5 Cyber Security Degree Courses
- Computer and Network Security
- Digital Forensics
- Discrete Mathematics
- Object-Oriented Programming
- Advanced Operating Systems
Cybersecurity degree programs offer a multitude of courses designed to prepare students to work as cybersecurity professionals in a variety of settings. Cybersecurity is a rapidly growing field with cybersecurity professions more in demand every year. Homeland Security and the Pentagon are just a few of the agencies reporting a shortage of professionals qualified to implement technologies and security plans as needed. With the alarming number of cyber threats coming out on an almost daily basis, colleges and universities are developing new cybersecurity courses to meet the security needs in both the private and public sectors.
Related resource: 20 Best Online Schools for Cyber Security
Computer and Network Security
Computer and network security provide students with an in-depth study of the practices of network and computer systems and a solid understanding of the principles of computer security. Most importantly, students learn the basic theories behind computer and network security, including how to deal with cyber attackers and what some of the most common threats are. Basic topics in this course include intrusion prevention and detection; cryptographic tools; software security; wireless network security; malicious software; user authentication; legal and ethical aspects; operating system security; and internet standards and protocols.
Digital Forensics
Digital forensics is a field that deals with investigating and solving computer-based crimes so cybersecurity professionals can gather evidence to use in a court of law. The digital forensics course teaches students about the techniques and practices used in a digital forensics investigation as well as the variety of computer forensics tools professionals have at their disposal. Students also learn the legal and ethical conclusions of investigations and the regulations that must be followed in order to ensure evidence can be admitted into court. The course also teaches students how to do a forensic investigation on different operating systems with various different file names as well as analyze forensic evidence.
Discrete Mathematics
Mathematics courses are an important part of a computer science and cybersecurity degree program, and discrete mathematics is no exception. The course teaches how to use and understand the abstract structures that are vital to computer science. The main purpose of the discrete mathematics course is to provide computer science students with a solid background in mathematics. Although the course focuses mostly on computer science applications, it also includes information on proofs, logic, counting, relations, probability, sets functions and basic number theories. At the end of the course, students can demonstrate an understanding of not just induced math statements but also graphs and the relationship between elements of sets.
Object-Oriented Programming
Object-oriented programming is a programming course that teaches students how certain objects can contain data in the form of code, fields, and procedures. It also focuses on programming techniques used in object-oriented design and analysis. Upon finishing this course, students know how to create, implement and assess a computer-based program, component or system to meet the needs of an organization. They also learn to use computer tools and techniques for computer procedures. The course also instructs students on designing and creating construction principles for software systems. Students utilize various programming languages, including UML modeling and C++.
Advanced Operating Systems
This graduate-level course covers a wide range of topics involved in the design and implementation of different operating systems. Students must have a solid understanding of basic operating systems and/or relevant work experience. They also learn about recovery and failure management; operating system structures; parallel system scheduling, communication and synchronization; and internet-scale computing. A large focus of this class is how different operating systems have been developed in the past couple of decades and how they’ve been implemented into different computer systems.
Cybersecurity degree programs prepare candidates to work in a field that offers rewarding and challenging work. Cybersecurity specialists like are very much in demand today, especially professionals such as information security analysts, which are expected to see a 32 percent job growth during the 2018-2028 decade based on a U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics report. Candidates who keep current with cybersecurity courses are a valuable commodity in this industry.
