Program Overview

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Major in Computer Science, Networks and Security Concentration

The Networks and Security concentration involves designing, building, and maintaining networks and protecting them from cyberattacks. Network and security technology is vitally important to almost every modern field of human endeavor, including biology, physics, agriculture, medicine, defense, and more. There is explosive demand for professionals who can understand the underlying principles of networks and security, incorporate them into products and practices, and provide defensive capabilities against cyber threats.

Overview

The Networks and Security concentration provides students with core and elective courses on computer networking, systems security (including the latest trends and technologies in cyber-security), ethical hacking, operating systems, databases, and software. Students will develop fundamental skills in security architecture and analysis, cryptography, system vulnerabilities and attack vectors, malware analysis and defense, intrusion detection and protection, network architecture, engineering, and network software development.

Learning Objectives

Upon successfully completing this program, students will be able to:

• Work effectively in teams to develop computational solutions to complex problems.
• Develop products and technologies that provide network/cyber-security solutions or incorporate these technologies into products that require security or network capabilities.
• Analyze technologies and situations for cyber vulnerabilities to develop improvements to attack and defense methodologies.
• Communicate technical ideas effectively in writing and verbally.
• Confidently pursue graduate studies or professional employment in networks and security and computer science.

Potential Occupations

In addition to the career opportunities open to all computer science graduates, the networks and security concentration opens career paths that include:

• Software developer
• Software architect
• Network security analyst
• Software project manager
• Computer systems security analyst
• Computer and information systems manager
• R&D jobs for both cyber-security attack and defense

Employers in a wide range of fields recognize the need for network and cyber-security architecture and implementations within their domains, which creates research, development, and management opportunities across a wide job market.

Requirements

A minimum grade of C (2.000) is required in CO 150 and in all CS, DSCI, MATH, STAT, and departmental Technical Elective courses which are required for graduation.

Freshman

• CO 150: College Composition (GT-CO2)
• First course from Group A, B, or C
• Department Approved Science
• 1C
• Electives

Sophomore

• CS 165: CS2--Data Structures
• CS 220: Discrete Structures and the Applications
• Select one group from the following
• Select one course from the following
• Select one course from the following
• Historical Perspectives
• Social and Behavioral Sciences
• Elective

Junior

• CS 314: Software Engineering
• CS 320: Algorithms--Theory and Practice
• CS 356: Systems Security
• CS 370: Operating Systems
• Any CS course numbered 300- or above, excluding 380-399 and 480-499
• Technical Electives (see list below)
• Advanced Writing
• Electives

Senior

• CS 456: Modern CyberSecurity
• CS 457: Computer Networks and the Internet
• Select one course from the following
• CS course numbered 400- or above, excluding 480-499
• Electives

Technical Electives

Select a minimum of 6 credits, of which 3 credits must be upper-division.

• Course List Code
  • Title
  • Credits
• BZ 350: Molecular and General Genetics
• BZ 360: Bioinformatics and Genomics
• CIS 320: Project Management for Information Systems
• CIS 413: Advanced Networking and Security
• CS 300-379
• CS 400-479
• CT 300-379 excluding CT 301
• CT 400-479
• DSCI 235: Data Wrangling
• DSCI 300-379 excluding DSCI 369
• DSCI 400-479
• ECE 452: Computer Organization and Architecture
• ENGR 422: Technology Entrepreneurship
• IDEA 300-379
• IDEA 400-479
• JTC 372: Web Design and Development
• JTC 472: Advanced Web Design and Development
• MATH 161: Calculus for Physical Scientists II (GT-MA1)
• MATH 256: Mathematics for Computational Science II
• MATH 300-379 excluding MATH 369
• MATH 400-479
• MGT 330: Creativity, Innovation, and Value Creation
• MGT 340: Fundamentals of Entrepreneurship
• MGT 420: New Venture Creation
• PHIL 410: Gödel's Incompleteness Theorems
• PHIL 411: Logic in Philosophy and Beyond
• PHIL 415: Logic and Scientific Method
• PSY 252: Mind, Brain, and Behavior
• PSY 352: Learning and Memory
• PSY 452: Cognitive Psychology
• PSY 454: Biological Psychology
• PSY 456: Sensation and Perception
• PSY 458: Cognitive Neuroscience
• STAT 300-379 excluding STAT 301, STAT 302A, STAT 307, STAT 315
• STAT 400-479

Major Completion Map

The major completion map outlines the critical and recommended courses for each semester, ensuring students stay on track to complete the program within four years.

Semester 1

• Critical: CO 150, First course from Group A, B, or C, Department Approved Science, 1C
• Recommended: Electives
• Total Credits: 14-18

Semester 2

• Critical: CS 201/PHIL 201, MATH 156 or 160, Remaining course(s) from Group A, B, or C, Department Approved Science with Lab
• Recommended:
• Total Credits: 12-16

Semester 3

• Critical: CS 165, CS 220, Select one course from the following, Historical Perspectives
• Recommended: Elective
• Total Credits: 14

Semester 4

• Critical: Select one group from the following, Select one course from the following, Select one course from the following, Social and Behavioral Sciences
• Recommended: Elective
• Total Credits: 16

Semester 5

• Critical: CS 314, CS 370, Technical Elective, Advanced Writing
• Recommended: Elective
• Total Credits: 15-16

Semester 6

• Critical: CS 320, CS 356, CS course numbered 300- or above, excluding 380-399 and 480-499, Technical Elective - Upper Division
• Recommended: Elective
• Total Credits: 14-15

Semester 7

• Critical: CS 456, CS 457, Electives
• Recommended:
• Total Credits: 15

Semester 8

• Critical: Select one course from the following, CS course numbered 400- or above, excluding 480-499, Electives
• Recommended:
• Total Credits: 15

Program Total Credits

The total credits required for the program is 120.

Distinctive Requirements for Degree Program

To prepare for the first semester, the curriculum for the Computer Science major assumes students enter college prepared to take calculus. Entering students who are not prepared to take calculus will need to fulfill pre-calculus requirements in the first semester. All students must maintain a C (2.000) or better in CO 150 and in all CS, DSCI, MATH, STAT, and departmental Technical Elective courses which are required for graduation.