Everything we do in our day-to-day lives somehow relies on the Internet. As customers, we rely on this connectivity in our daily lives to shop, manage our bank accounts, communicate and have fun. Businesses succeed on their ability to use data and Internet connectivity in novel and efficient ways. However, whereas the Internet is a boon to customers and businesses alike, it has also proven to be a powerful tool for cyber criminals. Unchecked, a business can be ruined by a data breach and peoples lives can be ruined through identity theft. The power of the Internet goes beyond national borders and has become a key component of the military arsenal. To protect themselves, government, industry and the military seek professionals with the strongest security credentials possible.
The Computer & Network Security (CNS) program provides a firm foundation in cybersecurity while also providing the flexibility for students to customize their degree according to their specific areas of interest. As an example, students may earn a Digital Forensics Concentration by choosing six Security Elective Courses. While the Security Core and Security Electives provide a technical foundation for the student, the General Education and Support cores provide the student with the soft skills necessary for a well rounded education.
Information Security is listed among the fastest growing occupations by the US Department of Labor Statistics (BLS). According to the BLS, the number of people employed as information security analysts is projected to increase by 28% between 2016 and 2026, "much faster than the average for all occupations". To put it in perspective, that is fifty percent more than the projected growth for computer occupations and more than double the projected growth rate for all occupations.
The workforce need was further highlighted in a widely cited article published by Peninsula Press, a Project of Stanford Journalism. The authors estimated the number of unfilled cybersecurity positions in 2015 at 209,000 in the U.S. alone.
For more information on cybersecurity career paths and a heat map showing supply and demand for cybersecurity jobs, see https://www.cyberseek.org
The Computer & Network Security Bachelor of Science program has been designated as a National Center of Academic Excellence in Information Assurance/Cybersecurity through academic year 2021 by the National Security Agency and the Department of Homeland Security.
This is a nationally recognized designation that Wilmington University’s Computer and Network Security curricula, faculty, outreach and academic activities meet the rigorous standards established by the National Security Agency and the Department of Homeland Security. The goal of the National Centers of Academic Excellence designation program is to promote higher education in Information Assurance (IA) and Cyber Defense (CD) and prepare a growing number of IA/CD professionals to meet the need to reduce vulnerabilities in the Nation’s networks.
Whereas the CNS program is offered both face-to-face and online, Wilmington University's online CNS program is ranked in the top twenty on several websites including:
In addition to becoming well-prepared for the technical aspects of a career in cybersecurity, students will develop soft skills. Critical thinking skills are needed to understand cybersecurity problems, risks and solutions. Good written and oral communications skills are needed to put technical problems in terms that worker bees can understand and appreciate so that they can stay out of harm’s way. Most importantly, non-technical decision makers in charge of the budget need to understand the risks and the ramifications of not properly investing in cybersecurity.
The Computer and Network Security (CNS) Bachelor of Science degree will provide students with credentials specializing in information security and will also help prepare students to “sit” for the following industry recognized certifications:
The term Cybersecurity is still fairly new and the category of jobs involving cybersecurity are very broad. The federal government initiated an effort called the National Cybersecurity Framework a few years ago to help provide some clarity and structure. The following sample job titles are taken from this framework (http://csrc.nist.gov/nice/framework/national_cybersecurity_workforce_framework_03_2013_version1_0_interactive.pdf) and are among the roles for which the CNS program helps prepare students:
Minimum Grade Policy
The Computer and Network Security program has set a minimum passing grade of “C-” for Security Core and Security Elective and College of Technology Elective courses. Students receiving a grade lower than “C-” in any of these courses must retake that course.
Accelerated Option with Graduate Certificate
Students in the Computer and Network Security B.S. degree program may choose an accelerated option with:
- SCADA Cybersecurity Graduate Certificate
Students selecting this option can complete both their undergraduate degree and the graduate certificate by completing 120 credits (105 undergraduate credits and 15 graduate credits). The five graduate courses (15 credits) needed for the graduate certificate would count as five courses (15 credits) towards undergraduate electives in your degree.
Students who complete the SCADA Cybersecurity Graduate Certificate also receive the benefit of completing 4-5 graduate level courses that count towards a Master’s degree in Cybersecurity. Students selecting this option are not required to pursue the Cybersecurity M.S. degree.
