At which campus can I study this program?
Begin Campus
University Park
End Campus
University Park
Program Description
The Bachelor of Science in Cybersecurity Analytics and Operations in the College of Information Sciences and Technology (IST) is an interdisciplinary program that prepares students for careers as cybersecurity professionals. It educates students on the essential concepts of cyber-defense and the analytical fundamentals of cybersecurity, with a focus on the analytical and risk management underpinnings and associated cyber-defense techniques and strategies for ensuring the safety of online information stored in large and heterogeneous networks that are embedded within and across the complex socio-technical infrastructures that are pervasive in today's business, government and military organizations. Students will acquire the knowledge and skills needed to critically assess and respond to modern information security threats, using approaches that are grounded in a holistic understanding of adversarial strategies and effective responses. More specifically, it will offer an in-depth and domain-independent approach to the development of skills in cyber defense technologies, tools and processes; cybersecurity analytics and visualization; and cybersecurity risk analysis and management. The major draws from concepts and skills associated with a number of disciplines, including information science, management science, statistics and data science, human behavior, and law/policy. Graduates will be prepared to join the rapidly growing cybersecurity workforce deployed across organizations of diverse sizes and missions.
What is Cybersecurity Analytics and Operations?
Cybersecurity is a field that deals with the protection of computer systems, networks, programs, and data from attacks and unauthorized access. This includes the development of cyber defense tools to protect critical infrastructure as well as the analysis and mitigation of cyber threats.
MORE INFORMATION ABOUT CYBERSECURITY ANALYTICS AND OPERATIONS
You Might Like This Program If...
- You want to protect digital information, data stores, and computer networks from threats.
- You want to learn the cyber defense strategies used to anticipate, recognize, and defend against computer attacks.
- You're passionate about how we can keep sensitive information out of the hands of hackers, cybercriminals, and terrorist organizations.
- You are interested in computer programming and mathematics.
MORE INFORMATION ABOUT WHY STUDENTS CHOOSE TO STUDY CYBERSECURITY ANALYTICS AND OPERATIONS
Entrance to Major
This program currently has administrative enrollment controls. Administrative Enrollment Controls are initiated when limitations of space, faculty, or other resources in a major prevent accommodating all students who request them. Students must follow the administrative enrollment controls that are in effect for the semester that they enter the university.
First-Year Students Entering Summer 2018, Fall 2018, Spring 2019
In order to be eligible for entrance to this major, students must satisfy the following requirements:
- 40-70 cumulative credits (credits completed at Penn State for which a quality letter grade was earned)
- completed with a grade of C or better: CYBER 100, IST 140, IST 210, IST 220, IST 242, STAT 200
- earned a minimum of 3.00 cumulative GPA
Students Who Entered Prior to Summer 2018
Students who entered the University prior to the summer 2018 semester should view the administrative enrollment controls for the semester that they entered the university on the Academic Advising Portal.
Degree Requirements
For the B.S. degree in Cybersecurity Analytics and Operations, a minimum of 126 credits is required:
| Requirement | Credits |
|---|---|
| General Education | 45 |
| Electives | 3 |
| Requirements for the Major | 99 |
21 of the 45 credits for General Education are included in the Requirements for the Major. This includes: 6 credits of GQ courses, 6 credits of GS courses, 9 credits of GWS courses.
General Education
Connecting career and curiosity, the General Education curriculum provides the opportunity for students to acquire transferable skills necessary to be successful in the future and to thrive while living in interconnected contexts. General Education aids students in developing intellectual curiosity, a strengthened ability to think, and a deeper sense of aesthetic appreciation. These are requirements for all baccalaureate students and are often partially incorporated into the requirements of a program. For additional information, see the General Education Requirements section of the Bulletin and consult your academic adviser.
The keystone symbol 
appears next to the title of any course that is designated as a General Education course. Program requirements may also satisfy General Education requirements and vary for each program.
Foundations (grade of C or better is required.)
