BS Degree in Cybersecurity {2026-27}

B.S. Degree in Cybersecurity

Description
Students completing a Major in Cybersecurity at MSUM will be able to evaluate the security needs of a system, and competently design and implement secure systems to reduce vulnerabilities and minimize risks. Students will be able to communicate, to technical and non-technical audiences, about cybersecurity issues in Information Systems. To receive a BS in Cybersecurity, the student must meet the minimum university requirements and specific requirements for the program.

Student Learning Outcomes

  • Students will be able to evaluate the security needs of a system.
  • Students will be able to apply cybersecurity principles and tools to competently design and implement secure systems.
  • Students will be able to communicate effectively through presentations, formal reports, and documentation, to technical and non-technical audiences.
  • Students will collaborate effectively as team members or leaders to create project-based solutions that address challenges in cybersecurity.
  • Students will recognize professional responsibilities in cybersecurity, and demonstrate informed judgement based on ethical and legal foundations.

Program Delivery Mode
Land plus: face-to-face where some online courses may be available or required

Core Requirements ( 41 credits )

CSIS 162 Programming for Cybersecurity (3)
CSIS 262 Introduction to Networking (3)
CSIS 304 Databases (3)
CSIS 316 Ethics in the Information Age (3)
CSIS 360 Linux Programming and Development Tools (3)
CSIS 340 Software Engineering (3) or CSIS 434 Modern Software Development (3)
CSIS 362 Cybersecurity Fundamentals (3)
CSIS 364 Information Systems Security (4)
CSIS 441 Network Security (3)
CSIS 462 Software Security (3)
CSIS 464 Software Security Analysis (3)
CSIS 474 Incident Response (3)
CSIS 480 Ethical Hacking (3)
CSIS 492 Senior Seminar (1)

Designated Writing Intensive Course for Major
CSIS 316 Ethics in the Information Age (3)

Program Requirements

While in the Major, students must maintain a minimum overall GPA of 2.50 which includes credits earned from the Liberal Arts and Sciences Curriculum.
At least one-half of the 300- and 400-level computer science courses in this major program must be taken from the Department of Computer Science and Information Systems at MSUM.

A student is required to complete an Experiential Learning Component before graduation.  This learning component will be automatically met by taking CSIS 469 or CSIS 492. Other ways to complete it include:
•    Participation in Academic Competitions (example: cybersecurity contest)
•    Participation in the Student Academic Conference (poster or presentation)
•    Faculty/Student Research Projects
•    Study Abroad
•    Military Service with cybersecurity related experience
•    Employment related to the student’s major
•    Job Shadowing
•    Community volunteer work related to the student’s major (example: through ACM)

Related Requirements ( 15-18 credits )

COMM 100 Speech Communication (3)
CHEM 150/CHEM 150L General Chemistry I and Lab (4) or PHYS 160 Physics I with Algebra & Lab (4) or PHYS 200 Physics I with Calculus & Lab (4) or PSCI 170 Physical Science I (3)
MATH 261 Calculus I (4) or MATH 229 Topics in Calculus (3)
MATH 210 Concepts from Discrete Mathematics (3)
MATH 234 Introduction to Probability and Statistics (3) or MATH 335 Intermediate Probability and Statistics I (4)

Restricted Electives ( 9 credits )

Students must take 9 credits from the following list. Students interested in doing research or graduate study in cybersecurity are encouraged to take CSIS 320 and CSIS 430.

CSIS 155 Introduction to Computers & Programming I (4)
CSIS 255 Data Structures (4)
CSIS 311 Server-Side Scripting (3)
CSIS 320 Architecture (4)
CSIS 335 Graphical User Interface Programming (3)
CSIS 336 C#.Net Programming (3)
CSIS 341 System and Network Administration (3)
CSIS 349 Network and Data Communications (3)
CSIS 349L Network and Data Communications Lab (1)
CSIS 356 Algorithms (3)
CSIS 365 Mobile Application Development & Programming (3)
CSIS 430 Operating Systems (4)
CSIS 450 Programming Languages (3)
CSIS 469 Internship (up to 3 credits applied)
CSIS 470 Foundations of Machine Learning (3)
CSIS 475 Applied Machine Learning (3)
CSIS 490 Topics in Cybersecurity (1-3)
CSIS 494 Undergraduate Research (1-3)
CJ 312 Criminal Investigations (3)