Admission requirements include:
- A minimum GPA of 3.25
- Completion of at least 60 credits towards your degree program
- A meeting with an academic advisor to submit an Accelerated Option Intent (AOI) form upon completion of at least 30 credits; and
- Recommendation of the Program Chair
Note: Students will not be eligible to register for graduate level courses until they have successfully completed at least 60 credits towards their bachelor’s degree and have an approved AOI form. Students must receive their B.S. degree in order to receive the graduate certificate.
Minimum Grade Policy: Students must maintain a 3.0 GPA in their graduate courses in order to earn the certificate.
Computer and Network Security B. S. Curriculum
General Education Requirements (39 credits)
Humanities Electives
Choose two courses (6 credits) from:
ART, COM 245, CUL, DRA, DSN 110, ENG 310, ENG 360, ETN, HIS 230, HUM, LIT, MUS, PHI, REL, SPA, TEC 215, VFP 313
Support Core (9 credits)
Security Core (39 credits)
The Computer & Network Security program has set a minimum passing grade of "C-" for Security Core and Security Elective courses. Students receiving a grade lower than "C-" in any of these courses must retake that course.
| CSC 345 | Database Foundations | 3 |
| SEC 100 | Introduction to Computer Hardware and Operation | 3 |
| SEC 210 | Principles and Practice of Information Security | 3 |
| SEC 230 | Introduction to Linux | 3 |
| SEC 235 | Networks and Telecommunications | 3 |
| SEC 250 | Operating System and Computer Systems Security | 3 |
| SEC 290 | Introduction to Programming with Python | 3 |
| SEC 310 | Cryptography: Algorithms and Applications | 3 |
| SEC 335 | Linux for Systems Administrators | 3 |
| SEC 340 | Windows Operating Systems and Systems Administration | 3 |
| SEC 410 | Web and Data Security | 3 |
| SEC 450 | Firewalls and Network Security | 3 |
College of Technology Elective
Choose one course (3 credits) from the following:
CSC, CTA, GMD, ISM, MIS, SEC, TEC
Security Electives (18 credits)
Students must choose six Security Electives in order to satisfy the requirements of the degree. Those interested in declaring a Digital Forensics Concentration should select LES 331, SEC 240, SEC 350, SEC 355, SEC 370, and SEC 440.
| CRJ 101 | Survey of Criminal Justice | 3 |
| CRJ 411 | Criminal Evidence and Procedures | 3 |
| LES 330 | Cyberlaw | 3 |
| LES 331 | Electronic Discovery | 3 |
| SEC 240 | Foundations in Cyber Investigations | 3 |
| SEC 305 | Psychology of a Cyber Attacker | 3 |
| SEC 325 | Breaking Down Cloud Security | 3 |
| SEC 350 | Introduction Computer Forensics | 3 |
| SEC 355 | Mobile Device Security and Forensics | 3 |
| SEC 370 | Computer Incident Response Course | 3 |
| SEC 380 | Cloud Computing | 3 |
| SEC 420 | Data Integrity and Disaster Recovery | 3 |
| SEC 425 | Ethical Hacking | 3 |
| SEC 435 | Advanced Network Management | 3 |
| SEC 440 | Network Forensics | 3 |
| SEC 465 | Cyber Security and IoT | 3 |
| SEC 490 | Computer and Network Security Internship | 3 |
| SEC 491 | Computer and Network Security Internship | 3 |
Free Electives (15 credits)
Students with less than 16 transfer credits are required to take FYE 101 as one of their electives.
Students in the Accelerated Option with SCADA Cybersecurity Graduate Certificate should select the required graduate certificate courses (15 credits).
Digital Forensics Concentration
Whereas the bulk of the CNS degree is devoted to defending against cyber attacks, digital forensics is used in the investigation of a crime or incident. In law enforcement, digital evidence found on computers, phones, laptops, Fitbits, Alexa, smart refrigerators, etc. is used to prosecute crimes. In the corporate world, digital forensics is used to investigate data breaches, intellectual property theft, corporate espionage and malicious employees among other things; sometimes the goal is to prosecute, sometimes not. The intelligence community, on the other hand, is not interested in prosecuting. Instead, the goal is to obtain actionable intel, such as in the pursuit of terrorist organizations and espionage activities by hostile nation states.
