cover certain topics.

IR 462 - Applied Threat Systems - 3 credits 

  
This course seeks to broaden the perception of how organizations perceive digital vulnerabilities, exploitation, malware, network communications, memory forensics, and malicious actors in general. Moreover, work will focus on advanced detection threats, as well as integrated approaches for solutions across the digital attack surface.

COSC and IR Capstone Course

COSC/IR 464 - Cybersecurity Studies Capstone Project - 3 credits 

  
The purpose of the Capstone Project is for the students to apply theoretical knowledge acquired during the Cybersecurity Studies program to a project involving actual data in a realistic setting. Students will work on an individual or group project on a topic of current interest in cybersecurity. During the project, students engage in the entire process of solving a real-world cybersecurity project, from collecting and processing actual data to applying suitable and appropriate analytic methods to the problem. Prerequisites: Senior Status, at least 6 credits of COSC coursework at the 200-level and above, 6 credits of IR security courses from the CSS major requirements, and grades of "C" or better in COSC 460 and IR 462.