Minor in Cybersecurity | College of Computing

The 18-credit minor in cybersecurity provides students with opportunities to deepen their understanding of cybersecurity concepts and principles, learn offensive and defensive cybersecurity techniques, and develop professional skills to apply cybersecurity knowledge to the general area of their majors.

How to Enroll in a Minor

To pursue a minor, you must first be enrolled in a bachelor's degree program and submit a request to add a minor to your curriculum through the Curriculum Change Portlet in Experience (view the My Degree card and select Request to Change Major, Minor, or Concentration). The minor advisor will receive notification and contact you with any questions prior to reviewing and approving your request. We recommend that you begin your minor studies as early as possible in your academic career.

Download the cybersecurity minor audit for complete information. Program code: TCYM.

Required Course List A

Select 12 credits from the following required courses:

CS 1111 - Introduction to Programming in C/C++

Introductory course in C/++ programming. Topics include top-down analysis of problems, structured programming, control structures, functions, arrays, pointers, and file I/O. Basic concepts of object-oriented programming (classes, objects, function overloading) will also be introduced.

Credits: 3.0
Lec-Rec-Lab: (0-2-2)
Semesters Offered: Fall, Summer
Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Major(s): Electrical Engineering, Robotics Engineering, Industrial Technology, Audio Production & Technology, Computer Network & System Admn, Electrical Eng Tech, Information Technology, Mechatronics; Must be enrolled in one of the following Class(es): Freshman, Sophomore

CS 1142 - Programming at the Hardware Software Interface

Programming in assembly language and C for students with prior experience in Java. Topics include binary number encodings, instruction set architecture, assembly language programming, and instruction encodings. C programming topics include program structure, preprocessor, arrays, structures, pointers, input/output, dynamic memory management, and linked data structures.

Credits: 3.0
Lec-Rec-Lab: (0-3-0)
Semesters Offered: Fall, Spring, Summer
Pre-Requisite(s): CS 1122 or CS 1131

MIS 2100 - Introduction to Business and Analytics Programming

Develops business problem solving skills through the application of commonly used high-level business programming languages. Topics include foundational programming concepts practices and debugging and testing techniques. Introduces concepts for programming business analytics systems.

Credits: 3.0
Lec-Rec-Lab: (3-0-0)
Semesters Offered: Fall
Restrictions: May not be enrolled in one of the following Class(es): Freshman

SAT 3812 - Cyber Security I

The evolution of information security into cybersecurity and its relationship to nations, organizations, society, and individuals. Exposure to multiple cybersecurity technologies, processes, and procedures; analyzing threats, vulnerabilities and risks present; and developing appropriate strategies to mitigate potential cybersecurity issues. Applied lab to develop cyber security offensive attributes and learn how to prevent and/or mitigate threats.

Credits: 3.0
Lec-Rec-Lab: (0-2-2)
Semesters Offered: Fall, Spring, Summer
Pre-Requisite(s): SAT 2711 or CS 2321 or MIS 3200

Note: To enroll in CS 1111, the student must be enrolled in one of the following undergraduate major(s): Information Technology (formerly Computer Network and System Administration), Electrical Engineering, or Audio Production and Technology; and the student must be enrolled as a freshman or sophomore.

Note: To enroll in CS 3812, the student must be enrolled as a junior or senior.

Required Course List B

Select 6-12 credits from the following required courses:

CS 4471 - Computer Security

This covers fundamentals of computer security. Topics include practical cryptography, access control, security design principles, physical protections, malicious logic, program security, intrusion detection, administration, legal and ethical issues.

Credits: 3.0
Lec-Rec-Lab: (0-3-0)
Semesters Offered: Fall
Restrictions: May not be enrolled in one of the following Level(s): Graduate
Pre-Requisite(s): CS 3411 or CS 4411

EE 4723 - Network Security

Learn fundamental of cryptography and its application to network security. Understand network security threats, security services, and countermeasures. Acquire background knowledge on well known network security protocols. Address open research issues in network security.

Credits: 3.0
Lec-Rec-Lab: (3-0-0)
Semesters Offered: Spring
Pre-Requisite(s): EE 4272 or CS 4461 or SAT 4812

MA 3202 - Introduction to Coding Theory

Transmission via noisy channels, hamming distance, linear codes, the ISBN-code, encoding and decoding, finite fields, Reed-Solomon codes, deep space communication, the compact disk code, sphere packing bound, hamming codes, hamming decoding.

