2022-2023 Undergraduate Catalog 
    
    Mar 28, 2024  
2022-2023 Undergraduate Catalog [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

Cybersecurity and Networks, B.S.


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Program Coordinator: Liberty Page, M.S.

STEM Designation: This program is STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math)-designated by the Department of Homeland Security. For more information, please see https://www.newhaven.edu/admissions/stem-designated-programs.php

The goals of the bachelor's degree program in Cybersecurity and Networks are to inform, challenge, and train our diverse student body for a constantly changing world of technology. At graduation, every student should be able to demonstrate the following qualities and attributes:

  • Knowledge and understanding of current technical concepts and practices in the core information technologies
  • Ability to design effective and usable IT-based solutions and integrate them into a user's environment, both individually and as part of a team
  • Ability to assist in the creation of an effective project plan
  • Ability to communicate effectively and efficiently with clients, users, and peers, both orally and in writing
  • Independent critical thinking and problem-solving skills
  • Knowledge and understanding of computer hardware, software, networks, and security
  • Awareness of the legal and ethical issues that confront the field of computing
  • Knowledge of the rights and obligations of the practicing computing professional

Program Outcomes

  1. Demonstrate understanding of a solid body of knowledge of computer hardware, including digital circuits, basic computer architecture, and instruction sets, networking devices and protocols.
  2. Program at an intermediate level and of database programming at an introductory level.
  3. Manage computer systems, including the major subsystems of an operating system: scheduling, resource allocation, file storage, and security.
  4. Use a command shell and make system calls.
  5. Demonstrate skill in using common forensic tools.
  6. Communicate effectively with clients and peers, in writing, orally and graphically through written material and presentations.
  7. Design usable and effective IT-based solutions and integrate them into a client's environment.
  8. Explain the choices and trade-offs involved in doing business: ethical, financial, environmental, personal, and social.

The program consists of a common core that exposes students to a wide range of computing and technology topics, including the study of databases, hardware, networks, programming, security, and cyber forensics. Electives allow the student to select advanced courses and a senior design project from one of three focus areas: cyber forensics and security, network administration and security, or wireless networking.

Areas of application include network development, computer system and network administration, and investigation of computer crime.  Typical initial job titles might be cybersecurity analyst, security specialist, penetration tester, IS Security Engineer, network security analyst, network designer, network security technician, and forensic analyst. With several years of experience, job titles might be application security engineer, network administrator or IS security manager.

Internship Requirement

An internship enriches the academic experience of the student, providing exposure to a working computing environment and the interpersonal relationships of a workplace. Each internship is a partnership between the student and an employer or organization, with oversight by the academic advisor. Students must complete 60 credits toward the bachelor's degree before an internship is attempted.  To complete the internship, a student must perform at least 200 hours of work related to the major, submit an essay about the experience, and submit evaluations completed by both student and work supervisor.

The internship requirement may be satisfied through employment, community service, or some other activity that is approved by the student's advisor.

UPE Honor Society

The university has a chapter of the national honor society for computer science, Upsilon Pi Epsilon.  Outstanding juniors and seniors are invited by the chapter to join this organization and participate in its service projects.

Program Requirements


A total of 123 credits, including the University Core Curriculum, is required for the B.S. degree in Cybersecurity and Networks.

University Core Curriculum


Core Tier 1

  • CC 1.1:  ENGL 1112  or ENGL 1113  
  • CC 2.1:  COMM 1130  
  • CC 3.1:  MATH 1115  
  • CC 4.1:  PHYS 1103  or PHYS 1150  
  • CC 5.1:  any approved course from competency 5
  • CC 6.1:  any approved course from competency 6
  • CC 7.1:  CSCI 3316  
  • CC 8.1:  any approved course from competency 8
  • CC 9.1:  any approved course from competency 9

Core Tier 2

Other Requirements


  • or laboratory science restricted elective
  • Mathematics restricted elective (see definition below)
  • Three restricted electives (see definition below)
  • Two free electives (six credits total)

Definitions of elective categories and restrictions:


  • Programming elective: CSCI 2210, 2226, or any higher-level CSCI course that emphasizes programming
  • CSCI Network Administration: CSCI 4439 or CSCI 4445
  • Capstone I: CSCI 4497 or CSYS 4497
  • Capstone II: CSCI 4498 or CSYS 4498
  • Mathematics restricted elective: MATH 2228 or MATH 3000+ (except MATH 3304)
  • MATH 1117 Calculus I or Laboratory Science elective (4 credits): CHEM 1115/1117 or CHEM 1116/1118 or BIOL 1121 or BIOL 1122 or BIOL 1125 or BIOL 2253 or BIOL 2254 or BIOL 2259 or BIOL 2260 or EASC 1120 or PHYS 1100 or PHYS 1103 or PHYS 1150 or PHYS 2205 or ENVS 1101/1102
  • Restricted elective: any course approved by the advisor that supports the student's academic goals (level>2000)
  • Free elective: any college course that is beyond the level that is considered as remedial in this program, and does not duplicate material of another required or elective course.  Remedial courses are those below the level of ENGL 1105, MATH 1115, CHEM 1115, PHYS 1100, CSCI 1109, and BIOL 1121

National Security Agency Accredited Designation


The National Security Agency has designated the University of New Haven as a National Center of Academic Excellence (CAE) in Cyber Operations Fundamentals in the following two programs:

  • Bachelor of Science in Computer Science, NSA Cyber Operations Fundamentals Focus Area
  • Bachelor of Science in Cybersecurity and Networks, NSA Cyber Operations Fundamentals Focus Area
     

You can earn your degree with the National Security Agency accredited designation of NSA Cyber Operations Fundamentals Focus Area by completing one of these two named degree programs. Doing so will complete the NSA Cyber Operations Focus Area Mandatory Knowledge Units plus these five Optional Knowledge Units: Computer Architecture with Logic Design, Software Security Analysis, Secure Software Development, Digital Forensics and Systems Programming.

To fulfill the Bachelor of Science in Cybersecurity and Networks, NSA Cyber Operations Fundamentals Focus Area, in addition to completing the University's core curriculum, and the courses required by Bachelor of Science in Cybersecurity and Networks, the following courses are required. These courses are used to fulfil the program's Tier 2 electives, CSCI electives, restricted electives, and electives. This program and focus area require a total of 122 credits.

CSCI 2226  Data Structures and Algorithms

3

CSCI 3326  Algorithm Design and Analysis

3

CSCI 4434  Assembly Language Programming

3

CSCI 4438  Small Scale Digital Forensic Science

3

CSCI 4448  Reverse Engineering

3

CSCI 4449  Ethical Hacking

3

CSCI 4526  Advanced C++/OOPP

3

CSCI 4536  Structure of Programming Languages
 
3

CSCI 4538  Memory Forensics

3

CSCI 4547  Systems Programming
 
3

These math courses are needed to complete the above courses:

MATH 1118  Calculus II (requires MATH 1117  Calculus I for one University Core Tier 2 requirement

4

MATH 3311  Linear Algebra - preferred
 
4

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