Cybersecurity and Information Assurance
In the last ten years, there has been much data demonstrating that there is a rapid rise in the incidence of cyber-attacks targeting individuals, organizations, and even countries. Consequently, cybersecurity and information assurance are the US government's top priorities, as seen in various Presidential Directives and the US Justice Department document High Priority Criminal Justice Technology Needs. The US has identified cybersecurity as one of the rising workforce areas, from both public and private sectors. The Bachelor of Science in Cybersecurity and Information Assurance (CIA) program at the Department of Computer and Information Science aims to educate and train an elite, diverse cadre of students, who are ready to address real-world computer security and criminal justice challenges. It will also benefit any individual who is interested in advancing their knowledge of computer security and privacy.
Cybersecurity and Privacy Concentration
The Cybersecurity and Privacy (CP) concentration educates students in the fundamentals and principles of cybersecurity and privacy and provides students with labs and experiences that encourage creative thinking. It is built upon a rigorous undergraduate background in computer and information science. Students in this concentration study fundamental security and privacy concepts such as confidentiality, integrity, access control, security architecture and systems, attack/defense. This concentration also provides a sequence of courses that cover unique security and privacy issues in various application areas, ranging from computer security to network security, from wired security to wireless security, from data security to application security, from every day security to enterprise security.
Digital Forensics Concentration
Digital Forensics (DF) is the area of computer science concerned with the examination and analysis of computer hard drives, storage devices, cell phones, tablets, or any electronic device that may hold evidence which could be used in a court of law. The device could be as simple as a cell phone or as complex as a main server for a large corporation. The digital forensics analyst uncovers and preserves data for later use as legal evidence, and analyzes the data in light of a particular crime or criminal or civil investigation. This may involve determining how hackers or unauthorized persons gained access to information or computer systems as well as where and how they navigated within the system.
Digital forensics specialists recover files and emails or other electronic correspondence that have been deleted or erased. They also recover data after hardware or software failure, and develop means to harden computer, cyber, and data security against loss, corruption, sabotage, or external attack.
Program Educational Objectives:
- Our graduates will be successfully employed in Cybersecurity and Information Assurance related fields or other career paths, including industrial, academic, governmental, and non-governmental organizations, or will be successful graduate students in a program preparing them for such employment.
- Our graduates will lead and participate in culturally diverse and inclusive teams, becoming global and ethical collaborators.
- Our graduates will continue their professional development through, for example, obtaining continuing education credits, professional registration or certifications, or post-graduate study credits or degrees.
Student Outcomes:
To achieve the educational objectives of the program, graduates of the BS in CIA program will have an ability to:
- Analyze a complex computing problem and to apply principles of computing and other relevant disciplines to identify solutions.
- Design, implement, and evaluate a computing-based solution to meet a given set of computing requirements in the context of the program’s discipline.
- Communicate effectively in a variety of professional contexts.
- Recognize professional responsibilities and make informed judgments in computing practice based on legal and ethical principles.
- Function effectively as a member or leader of a team engaged in activities appropriate to the program’s discipline.
- Apply security principles and practices to maintain operations in the presence of risks and threats.
Dearborn Discovery Core (General Education)
All students must satisfy the University’s Dearborn Discovery Core requirements, in addition to the requirements for the major
In addition to completion of the Dearborn Discovery Core, the following courses are required to earn a B.S. degree in Cybersecurity and Information Assurance from UM-Dearborn.