Credits: 3.0
Lec-Rec-Lab: (0-3-0)
Semesters Offered: Fall
Pre-Requisite(s): MA 2320 or MA 2321 or MA 2330

SAT 4812 - Cyber Security II

An advanced course in cyber security that covers topics such as adversarial thinking, exploiting game theory, human-centered cyber security, economic decision making in cyber security, and the National Initiative for Cybersecurity Education (NICE) framework topics of Analyze, Collect and Operate, Investigate, Operate and Maintain, Oversee and Govern, Protect and Defend, and Securely Provision.

Credits: 3.0
Lec-Rec-Lab: (0-2-2)
Semesters Offered: Spring, Summer
Pre-Requisite(s): SAT 3812

Elective Courses

Select 0 - 6 credits not already taken from the following electives:

CS 3425 - Introduction to Database Systems

This course provides an introduction to database systems including database design, query, and programming. Topics include goals of database management; data definition; data models; data normalization; data retrieval and manipulation with relational algebra and SQL; data security and integrity; database and Web programming; and languages for representing semi-structured data.

Credits: 3.0
Lec-Rec-Lab: (0-3-0)
Semesters Offered: Fall, Spring
Pre-Requisite(s): (CS 2311 or MA 3210) and CS 2321

MIS 3100 - Business Database Modeling and Management

Emphasizes database principles that are constant across different database software products through concrete examples using a relational database management system. Provides a well-rounded business perspective about modeling, developing, utilizing, and managing organizational databases.

Credits: 3.0
Lec-Rec-Lab: (0-3-0)
Semesters Offered: Fall
Pre-Requisite(s): MIS 2000 or MIS 2100 or CS 1122 or CS 1131

SAT 3210 - Database Management

Introductory course on database management. Topics include data modeling, database design, implementation techniques, SQL Language, database administration and security.

Credits: 3.0
Lec-Rec-Lab: (0-2-2)
Semesters Offered: Fall
Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Class(es): Junior, Senior
Pre-Requisite(s): SAT 2711 or (CS 2311 and CS 2321)

CS 3712 - Software Quality Assurance

This course concentrates on ensuring quality through the software process including definition, analysis, and measurement of quality attributes. Topics are software testing, static analysis, code review, process improvement and security engineering emphasizing derivation of test cases from requirements specifications and writing test plans.

Credits: 3.0
Lec-Rec-Lab: (3-0-0)
Semesters Offered: Spring
Pre-Requisite(s): CS 3141

CS 4411 - Operating Systems

Principles of the design and implementation of operating systems. Topics include: process management, process scheduling, memory management, I/O, file systems. Includes a significant implementation component.

Credits: 3.0
Lec-Rec-Lab: (0-3-0)
Semesters Offered: Spring
Pre-Requisite(s): CS 3331 and CS 3421

CS 4431 - Computer Architecture

Advanced course in architecture of high-performance computer systems. Topics include instruction-set design, simulation of processor architectures, multiple functional units, pipelining, dynamically scheduled pipelines, speculative execution, multi-core and multi-processor systems, advanced I/O subsystems and analytic models of architectural features of processors.

Credits: 3.0
Lec-Rec-Lab: (0-3-0)
Semesters Offered: Fall, Spring
Pre-Requisite(s): CS 3421

CS 4461 - Computer Networks

Computer network architectures and protocols; design and implementation of datalink, network, and transport layer functions. Introduction to the Internet protocol suite (TCP, UDP, IP), domain name service and protocols, file sharing protocols, wireless networks, and network security.

Credits: 3.0
Lec-Rec-Lab: (0-3-0)
Semesters Offered: Fall, Spring
Pre-Requisite(s): CS 3411

EE 4272 - Computer Networks

Credits: 3.0
Lec-Rec-Lab: (3-0-0)
Semesters Offered: Fall, Spring, Summer
Restrictions: May not be enrolled in one of the following Class(es): Freshman, Sophomore
Pre-Requisite(s): CS 3411

CS 4471 - Computer Security

Credits: 3.0
Lec-Rec-Lab: (0-3-0)
Semesters Offered: Fall
Restrictions: May not be enrolled in one of the following Level(s): Graduate
Pre-Requisite(s): CS 3411 or CS 4411

CS 4710 - Model-Driven Software Development

This course focuses on modeling of software systems, automated analysis, verification, and design. Topics include declarative and imperative modeling languages, software tools for automated analysis and verification of models, specification languages for implementation, and formal specification languages for inductive verification of systems.

