Bachelor of Science in Cybersecurity

The curriculum is influenced by the National Initiative for Cybersecurity Education (NICE) Cybersecurity Workforce Framework and the Chartered Institute of Information Security’s knowledge, skills, and roles frameworks. NICE has a broader influence on developing requisite knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSA) characteristic of a student on the pathway to a bachelor’s degree.

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Eligibility Requirements

  • A high school diploma or GED for applicants 16 years or older with a GPA of at least 2.0
  • A completed application to the School of Technology
  • CSEC, GSCE, COMPASS, ASSET, SAT or ACT test scores with passes in Mathematics and English
  • Prerequisite courses –Mathematics, English, and Information Technology courses

The education will be delivered in two forms:

  1. Classroom sessions online
  2. Simulated laboratory sessions online
The program will utilize both trainer-led videos and instructor-led.
Trainer-led video or machine tutoring system will facilitate robust learning for long-term retention, fact transfer, and future references.
Instructor-led in a live virtual classroom setting (synchronous or asynchronous ) will ensure quality discourse and learning outcomes.
Other methods will be employed based on the curriculum and dynamic experiences in the cohorts. This will address the classic example-problem dimension of the assistance dilemma when individuals learn. GAU will use several instructional strategies: examples only, examples-problems, and problems only to bring student cybersecurity knowledge, skill, and abilities to the desired or higher potential level of awareness and capability.

The curriculum is influenced by the National Initiative for Cybersecurity Education (NICE) Cybersecurity Workforce Framework and the Chartered Institute of Information Security’s knowledge, skills, and roles frameworks. NICE has a broader influence on developing requisite knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSA) characteristic of a student on the pathway to a bachelor’s degree. The introductory courses will prepare students with the foundational awareness benchmarked with the Common Body of Knowledge and industry certification bodies that attest to CompTIA Security Plus and (ISC)2 Systems Security Certified professional.

The curriculum will also benchmark accreditation agencies and accredited institutions such as the Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense (CD) and follow the checklist specified by the National Centers of Academic Excellence in Cybersecurity (NCAE-C).

The nature of the work, and consequently, the workforce, can be described using the building blocks presented in the following sections.
These building blocks incorporate the following attributes:

  • Agility—People, processes, and technology mature and must adapt to change. Therefore, the NICE Framework enables organizations to keep pace with a constantly evolving ecosystem.
  • Flexibility—While every organization faces similar challenges, there is no one-size-fits-all solution to those common challenges. Therefore, the NICE Framework enables organizations to account for the organization’s unique operating context.
  • Interoperability—While every solution to common challenges is unique, those solutions must agree upon consistent use of terms. Therefore, the NICE Framework enables organizations to exchange workforce information using a common language.
    • Modularity—While cybersecurity risk remains the basis of this document, there are other risks that organizations must manage within the enterprise. Therefore, the NICE Framework enables organizations to communicate about other types of workforces within an enterprise and across organizations or sectors (e.g., privacy, risk management, software engineering/development).

 

The NICE Framework is comprised of seven categories:

  1. Analysis
  2. Collect and Operate
  3. Investigate
  4. Operate and Maintain
  5. Oversee and Govern
  6. Protect and Defend
  7. Security Provision

Assessment
We utilize direct assessment methods in two formats, formative and summative.

Formative Assessment methods

  • Quizzes – may be used as a formative assessment for students during their course delivery
  • Midterm Feedback – this is a mandatory procedure across all schools at Georgetown American University. At the mid of each term or block, the faculty will assess students using a standardized form accessible on the management system. The mid-term review serves as a feedback mechanism to inform students of their strengths and/or weaknesses during the first half of the term and to provide recommendations for improvements.

 

Summative Assessment methods

  • Quizzes – standardized quizzes are used as a summative assessment during course delivery and will often be given at the end of the week. The quizzes will be delivered using the Examsoft platform.
  • Standardized examinations – standardized examinations

 

Evaluation
We will use test-based surveys, questionnaires to collect knowledge and skills data across the cohorts. The questionnaire tool evaluates standards such as the NICE Framework and UK Cyber Security Essentials. This approach characterizes attributes across coded rating scores for responses relative to the course or training objectives. The feedback data will serve as inputs to the computation stage of the evaluation model. (See Appendix A) Progress or balanced scorecard will represent the capability ratings, range, and priority ratings based on student and teacher responses to questionnaires.

Program Learning Outcome
Program Outline General Education Courses

Course No.General Education CourseLect. hrsLab hrs.Ext hrs.Content hrs.Credit

TEC 1011

Introduction to Networking
2
 
 
28
2

TEC 1021

Introduction to programming
2
 
 
28
2

TEC 1031

IT Systems
2
 
 
28
2

SOC 122

Psychology and Human Behavior
2
 
 
28
2

SOC 111

Psychology and Human Behavior
4
 
 
56
4

NAT 134

Biostatistics
3
 
 
42
3
 
Humanities
3
 
 
42
3
 
English Composition and Communications
3
 
 
42
3
 
 

21

 
 

294

294

YEAR 1  –  Fundamentals of Cybersecurity I

Course No. Course Lecture hrs Lab hrs. Contact hrs. Credit
TEC 1211
Introduction to Cryptography
3
3
84
4
TEC 1221
Principles Cybersecurity
4
56
4
TEC 1231
Foundations Cybersecurity
4
56
4
TEC 1311
Network Defense
56
4
4
TEC 1321
Operating Systems Concepts
4
56
4
TEC 1331
Elective
3
3
84
4
22
6
392
24

YEAR 2  – Fundamentals of Cybersecurity II

Course No. Course Lecture hrs Lab hrs. Contact hrs. Credit
TEC 2011
Cyber Threats
3
42
3
TEC 2021
Cybersecurity Planning Management
3
42
3
TEC 2031
Policy, Legal, Ethics and Compliance
3
42
3
TEC 2101
Security Program Management
3
42
3
TEC 2111
Security Risk Analysis
3
42
3
TEC 2121
Elective (CL)
3
3
84
4
TEC 2311
Project
6
84
6
24
3
378
25

YEAR 3

Course No. Course Lecture hrs Lab hrs. Contact hrs. Credit
TEC 3011
International Cybersecurity Organizations
3
42
3
TEC 3021
International Standards and Requirements— A Survey of Bodies and Practices
3
42
3
TEC 3031
Cybersecurity Frameworks
3
42
3
TEC 3111
Penetration Testing and Ethical Hacking (CL)
3
3
84
4
TEC 3121
Offensive Penetration Testing (CL)
1
3
57
2
TEC 3131
Certified Information System Auditor (CL)
2
3
42
3
TEC 
Elective
2
3
42
3
TEC 
Elective
2
2
32
3
TEC 3211
Project
6
84
6
26
12
467
30

YEAR 4 – Career Pathway

Course No. Course Lecture hrs Lab hrs. Contact hrs. Credit
TEC 4011
Advance Penetration Testing (CL)
2
28
2
TEC 4111
Certified Information Systems Security (CL)
2
3
42
3
TEC
Elective – Pathway program (CL)
5
3
126
6
TEC
Elective – Pathway program (CL)
5
3
126
6
TEC
Elective – Pathway program (CL)
5
3
126
6
TEC 4211
End of Year Project
7
98
7
26
12
546
30

Jobs attainable with a Degree in Cybersecurity

  • Security System Administrator
  • Cyber Data Analyst
  • Information Security Associate
  • Network Support Engineer
  • Penetration Tester
  • Cryptanalysts
  • Cryptographer
  • Web Developer
  • Computer Support Specialist
  • Information and Assurance Engineer
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