Major Requirements
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Prerequisite Courses | ||
| COMP 105 | Writing & Rhetoric I | 3 |
| COMP 270 | Tech Writing for Engineers (Also fulfills 3 credits of DDC Written and Oral Communication) | 3 |
| ECON 201 | Prin: Macroeconomics | 3 |
| or ECON 202 | Prin: Microeconomics | |
| MATH 115 | Calculus I | 4 |
| MATH 116 | Calculus II | 4 |
| MATH 227 | Introduction to Linear Algebra | 3 |
| ACC 298 | Financial Accounting | 3 |
| CIS 150 | Computer Science I | 4 |
| CIS 200 | Computer Science II | 4 |
| CIS 275 | Discrete Structures I | 4 |
| CRJ 200 | Intro to Criminal Justice (Also fulfills 3 credits of DDC Social and Behavioral Analysis) | 3 |
| IMSE 317 | Eng Probability and Statistics | 3 |
| PHIL 240 | Ethics (Also fulfills 3 credits of DDC Humanities and the Arts) | 3 |
| Select one laboratory science sequence from the following: | ||
| Intro Org and Environ Biology and Field Biology | ||
| General Chemistry IA and General Chemistry IIA | ||
| Physical Geology and Historical Geology | ||
| Introductory Physics I and Introductory Physics II | ||
| General Physics I and General Physics II | ||
| CIA Major Core | ||
| CIS 310 | Computer Org and Assembly Lang | 4 |
| CIS 350 | Data Struc and Algorithm Anlys | 4 |
| CIS 375 | Software Engineering I | 4 |
| CIS 421 | Database Mgmt Systems | 4 |
| CIS 427 | Comp Networks and Dis Process | 4 |
| CIS 435 | Web Technology | 3 |
| CIS 450 | Operating Systems | 4 |
| CIS 4951 | Design Seminar I | 2 |
| CIS 4952 | Design Seminar II | 2 |
| OB 354 | Behavior in Organizations (Also fulfills 3 credits of DDC Social and Behavioral Analysis) | 3 |
| Students must choose a concentration in Digital Forensics or Cybersecurity and Privacy. Concentration requirements listed below. | 21-24 | |
CIA Electives
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| CIA Electives | 4-7 | |
| Students must select electives not already used to fulfill the concentration or intersection requirements of your degree. Concentration courses and technical electives must total 28 credit hours. | ||
| Software Engineering Tools | ||
| Internship | ||
| Prac. Comp. Sec. | ||
| Software Engineering II | ||
| Industrial Robots | ||
| Introduction to Digital Forensics | ||
| Internship | ||
| Introduction to Natural Language Processing | ||
| Introduction to Quantum Computing | ||
| Information Systems | ||
| Mobile App Des & Impl | ||
| Advanced Networking | ||
| Text Mining and Information Retrieval | ||
| Wireless & Mobi Comp Security | ||
| Intro Computr & Ntwrk Security | ||
| Intro to Software Security | ||
| Network and Mobile Forensics | ||
| Soft Arch & Design Patterns | ||
| Intro to Artificial Intel | ||
| Trustworthy Artificial Intelligence | ||
| Deep Learning | ||
| Data Security and Privacy | ||
| Computer Game Design & Implem | ||
| Edge Computing | ||
| Internship | ||
| Cyber Crimes & Digital Evidence | ||
| Digital Evidence | ||
| Forensic Science | ||
| Topics in Criminal Jusice | ||
| Intro to Microprocessors | ||
| Multimedia Forensics | ||
| Digi Content Protec | ||
| Cloud Computing | ||
| Intro to Mobil/Smrt Dev & Tech | ||
| Embedded System Design | ||
| Design Thinking : Process, Method & Practice | ||
| Experiential Honors Prof. Prac | ||
| Appl Business Tech for Engr | ||
| Exper Honors Directed Research | ||
| Exper Hnrs Dir Dsgn | ||
| Entrepreneurial Thinking&Behav | ||
| Eng Economy and Dec Anlys | ||
| General Electives | 0-6 | |
| Any 100 to 400 level course, (that is, courses not on the No Credit list, which is found at the end of the CECS Student Handbook), with no more than 6 credits, as needed to get a minimum of 120 credits for graduation. | ||
CIA students must choose a concentration in Cybersecurity and Privacy or Digital Forensics. Concentration requirements are listed below.
Cybersecurity and Privacy Concentration Requirements
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| CIA-Cybersecurity and Privacy Required | 22 | |
| CIS 316 | Prac. Comp. Sec. | 3 |
| CIS 446 | Wireless & Mobi Comp Security | 3 |
| CIS 447 | Intro Computr & Ntwrk Security | 3 |
| CIS 4851 | Data Security and Privacy | 3 |
| CRJ 409 | Intel and Homeland Security | 3 |
| ECE 427 | Digi Content Protec | 4 |
| or CIS 449 | Intro to Software Security | |
| MATH 396 | Introduction to Cryptography | 3 |
Digital Forensics Concentration Requirements
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| CIA-Digital Forensics Required | 23 | |
| CIS 387 | Digital Forensics I | 4 |
| CIS 467 | Digital Forensics II | 4 |
| CIS 447 | Intro Computr & Ntwrk Security | 3 |
| or ECE 426 | Multimedia Forensics | |
| or ECE 427 | Digi Content Protec | |
| CRJ 468 | Criminology | 3 |
| CRJ 475 | Digital Evidence | 3 |
| CRJ 487 | Forensic Science Evidence in Criminal Cases | 3 |
| CRJ 409 | Intel and Homeland Security | 3 |
| or CRJ 474 | Cyber Crimes | |
Learning Goals
- Analyze a complex computing problem and to apply principles of computing and other relevant disciplines to identify solutions.
- Design, implement, and evaluate a computing-based solution to meet a given set of computing requirements in the context of the program’s discipline.
- Communicate effectively in a variety of professional contexts.
- Recognize professional responsibilities and make informed judgments in computing practice based on legal and ethical principles.
- Function effectively as a member or leader of a team engaged in activities appropriate to the program’s discipline.
- Apply security principles and practices to maintain operations in the presence of risks and threats.