Credits: 3.0
Lec-Rec-Lab: (0-3-0)
Semesters Offered: Fall, Summer
Pre-Requisite(s): CS 3311 and CS 3141(C)

EE 4173 - Computer System Engineering and Performance

Covers the principles and practices of modern computer architecture. Emphasizes quantitative performance evaluation of: memory hierarchies, from cache through virtual memory; pipelined processors with advanced hazard management; and combined processor/memory systems. Introduces RAID, superscalars, parallel processing, cache coherence, performance simulation software.

Credits: 3.0
Lec-Rec-Lab: (3-0-0)
Semesters Offered: Fall, Spring
Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Major(s): Computer Engineering
Pre-Requisite(s): EE 3173

EE 4723 - Network Security

Credits: 3.0
Lec-Rec-Lab: (3-0-0)
Semesters Offered: Spring
Pre-Requisite(s): EE 4272 or CS 4461 or SAT 4812

EE 5365 - In-Vehicle Communication Networks

Course focuses on in-vehicle system domains and their requirements, and in-vehicle communication bus Controller Area Network (CAN) and its related physical layers standards. It also covers other buses such as LIN, FlexRay, MOST, Ethernet, as well as introduction to V2V and V21.

Credits: 3.0
Lec-Rec-Lab: (2-0-3)
Semesters Offered: Fall, Summer
Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Level(s): Graduate; Must be enrolled in one of the following Major(s): Electrical & Computer Engineer, Computer Science, Engineering Mechanics, Mechanical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering
Pre-Requisite(s): EE 3250 or EE 4250

MA 3203 - Introduction to Cryptography

Topics include private-key cryptography, shift substitution, permutation and stream ciphers, cryptanalysis, perfect secrecy, public-key cryptography, and the RSA cryptosystem.

Credits: 3.0
Lec-Rec-Lab: (0-3-0)
Semesters Offered: Spring, Summer
Pre-Requisite(s): MA 2320 or MA 2321 or MA 2330

MIS 4200 - Management of Cyber Security

Review of information systems security concepts and industry best practices. The subject matter is organized to provide students a foundation about cybersecurity principles, the business value of cybersecurity, and national and international policy and legal considerations related to cybersecurity.

Credits: 3.0
Lec-Rec-Lab: (0-3-0)
Semesters Offered: On Demand, in odd years
Restrictions: May not be enrolled in one of the following Class(es): Freshman, Sophomore
Pre-Requisite(s): MIS 2000 or MIS 2100 or CS 1111 or CS 1122 or CS 1131

SAT 2711 - Linux Fundamentals

Fundamental OS concepts, OS design principles, Linux system architecture, Linux installation and package management, GNU and UNIX commands, Linux file systems, hierarchy standards, shells, scripting and data management, user interfaces and desktops, administrative tasks, essential system services, networking fundamentals, and security.

Credits: 3.0
Lec-Rec-Lab: (0-2-2)
Semesters Offered: Fall, Summer
Pre-Requisite(s): SAT 1200 or CS 1111(C) or CS 1121 or CS 1131 or CS 1142 or MIS 2100

SAT 3310 - Scripting for Administration, Automation, and Security

Scripting in PERL, Python, BASH, and PowerShell to accomplish and automate common system administration tasks such as working with files, network and web communication, database interaction, and security.

Credits: 3.0
Lec-Rec-Lab: (0-2-2)
Semesters Offered: Spring, Summer
Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Class(es): Sophomore, Junior, Senior
Pre-Requisite(s): CS 1111 or CS 1121 or CS 1131 or CS 1142 or MIS 2100

SAT 3820 - Wireless System Administration and Security

Study of wireless communications, standards, and regulations in an enterprise environment. Topics include: various radio frequency and light communications; IEEE 802.11 Regulations and Standards; protocols and devices; network implementation; network security; and site surveying.

Credits: 3.0
Lec-Rec-Lab: (0-2-2)
Semesters Offered: Spring
Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Class(es): Junior, Senior
Pre-Requisite(s): SAT 2343

SAT 4816 - Digital Forensics

Introduction of the basic principles and technology of digital forensics, including acquisition, preservation, and recovery and investigation of the evidence stored in digital devices.

Credits: 3.0
Lec-Rec-Lab: (0-2-2)
Semesters Offered: Fall
Restrictions: Must be enrolled in one of the following Major(s): Computer Network & System Admn, Computer Engineering, Computer Science, Cybersecurity, Information Technology; Must be enrolled in one of the following Class(es): Junior, Senior
Pre-Requisite(s): SAT 3812