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Cybersecurity

Program Director, Professor, and Dean: Dr. Stephen Addison (College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics), saddison@uca.edu / 450-5080

[1] Program Purposes

The multidisciplinary program in Cybersecurity is designed to produce graduates who can identify, assess, and manage cyber threats. The educational objectives for students completing this BS degree program are that they:

  1. Grow as well-educated professionals with an integrated high-level understanding of cyber systems, processes, and the main body of knowledge of computing and cybersecurity as a whole.
  2. Be able to creatively apply theoretical and practical knowledge of cybersecurity to identify, assess, and manage cyber threats.
  3. Work effectively, as an individual or as a member of a team, while communicating effectively with diverse audiences; contributing to a collaborative and inclusive environment; and complying with the ethical, legal, and professional standards of the discipline; and
  4. Maintain their skills as the field evolves and appreciate the need for continuing professional growth and development to keep current in the profession.

[2] Cybersecurity Student Outcomes

All undergraduate students majoring in Cybersecurity will meet the following student general outcomes, specified by ABET CAC, upon their graduation:

  1. Analyze a complex computing problem and apply principles of computing and other relevant disciplines to identify solutions.
  2. Design, implement, and evaluate a computing-based solution to meet a given set of computing requirements in the context of the program’s discipline.
  3. Communicate effectively in a variety of professional contexts.
  4. Recognize professional responsibilities and make informed judgments in computing practice based on legal and ethical principles.
  5. Function effectively as a member or leader of a team engaged in activities appropriate to the program’s discipline.
  6. Specifically, graduates should have an ability to apply security principles and practices to maintain operations in the presence of risks and threats.

[3] Program Requirements

The Bachelor of Science (BS) in Cybersecurity requires successful completion of 120 hours, including (1) the UCA Core: complete 39 hours to meet lower-division UCA Core requirements and complete upper-division UCA Core requirements using major, minor, or elective courses (see the UCA Core requirements); (2) degree requirements; and (3) major requirements outlined below. This program does not require a minor.

Mathematics Pathway: First-time, first-year students majoring in Cybersecurity enter the College Algebra Mathematics Pathway and must enroll in MATH 1390 during their first year of study, unless they have been awarded credit for MATH 1390.

Abbreviation Key – UCA Core Program
UD = Upper Division
C = Effective Communication
D = Diversity
I = Critical Inquiry
R = Responsible Living
Z = Capstone Experience

[3.1] Program Requirements and the Lower-Division UCA Core

The following program requirements also fulfill requirements within the lower-division UCA Core:

MATH 1491 Applied Calculus or MATH 1496 Calculus I
MGMT 2301 Business Communications
PSCI 1330 US Government and Politics (American History/Government)
PSCI 2300 Introduction to International Relations (Social Science)

[3.2] Required Cybersecurity Core (54 credit hours)

CISA 4355 Project Management [UD UCA Core: Z]
CISA 4361 Cybersecurity Governance and Policy
CSCI 1470 Computer Science I
CSCI 1480 Computer Science II
CSCI 2320 Data Structures
CSCI 2335 Networking
CSCI 3330 Algorithms
CSCI 3360 Database Systems [UD UCA Core: C]
CSCI 4300 Operating Systems
CSCI 4305 Linux/UNIX Systems
CSCI 4315 Information Security [UD UCA Core: R]
CSCI 4321 Ethical Implications of Technology [UD UCA Core: D, R]
CSEC 2300 Introduction to Cybersecurity
CSEC 3300 Introduction to Number Theory and Cryptography
CSEC 4490 Cybersecurity Capstone [UD UCA Core: Z]
CSEC 3320 Computer Forensics [UD UCA Core: I]
PSCI 3316 Cybersecurity Law and Policy [UD UCA Core: C]

[3.3] Cybersecurity Concentration (12 credit hours)

Students majoring in Cybersecurity will be required to complete one of the following concentrations.

[3.3.1] Cybersecurity Strategic Policy

PSCI 4301 Civil Liberties [UD UCA Core: I]
PSCI 4340 Seminar in Selected Topics: International Terrorism/Counter-Terrorism
PSCI 3369 Cyber Citizenship
PSCI 4388 American Foreign Policy

[3.3.2] Management of Cybersecurity

CISA 3321 Managing Systems and Technology
CISA 4360 Principles of Information Security
CISA 4380 Business Intelligence and Data Visualization
CISA 3382 Internship in Computer Information Systems and Analytics (or an upper-division course approved by the chair)

[3.3.3] Cyberphysical Security

CSEC 4320 Ethical Hacking
CSEC 4335 Network Security
CSEC 4345 Cyberphysical Security
CSCI 3375 Internship or another advanced course approved by the chair

[3.4] Required Mathematics Courses (6 credit hours)

MATH 2311 Elementary Statistics or QMTH 2330 Business Statistics or PSCI 2312 Statistical Methods for Political Analysis
and
CSCI 2330 Discrete Mathematics for Computing

[3.5] General Electives (9 credit hours)

This degree program requires nine credit hours of general elective coursework.

[4] Course Links

Follow this link for CISA course descriptions: course link.

Follow this link for CSCI course descriptions: course link.

Follow this link for CSEC course descriptions: course link.

Follow this link for MATH course descriptions: course link.

Follow this link for PHIL course descriptions: course link.

Follow this link for PSCI course descriptions: course link.