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Cybersecurity Foundations - Minor

The Cybersecurity Foundations minor provides students with a comprehensive understanding of cybersecurity concepts and practices. With the increasing demand for cybersecurity professionals across industries, this minor is a great way to supplement your degree and enhance your career prospects.

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Minor in Cybersecurity Foundations

Kent State University's Minor in Cybersecurity Foundations provides students with essential knowledge and skills to protect and secure digital information in today's interconnected world. This program introduces core concepts in cybersecurity, including network security, cryptography, and risk management, equipping students with the tools to address evolving cyber threats. Designed to complement a variety of majors, the minor prepares students to apply cybersecurity principles across multiple fields, enhancing their ability to safeguard data and systems in both professional and personal contexts.

Program Information for Cybersecurity Foundations - Minor

Program Description

Full Description

The Cybersecurity Foundations minor provides a foundation in computer science and cybersecurity for students in any field — from the natural sciences to social sciences, technology and business — allowing students to work with substantial computing and data-oriented cyber systems. The minor enables students to competitively manage the computing and cybersecurity aspects of their professions and prepares them to meet the cybersecurity needs of industry and government.

Courses in the Cybersecurity Foundations minor provide a thorough understanding of security, privacy and cryptographic techniques and protocols used in computing, communication and data encryption and processing. Students learn programming, data structures and algorithms through either C++ or Python programming language. Python is appropriate for all students, while C++ is more appropriate for students in the natural sciences majors. After these foundational courses, students select electives in such areas as data security, software security, connection security, component security, system security, human security and societal security.

Admissions for Cybersecurity Foundations - Minor

Admission Requirements

Admission to a minor is open to students declared in a bachelor’s degree, the A.A.B. or A.A.S. degree or the A.T.S. degree (not Individualized Program major). Students declared only in the A.A. or A.S. degree or the A.T.S. degree in Individualized Program may not declare a minor. Students may not pursue a minor and a major in the same discipline.

Learning Outcomes

Program Learning Outcomes

Graduates of this program will be able to:

  1. Understand the essential facts, concepts, principles and theories related to computer science and cybersecurity.
  2. Understand Python or C++ programming basics and data structures in Python or C++.
  3. Understand the security, privacy and cryptographic techniques and protocols used in computing and information encryption and processing.
  4. Understand the development of software with security and potential vulnerabilities in mind, the security aspects of systems that are composed of components and connections and use software.
  5. Apply hands-on experience in programming projects for secure scientific data processing.
  6. Collaborate with other team members in groups to complete secure scientific data processing projects.
Coursework
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Program Requirements

Minor Requirements

Minor Prerequisites
MATH 11010
ALGEBRA FOR CALCULUS (KMCR)
Minor Requirements
C++ or Python Foundation Track, choose from the following:11-12
C++ Track
CS 13001
COMPUTER SCIENCE I: PROGRAMMING AND PROBLEM SOLVING
or CS 13011
& CS 13012
 COMPUTER SCIENCE IA: PROCEDURAL PROGRAMMING
and COMPUTER SCIENCE IB: OBJECT ORIENTED PROGRAMMING
CS 23001
COMPUTER SCIENCE II: DATA STRUCTURES AND ABSTRACTION
CS 23022
DISCRETE STRUCTURES FOR COMPUTER SCIENCE
Python Track
CS 10051
COMPUTER SCIENCE PRINCIPLES (KMCR)
CS 10062
PROGRAMMING FOR PROBLEM SOLVING IN SCIENCES
CS 20062
ADVANCED PROGRAMMING WITH PYTHON
Minor Electives, choose from the following: 19
CRIM 46803
INFORMATION AND CYBER SECURITY
CS 32301
HUMAN INTERFACE COMPUTING
CS 33211
OPERATING SYSTEMS
CS 35101
COMPUTER ORGANIZATION
CS 35201
COMPUTER COMMUNICATION NETWORKS
CS 43203
SYSTEMS PROGRAMMING
CS 43401
SECURE PROGRAMMING
CS 45203
COMPUTER NETWORK SECURITY
CS 47205
INFORMATION SECURITY
CS 47206
DATA SECURITY AND PRIVACY
CS 47207
DIGITAL FORENSICS
CS 47221
INTRODUCTION TO CRYPTOLOGY
Minimum Total Credit Hours:20
1

The following minor electives are recommended for students interested in the below focus areas:

Graduation Requirements

Minimum Minor GPA Minimum Overall GPA
2.000 2.000
  • Minimum 6 credit hours in the minor must be upper-division coursework (30000 and 40000 level).
  • Minimum 6 credit hours in the minor must be outside of the course requirements for any major or other minor the student is pursuing.
  • Minimum 50 percent of the total credit hours for the minor must be taken at Kent State (in residence).
Program Delivery
  • Delivery:
    • In person
  • Location:
    • Kent Campus
    • Stark Campus
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