Cybersecurity Minor

Students who wish to learn how cybersecurity may apply to their major program of study can minor in Cybersecurity. This minor exposes students to the fundamental of securing computer and information systems, risk, ethics, technical controls, and adversarial thinking.

Prerequisites

These are required to pursue the minor. Luckily, many of them may already be required by degree program and will not need to be re-taken.

• CSSE 220 (requires CSSE 120* or exempt) is required for baseline "computing" knowledge.
• MA276 Introduction to Proofs (requires MA112 + MA111 or exempt) is required for students who chose to use MA479 (Cryptography) for part of this minor.
• RH330 Technical & Professional Communications

* Degrees requiring a programming class might allow the use of CSSE 120 as a substitute for the named course. Consult the major program’s advisor for details.

CATEGORY A – [4 cr] Ethics:

• (4cr) PHIL H202 - Business & Eng Ethics (or equivalent approved by the minor advisor)

CATEGORY B – [12 cr] Core (take all of these):

• (2cr) CSSE 140 and CSSE 141
• One of:
  • (2cr) CSSE 142 Practical Security III
  • (2cr) CSSE 145 Cybersecurity Seminar
• One of:
  • (4cr) CSSE 340 Foundations of Cybersecurity (all CS/SE majors)
  • (4cr) CSSE 240 Principles of Cybersecurity (non-CS/SE majors only)
• One of:
  • (4cr) CSSE 343 Cybercrime & Digital Forensics
  • (4cr) MA 479 Cryptography

CATEGORY C – [choose 8 cr] additional Cyber Electives:

A maximum 4cr in this category may be from classes numbered below 300. Pick 8 cr from the following list:

• (4cr) the other of either CSSE 343 -or- MA 479 (crypto)
• (4cr) CSSE 490 Advanced crypto
• (4cr) ECE 497 Malware Analysis & Reverse Engineering
• (4cr) CSSE 290 CTF Competition Class or similar elective
• (4cr) CSSE 490 Blockchain and Security
• (4cr) CSSE 490 Network Security
• (1-8cr) other cybersecurity-related classes or electives such as independent study, directed research, thesis, or capstone projects (approved by the minor advisor)

Students pursuing this minor will be exposed to at least 20cr of cybersecurity content (Category B and C).

Note: At most 8 credits of the Core/Cyber Elective course work (categories B and C above) can be used to satisfy degree requirements for any major or any other minor sought by the student. The remaining credit hours can only be used to satisfy technical or free electives within the primary major.