- Quantification (GQ): 6 credits
- Writing and Speaking (GWS): 9 credits
Knowledge Domains
- Arts (GA): 6 credits
- Health and Wellness (GHW): 3 credits
- Humanities (GH): 6 credits
- Social and Behavioral Sciences (GS): 6 credits
- Natural Sciences (GN): 9 credits
Integrative Studies (may also complete a Knowledge Domain requirement)
- Inter-Domain or Approved Linked Courses: 6 credits
University Degree Requirements
First Year Engagement
All students enrolled in a college or the Division of Undergraduate Studies at University Park, and the World Campus are required to take 1 to 3 credits of the First-Year Seminar, as specified by their college First-Year Engagement Plan.
Other Penn State colleges and campuses may require the First-Year Seminar; colleges and campuses that do not require a First-Year Seminar provide students with a first-year engagement experience.
First-year baccalaureate students entering Penn State should consult their academic adviser for these requirements.
Cultures Requirement
6 credits are required and may satisfy other requirements
- United States Cultures: 3 credits
- International Cultures: 3 credits
Writing Across the Curriculum
3 credits required from the college of graduation and likely prescribed as part of major requirements.
Total Minimum Credits
A minimum of 120 degree credits must be earned for a baccalaureate degree. The requirements for some programs may exceed 120 credits. Students should consult with their college or department adviser for information on specific credit requirements.
Quality of Work
Candidates must complete the degree requirements for their major and earn at least a 2.00 grade-point average for all courses completed within their degree program.
Limitations on Source and Time for Credit Acquisition
The college dean or campus chancellor and program faculty may require up to 24 credits of course work in the major to be taken at the location or in the college or program where the degree is earned. Credit used toward degree programs may need to be earned from a particular source or within time constraints (see Senate Policy 83-80). For more information, check the Suggested Academic Plan for your intended program.
Requirements for the Major
To graduate, a student enrolled in the major must earn a grade of C or better in each course designated by the major as a C-required course, as specified by Senate Policy 82-44.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Prescribed Courses | ||
| CAS 100 | Effective Speech | 3 |
| Prescribed Courses: Require a grade of C or better | ||
| CYBER 100S | Computer Systems Literacy | 3 |
| CYBER 262 | Cyber-Defense Studio | 3 |
| CYBER 342W | Cyber Incident Handling and Response | 3 |
| CYBER 362 | Cybersecurity Analytics Studio | 3 |
| CYBER 366 | Malware Analytics | 3 |
| CYBER 440 | Cybersecurity Capstone | 3 |
| IST 140 | Introduction to Application Development | 3 |
| IST 210 | Organization of Data | 3 |
| IST 220 | Networking and Telecommunications | 3 |
| IST 230 | Language, Logic, and Discrete Mathematics | 3 |
| IST 242 | Intermediate & Object-Oriented Application Development | 3 |
| IST 261 | Application Development Design Studio I | 3 |
| IST 432 | Legal and Regulatory Environment of Information Science and Technology | 3 |
| IST 451 | Network Security | 3 |
| IST 454 | Computer and Cyber Forensics | 3 |
| IST 456 | Information Security Management | 3 |
| IST 495 | Internship | 1 |
| MATH 110 | Techniques of Calculus I | 4 |
| SRA 111 | Introduction to Security and Risk Analysis | 3 |
| SRA 211 | Threat of Terrorism and Crime | 3 |
| SRA 221 | Overview of Information Security | 3 |
| SRA 231 | Decision Theory and Analysis | 3 |
| SRA 311 | Risk Analysis in a Security Context | 3 |
| SRA 365 | Statistics for Security and Risk Analysis | 3 |
| SRA 472 | Integration of Privacy and Security | 3 |
| STAT 200 | Elementary Statistics | 4 |
| Additional Courses | ||
| ENGL 15 | Rhetoric and Composition | 3 |
| or ENGL 30 | Honors Freshman Composition | |
| ENGL 202C | Effective Writing: Technical Writing | 3 |
| or ENGL 202D | Effective Writing: Business Writing | |
| Supporting Courses and Related Areas | ||
| Select 12 credits from one of the Application Focus course lists in Appendix B; at least 6 credits must be at the 400-level. Students may also complete a custom Application Focus sequence with approval from an academic adviser and a CYBER teaching faculty member. | 12 | |
Academic Advising
The objectives of the university’s academic advising program are to help advisees identify and achieve their academic goals, to promote their intellectual discovery, and to encourage students to take advantage of both in-and out-of class educational opportunities in order that they become self-directed learners and decision makers.
