Cybersecurity (BS)
Majors
Cybersecurity (BS)
Cybersecurity grows out of the enormous importance of network computing and the challenges to security that networks pose. Students examine the architecture, properties, and performance of wired and wireless networks, and learn to secure systems against real threats — not hypothetical ones.
Where AI fits in
AI has changed this field on both sides of the fight: attackers now use AI to probe for vulnerabilities and craft convincing phishing campaigns, while defenders use AI to detect intrusions and analyze malware faster than manual methods allow. Department research sits directly at that intersection — developing deep learning methods to analyze malware and stress-test AI systems against adversarial attacks, alongside work on the human side of security: how behavior and decision-making shape vulnerability to threats like phishing.
The program holds a national NSA Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense (CAE-CD) designation, renewed through 2030. Students compete nationally in events like the Collegiate Cyber Defense Competition and Cyber 9/12 Strategy Challenge, and can join active organizations including the 7968 competition club and Women in Cybersecurity.