CNS majors interested in a career in digital forensics should consider declaring a Digital Forensics Concentration. To do so, complete the following six Security Electives:
| LES 331 | Electronic Discovery | 3 |
| SEC 240 | Foundations in Cyber Investigations | 3 |
| SEC 350 | Introduction Computer Forensics | 3 |
| SEC 355 | Mobile Device Security and Forensics | 3 |
| SEC 370 | Computer Incident Response Course | 3 |
| SEC 440 | Network Forensics | 3 |
Students declaring a Digital Forensics Concentration may also earn two certificates: Digital Evidence Discovery and Digital Forensics Investigation by taking an additional course: LES 330 - Cyber Law. For more information, see the section on Digital Evidence Discovery and Digital Evidence Investigation Certificates.
Accelerated Option with SCADA Cybersecurity Graduate Certificate
This certificate requires 15 graduate credits. Students must successfully complete one IST course (either IST 7060 or IST 7100) and all four SEC courses identified in the core courses to complete the certificate. Students must maintain a 3.0 GPA in their graduate courses in order to earn the certificate.
| IST 7060 | Project and Change Management | 3 |
| OR | | |
| IST 7100 | IT Policy and Strategy | 3 |
| | | |
| SEC 6080 | Industrial Control Systems (ICS) Security | 3 |
| SEC 6082 | SCADA Architecture | 3 |
| SEC 6084 | SCADA Risk Management and Auditing | 3 |
| SEC 6086 | SCADA Security Awareness and Standards | 3 |
CAP (Community & Academic Partnerships)/Co-op and Internship Program
In order to provide relevant work experience, students in the Computer & Network Security (CNS) degree program have the option of completing up to six credit hours via a co-op assignment or internship. In many cases, employers use a co-op or internship as a “try-before-you-buy” experience, meaning that students often receive offers for full time positions if the employer likes how the student performed.
To complete an internship for credit, students work with the College of Experiential Learning to identify qualified employers and positions with appropriate learning opportunities. Students register for SEC 490 to earn three credits and SEC 491 for an additional three credits. Both SEC 490 and SEC 491 are Security Electives. Credits are awarded upon successful completion of the internship as determined by the employer and faculty supervisor.
The co-op option for CNS is the equivalent of two semester courses, for a total of six credit hours. Students can complete their CNS degree with 120 credit hours, whether they choose the co-op option or not. Because each co-op experience is individually designed, students must inform the Director of the CAP/Co-op program and the CNS Program Chair one semester before they would like to begin a co-op assignment.
In order to be eligible, students must first have a GPA of 2.5 or higher, have completed two core courses in residence and have completed at least 60 credits. For additional information on the CAP/Co-op program option, please see the website: http://www.wilmu.edu/coel/work-integrated-learning.aspx
Completion Degree Requirements
What is a Completion Degree?
A completion degree is a personalized version of a bachelor's degree created exclusively for students who have completed an associate degree at an accredited institution. Completion degrees are available for most Wilmington University Bachelor of Science degrees. A student who expects to transfer a completed associate's degree should communicate with a Wilmington University academic advisor before registering for courses. A transcript with documentation of the conferred degree must be received by Wilmington University to confirm eligibility.
Note that a minimum of 120 combined credits are needed to satisfy the Completion Degree requirements, including both transfer credits and credits earned at Wilmington University.
Computer and Network Security Completion Degree
The Computer & Network Security degree completion program has set a minimum passing grade of "C-" for required courses, electives and prerequisites. Students receiving a grade lower than "C-" in any CSC, SDD, SEC or LES course must retake that course.
| CSC 345 | Database Foundations | 3 |
| MAT 308 | Inferential Statistics | 3 |
| PHI 314 | Ethics for Computer Professionals | 3 |
| SEC 310 | Cryptography: Algorithms and Applications | 3 |
| SEC 335 | Linux for Systems Administrators | 3 |
| SEC 340 | Windows Operating Systems and Systems Administration | 3 |
| SEC 410 | Web and Data Security | 3 |
| SEC 450 | Firewalls and Network Security | 3 |
| | Security Elective | 3 |
| | Security Elective | 3 |
| | Security Elective | 3 |
| | Security Elective | 3 |
| | Security Elective | 3 |
| | Security Elective | 3 |
| | CoT Elective | 3 |
The following courses or their equivalents are prerequisites for a degree in Computer and Network Security:
CTA 206 Computer Applications
ENG 122 English Composition II
MAT 205 Introductory Survey of Mathematics
SEC 100 Introduction to Computer Hardware and Operation
SEC 210 Principles and Practices of Information Security
SEC 230 Introduction to Linux
SEC 235 Networks and Telecommunication
SEC 250 Operating System and Computer Systems Security
SEC 290 Introduction to Programming with Python