Both advisers and advisees share responsibility for making the advising relationship succeed. By encouraging their advisees to become engaged in their education, to meet their educational goals, and to develop the habit of learning, advisers assume a significant educational role. The advisee’s unit of enrollment will provide each advisee with a primary academic adviser, the information needed to plan the chosen program of study, and referrals to other specialized resources.
READ SENATE POLICY 32-00: ADVISING POLICY
University Park
Office of Undergraduate Academic Advising
E101 Westgate Building
University Park, PA 16802
814-865-8947
advising@ist.psu.edu
Suggested Academic Plan
University Park Campus
The course series listed below provides only one of the many possible ways to move through this curriculum. The University may make changes in policies, procedures, educational offerings, and requirements at any time. This plan should be used in conjunction with your degree audit (accessible in LionPATH as either an Academic Requirements or What If report). Please consult with a Penn State academic adviser on a regular basis to develop and refine an academic plan that is appropriate for you.
| First Year | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
| CYBER 100S*# | 3 | IST 210*# | 3 |
| IST 140*# | 3 | IST 220*# | 3 |
| CAS 100‡ | 3 | SRA 111* | 3 |
| MATH 110*‡ | 4 | ENGL 15, 30, or ESL 15‡ | 3 |
| General Education Selection | 3 | Application Focus Selection 1 (GS/GHW) | 3 |
| 16 | 15 | ||
| Second Year | |||
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
| CYBER 262* | 3 | IST 261* | 3 |
| IST 242*# | 3 | SRA 211* | 3 |
| STAT 200*‡# | 4 | SRA 221* | 3 |
| General Education Selection | 3 | IST 230* | 3 |
| Application Focus Selection 2 | 3 | General Education Selection | 3 |
| 16 | 15 | ||
| Third Year | |||
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
| CYBER 362* | 3 | CYBER 342W* | 3 |
| IST 451* | 3 | IST 454* | 3 |
| SRA 231* | 3 | SRA 311* | 3 |
| SRA 365* | 3 | CYBER 366* | 3 |
| ENGL 202C or 202D‡ | 3 | Application Focus Selection 3 | 3 |
| General Education Selection | 1.5 | ||
| 16.5 | 15 | ||
| Fourth Year | |||
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
| IST 456* | 3 | CYBER 440* | 3 |
| SRA 472* | 3 | Application Focus Selection 4 | 3 |
| IST 432* | 3 | General Education Selection | 3 |
| General Education Selection | 3 | Elective | 3 |
| General Education Selection | 3 | Elective | 2 |
| General Education Selection | 1.5 | ||
| 16.5 | 14 | ||
| Total Credits 124 | |||
* Course requires a grade of C or better for the major
‡ Course requires a grade of C or better for General Education
# Course is an Entrance to Major requirement
† Course satisfies General Education and degree requirement
University Requirements and General Education Notes:
US and IL are abbreviations used to designate courses that satisfy University Requirements (United States and International Cultures).
W, M, X, and Y are the suffixes at the end of a course number used to designate courses that satisfy University Writing Across the Curriculum requirement.
GWS, GQ, GHW, GN, GA, GH, and GS are abbreviations used to identify General Education program courses. General Education includes Foundations (GWS and GQ) and Knowledge Domains (GHW, GN, GA, GH, GS, and Integrative Studies). Foundations courses (GWS and GQ) require a grade of ‘C’ or better.
Integrative Studies courses are required for the General Education program. N is the suffix at the end of a course number used to designate an Inter-Domain course and Z is the suffix at the end of a course number used to designate a Linked course.
All incoming Schreyer Honors College first-year students at University Park will take ENGL/CAS 137 in the fall semester and ENGL/CAS 138 in the spring semester. These courses carry the GWS designation and replace both ENGL 30 and CAS 100. Each course is 3 credits.
Advising Notes:
1 credit of IST 495 is required. A grade of C or better must be earned in this course.
Students pick one of the four tracks below or create a custom 4-course application focus. Students should take one course that meets the GS requirements. Students must pick six (6) credits at the 400 level. All 12 credits must be in the same application focus area.
Geopolitics
Understanding the geopolitical landscape is key to understanding and modeling cyberthreats from nation-states and other threat actors. The Geopolitics focus is for students who have an interest in pursuing cybersecurity careers in government or related consulting sectors.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| GEOG 160 | Mapping Our Changing World | 3 |
| or GEOG 260 | Geographic Information in a Changing World: Introduction to GIScience | |
| PLSC 14 | International Relations | 3 |
| GEOG 333 | Human Dimensions of Natural Hazards | 3 |
| GEOG 363 | Geographic Information Systems | 3 |
| AFR/PLSC 440 | Globalization and Its Implications | 3 |
| SRA 450 | Cyber-Crime and Cyber-Warfare | 3 |
| SRA 480 | Crisis Informatics | 3 |
Law and Policy
Cybersecurity careers in law enforcement require knowledge of laws and policies focused on the handling of evidence related to digital forensics and monitoring. Individuals in the private sector and government agencies must also understand and adhere to these topics as they involve cybersecurity. The Law and Policy focus is for students who want to understand law and policy as they relate to digital data.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| COMM 180 | Survey of Electronic Media and Telecommunications | 3 |
| CRIM/CRIMJ 100 | Introduction to Criminal Justice | 3 |
| CRIM/CRIMJ 113 | Introduction to Law | 3 |
| PLSC 14 | International Relations | 3 |
| CRIM/CRIMJ/SOC 467 | Law and Society | 3 |
| HLS/PADM 401 | Introduction to Homeland Security (offered by Harrisburg and World Campus only) | 3 |
| PLSC/CRIMJ 439 | The Politics of Terrorism | 3 |
| PLSC 487 | International Law and Organizations (not offered at University Park) | 3 |
Economics
The Economics focus is for students who have an interest in pursuing cybersecurity careers in the financial services sector or government. Designed to help students understand today’s financial and economic environments, this focus highlights the importance of translating the financial and economic impact of cybersecurity activities to effectively manage any program.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| ECON 102 | Introductory Microeconomic Analysis and Policy | 3 |
| BLAW 243 | Legal Environment of Business | 3 |
| BA 301 | Finance | 3 |
| ECON 302 | Intermediate Microeconomic Analysis | 3 |
| ECON 402 | Decision Making and Strategy in Economics | 3 |
| PLSC 412 | International Political Economy | 3 |
Health Care
Hospitals, pharmaceutical companies, and government agencies are just a few of the sectors that have strict requirements around protecting health care data. The Health Care focus is for students who have an interest in pursuing cybersecurity careers in a health care environment. Understanding how information is managed in these environments will help students thrive in a health care-related career.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| HPA 101 | Introduction to Health Services Organization | 3 |
| IST 110 | Information, People and Technology | 3 |
| HPA 332 | Health Systems Management | 3 |
| NURS 357 | Introduction to Nursing Informatics (offered at Commonwealth and World Campuses; not at University Park) | 3 |
| HPA/BBH 440 | Principles of Epidemiology | 3 |
| HPA 470 | Health Care Information Management | 3 |
| NURS 458 | Ethical Challenges in Healthcare Informatics (offered at Commonwealth and World Campuses; not at University Park) | 3 |
Custom Application Focus
There is an option for a student to create a custom 4-course application focus sequence. It must be a coherent sequence of courses that provides context for the student in terms of cybersecurity content. It should contain three credits of GS coursework and must contain six credits of 400-level coursework. It must be selected in consultation with a teaching CYBER faculty member and an academic adviser.
Career Paths
Cybersecurity blends the technical expertise needed to analyze security issues and create cyberdefense strategies with the interpersonal skills needed to communicate threats to a variety of audiences. The program prepares students to meet the growing need for professionals who can defend against threats to digital information and assets. IST's Office of Career Solutions helps students navigate their internship and career development in the field through coaching, workshops, interview preparation, resume reviews, career fairs, job postings, and networking opportunities.
Careers
Because our courses blend technical knowledge with skills in communication and business, a Cybersecurity Analytics and Operations degree allows students to pursue opportunities as cybersecurity analysts, cyberthreat advisers, penetration testers, and a number of other unique careers in fields such as defense, government, and business.
Professional Resources
Contact
University Park
OFFICE OF THE ASSOCIATE DEAN FOR GRADUATE AND UNDERGRADUATE STUDIES
E397F Westgate Building
University Park, PA 16802
814-863-3450
programs@ist.psu.edu